Question of the Week: Do you have Scottish roots?

+39 votes
3.0k views

imageDo you have ancestors from Scotland? Please answer below if you do, or use the question image to share your answer on social media, like Facebook, with your friends and family.

You might also be interested in our Scotland project.

in The Tree House by Eowyn Walker G2G Astronaut (2.4m points)

Hi  Elizabeth Russon, an interesting theory, naming patterns are always an interesting avenue to explore when there are no other hints. I'll add this one to the possibilities to explore. You never know it might lead to something.

Wow  my surnames include Nicholl, Kelly, Hetherington, Forsyth, Moore, Nelson, and come from Tyrone ,Northern  Ireland . Originating in Scotland but spreading out from here to USA, Canada and Australia ect
Hi...I have Scottish ancesters coming at me from 2 sides. My husband is Robert Douglas Pease of the Scotland Douglass, Abbe, Goldsmyth and Campbell families back to James IV  through marriage and what not.  My father's side [James Nelson Bickford] roots started in northern England and then to Scotland and then America. They started arriving before 1630 traveling on ships of the Winthrop Fleet many boarding at Ipswich.  My husband's ancester, John Pease, 1607/08, and 2nd wife Elizabeth [Fisher] arrived in Massachusetts in April of 1634. One of their children, Oceanus, [1634-1637/39] was born during the adventure. The Salem witch trials also caught up the Pease family in 1692-93/94 and left its mark. My Bickfords eventually removed to Rhode Island and Maine [through uphappy circumstances] to my Grandfather William Owen Bickford where he met my Grandmother Nellie [Kark], tapped by her church to administer to the loggers in Upstate New York Adirondacks.  They married [1907] and the rest is history.  I am amazed at the linking of so many of our families in this country.  Glad to meet all.  Dorry Catherine [Bickford] Pease
My maternal grandmothers parents were from Saltcoats, Ayrshire,Scotland. The name is Roy.

My late husband spoke of scottish origins, the names were stuart snyman
My great grandfather came from paisley in Scotland.

He emigrated to China where he work married a Chinese girl
25% Scott Clan Elliott Cumberland Border Reivers

53% English According to Living Tree DNA.  78% on the Home Ilses

Does this count? Sorry for the length of it.

1. Glenna is the daughter of Doris Mildred (Denham) Meredith    **(unknown confidence] each entry has this after it.**
2. Mildred is the daughter of Lena May (Lindsey) Denham 
3. Lena is the daughter of Willis H. Lindsey 
4. Willis is the son of Andrew Jackson Lindsey 
5. Andrew is the son of William Green Lindsey 
6. William is the son of Caleb Lindsey 
7. Caleb is the son of William Lindsay 
8. William is the son of Caleb William Lindsey 
9. Caleb is the son of William Lindsey 
10. William is the son of Caleb Lindsay 
11. Caleb is the son of James (Lindsay) Lindsey 
12. James is the son of Jerome Hierome Lindsay 
13. Jerome is the son of David Ross Lindsay 
14. David is the son of Alexander Lindsay 
15. Alexander is the son of Walter Lindsay 
16. Walter is the son of David Lindsay 
17. David is the son of Walter Lindsay [unknown 
18. Walter is the son of David Lindsay [unknown 
19. David is the son of Alexander Lindsay [unknown 
20. Alexander is the son of Elizabeth (Stewart) Lindsay 
21. Elizabeth is the daughter of Robert Stewart 
22. Robert II is the son of Marjorie (Bruce) Stewart 
23. Marjorie is the daughter of Robert (Bruce) de Brus 
24. Robert I is the son of Robert (Bruce) de Bruce
25. Robert is the son of Robert (Bruce) de Brus
26. Robert is the son of Robert (Bruce) de Brus 
27. Robert is the son of William (Brus) de Brus 
28. William is the son of Euphemia (Aumale) Brus 
29. Euphemia is the daughter of Enguerrand (Aumale) d'Aumale 
30. Enguerrand is the son of Etienne (Champagne) de Troyes 
 

Yes I do have Scottish roots, my grandfather was Godfrey Nixon born 1907 in Hawick, Scotland.  sister was Margaret (Nixon) Shiel. Father was Joseph and mother was agnes Nixon.  I am looking for Shirley Alexander. Keen as to get in touch with any others, relatives or anyone else who has knowledge of my family.
My great-grandfather Albert John Hardy (aged 19), came to South Africa on the 'Gypsy Bride', ship, departed from Liverpool in 1858. His surname was spelt as John Hardie, from Scottland, on the passenger list. My mother (no longer living) said he was born in Lanark. Do you perhaps know where I can search for the emigration details (father, mother and residential address) as he was under age at the time.

Wikitree ID [[Kruger-762]]
Hi there, I had a quick look around Ancestry but could find no mention of a John Hardy/ie in their Immigration and Emmigration section. I think 1858 is a bit early for details to be kept regarding immigrants but I could be wrong.

