Scottish people

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Scots
Robert I of Scotland • Alexander Graham Bell • Sean Connery • Robert Burns
Total population
30 - 40 million (est.)[1]
Regions with significant populations
Scotland: 4,459,071[2]  United States:    5,752,571 Scottish and    5,323,888 (Some believe both to be a serious undercount, with Scots Irish estimated to be as many as 27 million) Scots-Irish[3][10] as most Scots-Irish appear to have chosen the "American" ethnic group in the 2000 census. [11])  Canada: 4,157,210[4]  England: 795,000 (est.)  Australia: 540,046[5]  New Zealand: 107,007 in 1996, 12,792 in 2001 (NZ possible statistical error) [12]
Languages
Scottish Gaelic, Scots, English
Religions
Christianity (Presbyterianism, Roman Catholicism, Episcopalianism), Islam and other minority groups, secular
Related ethnic groups
Irish, Manx, English (also, to a lesser extent, Cornish, Welsh, Britons, Bretons, Faroese)

The Scottish people are a nation^[6] and the main ethnic group of Scotland. As an ethnic group, Scots are a composition of several groups such as Picts, Gaels, Brythons and others. In modern use, "Scottish people" or "Scots" refers to anyone born or living in Scotland or who self-identifies as Scottish (see Civil society); or a person who is descended from ethnic Scots and identifies as a Scottish person. Synonyms for the Scottish people include Scots and archaically or pejoratively Scotch^[7]. While the words "Scots"^[8] and "Caledonia"^[9] were originally used to describe one tribe or nation within Scotland, the terms are now used to describe all Scottish people.

There are people of Scottish descent in many countries other than Scotland. Emigration, influenced by factors such as the Highland and Lowland Clearances, and the formation of the British Empire, has resulted in Scottish people being found throughout the world. Large populations of Scottish people settled the new world lands of North and South America and Australia. They took with them their Scottish languages and culture.^[10]

Scotland has seen migration and settlement of peoples throughout its history. Germanic people such as Angles and Saxons arrived beginning in the 4th century while the Norse settled many regions of Scotland from the 8th century onwards. The Scotti from Ireland, who gave their name to Scotland, and the Picts are both referred to in some histories^[11] as being migrants to Scotland. In the middle ages, particularly in the reign of David I of Scotland, there was also some immigration form France, England and the Low Countries. Many famous Scottish families names — including the Bruce, Balliol, Murray, Stewart and Wallace — came to Scotland at this time. Within the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, people of various origins have settled in Scotland. Many immigrant communities have integrated into Scottish society. Elements of modern Scottish culture, such as fish suppers,^[12] may be foreign in origin. However, racism does occur and continues to be a problem.^[13]

Contents 1 The early ethnic groups of Scotland 2 Geographic distribution 3 Culture 3.1 Language 3.1.1 Scottish English 3.1.2 Scots Language 3.1.3 Scottish Gaelic 3.2 Religion 3.3 Literature 3.4 Folklore 3.5 Sport 3.6 Cuisine 3.7 Clans 4 Anglicisation 5 Etymology 6 See also 7 Notes 8 References 9 External links

[edit] The early ethnic groups of Scotland

For a genetic and archaeological history of the people of Scotland see Prehistoric settlement of Great Britain and Ireland

The indigenous people of present day Scotland are mainly descended from five, dark age and early medieval, ethnic/cultural groups: the Britons, the Picts, the Gaels, the Angles and the Norse.

Culturally, these peoples are grouped according to language. The Celtic-speaking group included the Britons, and the Gaels, who arrived in the west from Ireland in the fourth century. The Picts are also generally assumed to have spoken a variety of Celtic language, though there is some debate around this.^[14] Germanic peoples included the Angles of Northumbria, who settled in south-eastern Scotland, and later the Norse arriving from Norway in the north and west.

