Hi
Just joined and seen this thread.
My paternal grandmother's maiden name was Phimister, although both she and her father John, were born in Sunderland, Co Durham.
His father was Alexander Phimister, a mariner, born in Caithness, Wick.
However, can't find any mention of him in birth registers in Scotland's People.
Guess most of the Phimisters were probably related; not sure how common the name is.
Margaret