100 Answers

+16 votes

My Scottish Roots run deep, throughout both the Highlands (with the MacKays) and Lowlands (with the Crawfords) from the earliest times through to the early 1800s when my direct lines emigrated to Canada.

As one of the co-Leaders of the Scotland Project, I look forward to seeing everyone's answers smiley

by Amy Gilpin G2G6 Pilot (214k points)
+18 votes

Yes - all of them!  All my ancestors back to the early 1800s are Scottish - probably explains the ginger hair, freckles and tendency to burn whenever I even look at the sun wink

by Sheena Tait G2G6 Pilot (114k points)
+17 votes

According to Eddie King, I do, but they're somewhere in the 1600's or earlier and I have not gotten past mid-1800's.  I searched the internet and found a photo of my Scottish ancestor (I know we're related because his red hair matches mine).  Melanie Paul said she also has Scottish Gordon ancestors, so we decided that this is our MRCA:

by Gaile Connolly G2G Astronaut (1.2m points)
Gaile?? WTF??  LOL

Was NOT expecting that!!!!

There are times that you can get in trouble if you take me seriously <grin>.  After all, I *did* say that I found a photo of my 16th century ancestor on the internet ... and that he turns out to be the MRCA for Melanie and me.  About all that is really true is that I did find that on the internet - it popped up on a google search for Scottish clipart or something like that.

Glad you are back with your humor intact!!
This is one case where I would prefer a little more kilt (OK a lot more) and a little less flesh (OK a lot less)!

I thought you had forgotten this!  heartlaugh

yee gawds gaile.

now i cant UNSEE that

hahahaha
+15 votes
Lets see - my paternal grandfather has pretty much 100% scottish ancestry!! He married a woman who was english!! LOL

My maternal grandfather would have been half Irish and half scottish - and my maternal grandmother was half english and half scottish.

My dad is half scottish and half english and my mother is half scottish, 1/4 irish and 1/4 english

So altogether that makes me -  lets see -1/4 scottish from dad and 1/8 scottish from my mum - so in total 5/8 scottish?

Is my maths right?

The rest of me would be 1/8 Irish and 1/4 english.

So yeah I am slightly over half scottish and 1/4 english and a little bit of Irish...
by Robynne Lozier G2G Astronaut (1.2m points)
Several hours later - redoing my maths

I am actually - 1/2 scottish. 3/8 english and 1/8 Irish!!
+17 votes
I have 8 Scottish King GGFs starting with my 28th, Duncan (Dunkeld-8) of Scotland (1007-1040).

Many Mackenzie GGFs starting with Angus (Mackenzie-3100) of Kintail 1st (Abt 1230).
by George Kellogg G2G6 Mach 1 (10.9k points)
edited by George Kellogg
We are 14th Cousins 2x Removed~Nice to meet you!
Double cousins. That's on maternal GM side; also cousin with paternal GF.
I did not see that we are double cousins..Even Better! Glad to know You!
+19 votes
Lots of Scots Irish.

Interestingly, as the Scots Irish and Irish didn't get along so well, many of them listed place of birth as Scotland when they were really born in Ireland.  I've found at least two Scots Irish ancestors who were born in Ireland but they appear as born in Scotland on US census records meaning that they told the census taker that they were Scotish.  I was able to confirm this in one case because the same ancestor had made some disparaging remarks about Ireland & Irish people - the same country he was born in!
by SJ Baty G2G Astronaut (1.2m points)
SJ, I am always amazed at your writings. You are so knowledgeable on so many different things.
+17 votes
My grandmother Pearl McCleery “Nana” often told me that all her ancestors were from Scotland. My DNA has come back with 37% Scottish and Irish, so even though I find iffy things about my Scottish roots doing genealogy—I loved my Nana, and so I will say I am at least 25% Scottish.
by Alexis Nelson G2G6 Pilot (843k points)
+14 votes

With the last name "Gunn", I am clearly "tail mail" Scottish.  But the most recent ancestor who was actually BORN in Scotland, of Scottish parents, was my third great grandfather John Gunn (1784 - 1836) from Wick, so that is 1/32 if I have done the arithmetic right.

Closer up, my great aunt Wendy Wood (1892- 1981) was a very active Scottish Nationalist.  In spite of her claims of a "Scottish grandmother" (both of her grandmothers were English), she had no Scottish ancestry.  Her closest Scottish connection was that HER great aunt had married a Scotsman named Ross(from Dalbeatie). She has a Wikipedia article

by Janet Gunn G2G6 Pilot (157k points)
+16 votes
My Hiighlander Scottish roots include Stuart, McTaggart, Henderson, and Proudfoot.  Allison,Stimonton, and Thompson are also supposed to be Highlander families.

My Lowlander Scottish families are Alexander, McCorquodale, Bell, and Turnbull.