With the arrival of the Gaels, use of the Gaelic language spread throughout nearly the whole of Scotland by the ninth century,^[15][16] reaching a peak in the eleventh century.^[17] During this period the English and French gave the territory the name "Scotland", i.e. "land of the Gaels". Not all of medieval Scotland was Gaelic-speaking, however. South-east of the Firth of Forth in Lothian and the Borders, a northern variety of Middle English, also known as Early Scots, was spoken. Eastern Caithness and the Northern Isles were Norn-speaking. From 1200 to 1500 the Early Scots language spread across the lowland parts of Scotland between Galloway and the Highland line. From 1500 until recent years, Scotland was divided by language into two groups of people, commonly the Gaelic-speaking "Highlanders" and the Scots, latterly English-speaking, "Lowlanders". Today, immigrants have brought other languages, but almost every adult in modern Scotland is fluent in the English language, and the concept of "Highlander" and "Lowlander" may be a rather a meaningless anachronism applied only to historical topics.

[edit] Geographic distribution

Further information: Highland Clearances, Lowland Clearances and Ulster-Scots

Today, Scotland has a population of just over five million people, the majority of whom consider themselves Scottish.^[18] In addition, there are many more Scots abroad than in Scotland. In the 2000 Census, 4.8 million Americans reported Scottish ancestry,^[19] 1.7% of the total U.S. population. Given Scotland's population (just over 5 million), there are almost as many Scottish Americans as there are native Scots living in their home country. Another 4.3 million reported Scots-Irish ancestry, for a total of 9.2 million Americans of Scottish descent.^[3] However this number is believed to be a serious under-count, as areas where people reported 'American' ancestry were the places where, historically, Scottish and Scots-Irish Protestants settled in America: in the interior of the South, and the Applachian region. It is believed the number of Scottish Americans could be in the region of 20 million and Scots-Irish Americans at 27 million.

In Canada, according to the 2001 Census of Canada data, the Scottish-Canadian community accounts for 4,157,210 people.^[4] Scottish-Canadians are the 3rd biggest ethnic group in Canada. Scottish culture has particularly thrived in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia (Latin for "New Scotland"). Also the home of the Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts, both Lowland and Highland Scots have settled there in large numbers.

Large populations of Scottish people also exist in Ireland, especially Ulster where they form the Ulster-Scots community. Other United Kingdom and European countries have had their share of Scots immigrants. Wales and England are estimated to have 700,000 people of Scottish decent. The Scots have been emigrating to mainland Europe for centuries as merchants and soldiers.^[20] Many emigrated to France, Poland^[21] Italy and Holland.^[22]

Scottish communities also exist in Australia (500,000 people) and New Zealand. In Latin America there are notable Scottish populations in Brazil, Argentina,^[23] Chile^[24] and Mexico.

[edit] Culture

[edit] Language

Main article: Language in Scotland

Historically, Scottish people have spoken many different languages and dialects. The Pictish language, Norse, Norman-French and Brythonic languages have been spoken by descendants of Scottish people. However, none of these are in use today. The remaining three major languages of the Scottish people are English,Scots (various dialects) and Gaelic. Of these three, English is the most common form as a first language. There are some other minority languages of the Scottish people, such as Spanish, used by the population of Scots in Argentina. However, it is beyond the scope of this article to list every one comprehensively.

[edit] Scottish English

Main article: Scottish English

After the Union of Crowns in 1603, the Scottish Court moved with James VI & I to London and English vocabulary began to be used by the Scottish upper classes.^[25] With the introduction of the printing press, spellings became standardised. Scottish English, a Scottish variation of southern English English, began to replace the Scots Language. Scottish English soon became the dominant language. By the end of the 17th century, Scots Language had practically ceased to exist, at least in literary form.^[26] While Scots remained a common spoken language, the southern Scottish English dialect was the preferred language for publications from the 18th century to the present day.

[edit] Scots Language

Main article: Scots language

See also: Ulster Scots language

Scots, also known as Lallans or Doric, is a language of Germanic origin. It has its roots in Northern Middle English. After the wars of independence, the English used by Scots speakers evolved in a different direction to that of Modern English English. Since 1424, this language, known to its speakers as Inglis, was used by the Scottish Parliament in its statutes.^[25] By the middle of the 15th century, the language's name had changed from Inglis to Scottis. The reformation, from 1560 onwards, saw the beginning of a decline in the use of Scots forms. With the establishment of the Protestant Presbyterian religion, and lacking a Scots translation of the bible, they used the Geneva Edition.^[27] From that point on; God spoke English, not Scots.^[28] Scots continued to be used in official legal and court documents throughout the 18th century. However, due to the adoption of the southern standard by officialdom and the Education system the use of written Scots declined. Scots is still a popular spoken language with over 1.5 million Scots speakers in Scotland.^[29] The Scots language is used by about 30,000 Ulster Scots^[30] and is known in official circles as Ullans. In 1993, Ulster Scots was recognised, along with Scots, as a variety of the Scots language by the European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages.^[31]

