Figures for 2007, released by Midlothian District Registar Marilyn Rorrison, show that there were 15 humanist marriages in the county, compared to six in 2006.

Mrs Rorrison explained: "I think the general public don't appreciate that the only two types of weddings are civil and religious and I don't think the public appreciate that a humanist ceremony is a civil ceremony. That is why they seem to be creeping in."

A Humanist Society of Scotland spokesman said the increase in humanist weddings in Midlothian reflected a trend shown across the country.

"We predict that by 2010 we will be more popular than Roman Catholic and Episcopalian weddings," she added.

Humanist celebrants, authorised by the Registrar General of Scotland and trained and monitored by the Society, have been legally entitled to perform wedding ceremonies since June 2005. Society representatives also perform funerals, naming ceremonies and same sex commitment ceremonies.

The spokesman explained that many people chose humanist wedding ceremonies as they could be "tailor-made" to suit the couple.

Unlike civil marriages, which can only be performed at licensed locations, a humanist celebrant could marry a couple "at a great location".

There were more Midlothian weddings in 2007 than the previous year. Statistics for the whole of the county reveal there were 542 marriages last year — 220 civil, 307 religious and 15 humanist ceremonies. In 2006, there were 519 weddings — 212 civil, 301 religious and six humanist.

The number of Midlothian births rose by 191 in 2007 to 816 while the number of deaths in the county increased by 133 to 795.

There were seven civil partnerships in 2007 — one less than the previous year.