Note that Proudfoot became Proffitt in the New World.  I'm sure I have other Scottish ancestors as well.
by David Hughey G2G Astronaut (1.7m points)
Have you been able to trace Bells from US to Ulster?
+12 votes
Yes, we have Scottish roots; however, most go so far back (20 generations or more) that there is likely little if any DNA. Nevertheless, there is history. Our Scottish roots are primarily Dunkeld. St Margaret (Wessex) Ceannmore and Malcolm Dunkeld of Scotland are our 26th great grandparents through David Dunkeld on down. Their daughter, Eadgith Dunkeld of Scotland and Henry Normandy of England are also our 26th great grandparents.
by Carol Baldwin G2G Astronaut (1.1m points)
HI! We are 21st cousins 2X removed. Nice to meet you..
Hi Cousin Norma, Nice to meet you, too!
+13 votes
Yes. Thank you.
by John Manifold G2G4 (4.2k points)
+18 votes
Wow! More than half my ancestry (as far as I can tell) is from the Blessed Realm! Neal, Reid, Galloway, Beaty, Moore, Todd....

To celebrate this most wonderful of Questions or the a Week, I’ll wear my Robertson Red kilt to supper at dad’s tonight!

Suas Alba!
by Pip Sheppard G2G Astronaut (2.7m points)
+13 votes

My great grandfather Robert Colville https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Colville-421  came to Ohio from Argyll in 1837 with his family. He married Agnes MacKay, who came from Argyll in 1842 on the Gleaner. They settled in Scottish Settlement in Argyle, Illinois. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Scottish_Immigrant_Settlement_in_Winnebago_Illinois  I’m related to just about everyone in the Scottish Cemetery there. 

On my mothers’s side my 4th Great grandfather William Andrew Crawford. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Crawford-14022 came to South Carolina from Renfrewshire in 1772. 

by Joelle Colville-Hanson G2G6 Pilot (150k points)
+14 votes
Well, my family name is McDougle - so you'd think so! But, we haven't been able to trace the McDougle line back to Scotland from Appalachia. We've been in U.S. for SEVERAL generations!
by K R McDougle G2G4 (4.7k points)
+14 votes

Great Grandmother Elizabeth MacIntosh was born about 1877 in Lanarkshire.  She came to Boston in 1883 with her parents and siblings.  Her mother Jessie Lawrie was born 7 April 1852 in Portee, Skye Isle, Inverness-shire.  Her father, Angus MacIntosh was born 19 September 1854 in Dores, , Inverness-shire.

by Dorothy O'Hare G2G6 Mach 8 (87.7k points)
+14 votes
My roots are about 82% English, but about 7% Scots (and by my estimation, about 5% Irish, 4% French, 3% Welsh, and 1% Dutch). Both my parents and all my grand-parents and great-grandparents were born in England; and only one of my 2x great-grandparents was born outside England -- specifically, she was born in Ireland. However, of my 3x great-grandparents, one was born in Scotland (in Greenock, Renfrewshire), one in France, one in New York, and two in Ireland -- and each of those Irish ancestors had one parent who had moved there from Scotland (specifically, from Edinburgh and from Alloa in Clackmannanshire). The New York ancestor had some Dutch ancestry, which is why I think I have a bit of Dutch in me. But I love Scotland, and so I am happy that I have these Scottish ancestors!
by Ralph Wedgwood G2G3 (3.2k points)
+11 votes

I have several that I'm very proud of, Knox, McGill, McQueen, Mackintosh.  Dugal McQueen was a Highlander and Jacobite who came to America as a prisoner. 

William Knox

Dugal McQueen

by James Stratman G2G6 Pilot (102k points)
edited by James Stratman
+13 votes

Though I still have work to do on this line, my g-g-g grandfather, William M. Millar and his wife, Isabella Morton Millar were from Linlithgow, Scotland.  They were born in the late 1700s.  By 1819 they, with their family were living in Wales.  By 1838 they were in New York, and finally ended up in Chicago Heights, Cook, Illinois where William died in 1847.

by Robin Shaules G2G Astronaut (1.5m points)
+12 votes
My latest DNA ethnicity estimate on Ancestry combines Scotland and Ireland at 34% (but I know there isn't very much Irish) and a combined England and Scottish Lowlands at 59%. So not that helpful!

Anyway, my grandmother was a McCormick (Port Glasgow and back to Argyll), and I have lots of other Scottish Lowlands ancestors, especially around Airth, in Stirling, as well as Kirkcaldy (Fife), Edinburgh, Morayshire and Dundee. I'm especially proud of having ancestors from the Shetland Islands.
by Gillian Thomas G2G6 Pilot (261k points)
What surnames do you have from kirkcaldy? My father was born here and his ancestors.
Hello Bonnie, Baird and Dryburgh are the surnames of the couple who emigrated to Australia. Alison Dryburgh was actually from Dysart. She is a brick wall. David Baird’s ancestors were salters at Wemyss.
+12 votes

Och aye! Only a couple generations back I have MacLean, McIntosh, Reddie, Thomson, and Sands all from Scotland - Islands, Highlands and Lowlands.

by Jay Wickham G2G6 (7.5k points)

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