[edit] Scottish Gaelic

Main article: Scottish Gaelic language

See also: Canadian Gaelic

Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language with similarities to Irish Gaelic. It was originally spoken by the Gaels of Dalriada and the Rhinns of Galloway, later being adopted by the Pictish people of central and eastern Scotland. Gaelic (lingua Scottica, Scottis) became the de facto language of the whole Kingdom of Alba, giving its name to the country (Scotia, Scotland). Meanwhile, Gaelic independently spread west from Galloway into Clydesdale. The predominance of Gaelic began to decline in the 13th century, and by the end of the Middle Ages Scotland was divided into two linguistic zones, the English/Scots-speaking Lowlands and the Gaelic-speaking Highlands and Galloway. Gaelic continued to be spoken widely through the Highlands until the 19th century. The highland clearances and the Education (Scotland) Act 1872, which actively discouraged the use of Gaelic in schools, caused the numbers of Gaelic speakers to fall.^[32] Many Gaelic speakers emigrated to counties such as Canada or moved to the industrial cities of lowland Scotland. Communities where the language is still spoken natively are restricted to the west coast of Scotland; and especially the Hebrides. However, large proportions of Gaelic speakers also live in the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland. The 2001 UK Census showed a total of 58,652 Gaelic speakers in Scotland. Outside Scotland, there are communities of Scottish Gaelic speakers such as the Canadian Gaelic community; though their numbers have also been declining rapidly. The Gaelic language is recognised as a Minority language by the European Union. The Scottish parliament is also seeking to increase the use of Gaelic in Scotland through the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005. Gaelic is now used as a first language in some Schools and is prominently seen in use on dual language road signs throughout the Gaelic speaking parts of Scotland. It is recognised as an official language of Scotland with 'equal respect' to English.

[edit] Religion

Main article: Religion in Scotland

Saint Ninian (c. 360 - 432), is credited with bringing Christianity to Scotland. He was born in the Roman province of Valentia which is either modern day Galloway or Cumberland. At about the age of twenty, he went to Rome to study theology.^[33] He stayed there for fifteen years and was ordained as a Bishop by Damasus around the end of the 4th century. He was sent back to preach to his native people. He built his church in the Roman province of Valentia in the town of Leucapia, now called Whithorn in Galloway, Scotland. The local tribe was called the Novantes. He constructed the first church in Britain to be made of stone. He named the church Candida Case, which means white house. He traveled throughout Scotland, and converted the Picts (aka Caledonians) to Christianity.^[34]

In the year 431, Saint Palladius was sent by Pope Celestine I to be Primus Episcopus — First Bishop to the Scots believing in Christ.^[33] At this time, "the Scots" referred to the Gaels of Western Scotland and Ireland. Palladius's work is not well recorded and is often confused with Saint Patrick. Some time between 457 and 461, Palladius died. He is thought to have been laid to rest at a place called Forgund or Fordun in the village of Auchenblae in the Mearns district of Scotland.^[35]

Saint Patrick (385 - 17 March 493), born in Kirkpatrick near Dumbarton, Scotland, is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland and is the patron Saint of Ireland. In the year 563, Saint Columba (7 December 521 - 9 June 597) left Ireland with twelve companions and founded a church on the small island of Iona. This became the central hub of Christianity in the Highlands of Scotland. Saint Margaret, Queen of Scotland, was instrumental in moving the Scottish Church closer to Rome. Throughout the Middle Ages, Scotland remained Roman Catholic.

Lutheran ideas were introduced to Scotland in the 16th century. Although they were initially suppressed and outlawed by the state, Protestant Presbyterianism became popular. This was the Scottish Reformation. Bolstered by reformers such as John Knox, the Reformed Church became the established church in Scotland with an act of 1560. This developed into the Presbyterian church.

Religious ideology was to be a driving force throughout the 17th century. The Covenanters were to play an important role in the wars and in the later reinstatement of Charles II. Though Charles then turned to persecutor trying to stamp out the Covenanters. Many of the Covenanters emigrated to the new lands of America and Canada which were then opening up.

The 18th century would again see religion of the Scottish people used in war, in the Jacobite uprisings of 1715 and 1745. While common modern perception was of a war between Scots and English people, it was more accurately between Protestants and Catholics. Lowland Scots tended to support the Protestant Hanoverian King's red coats while Catholics, and mainly Highlanders, stood with the Catholic Jacobites.

The modern people of Scotland remain a mix of different religions. The Protestant and Catholic divisions still remain in the society. Immigration of new people to Scotland has led to the establishment of new religions. Scotland has populations of Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and other faiths, although all of these communities are currently small (see Religion in Scotland.

People of Scottish and Scots-Irish ancestry in the United States are chiefly Protestant, with many belonging to churches of the Baptist, Methodist and various Presbyterian denominations. However the largest Church remains the national Church of Scotland.

[edit] Literature

Main article: Scottish literature

[edit] Folklore

Main article: Scottish folklore

[edit] Sport

Main article: Sport in Scotland

[edit] Cuisine

Main article: Scottish cuisine

[edit] Clans

Main article: Scottish clan

See also: Tartan and Kilt

[edit] Anglicisation

Main article: Anglicisation

Many Scottish surnames have become "Anglicised" (made to sound English) over the centuries. Davis, Bruce (originally Brus), Campbell, Salmond, Marshall, Christie, and Joy are just a few of many examples. This reflected the gradual spread of English, also known as Early Scots, from around the 13th Century onwards, through Scotland beyond its traditional area in the Lothians. It also reflected some deliberate political attempts to promote the English language in the outlying regions of Scotland, including following the Union of the Crowns, and then the Act of Union of 1707 and the subsequent defeat of rebellions.

However many Scottish surnames have remained predominantly Gaelic albeit written according to English orthographic practice (as with Irish surnames). Thus MacAoidh in Gaelic is Mackay in English, and MacGill-Eain in Gaelic is MacLean, O'Maolagan is Milligan and so on. Mac (sometimes Mc) is common as it means "son of". MacDonald, McAuley, Balliol, Gilmore, Gilmour, MacKinley, MacKintosh, MacKenzie, MacNiell, MacRyan, MacPhearson, MacLear, McDonald, McKenzie, MacAra, MacNamara, MacManus, Lauder, Menzies, Galloway and Duncan, are just a few of many examples of traditional Scottish surnames. There are of course, also the many surnames, like Wallace and Morton, stemming from parts of Scotland which were settled by peoples other than the (Gaelic) Scots, and the most common surnames in Scotland are Smith and Brown![13]

In 1603, the English and Scottish Crowns united under King James VI of Scotland (King James I of England). The border clans were banished to England, Northern Scotland, and Ireland^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Etymology

The word Scotia was used by the Romans, as early as the 1st Century C.E., as the name of one of the tribes in what is now Scotland.^[36] The Romans also used Scotia to refer to the Irish.^[37] The Venerable Bede (c. 672 or 673 – May 27, 735) uses the word Scottorum for the nation from Ireland who settled part of the Pictish lands: "Scottorum nationem in Pictorum parte recipit." This we can infer to mean the arrival of the people, also know as the Gaels, in the Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Western edge of Scotland. It is of note that Bede used the word "nationem" (nation) for the Scots, where he often refers to other peoples, such as the Picts, with the word "gens" (race).^[38] In the 10th century Anglo Saxon Chronicle, the word Scot is mentioned as a reference to the 'Land of the Gaels'. The word Scottorum was again used by an Irish King in 1005: Brian Bóruma, Imperator Scottorum, was the title given to him by his notary, Mael Suthain, in the Book of Armagh.^[39] This style was subsequently copied by the Scottish kings. Basileus Scottorum appears on the great seal of King Edgar (1074 – 1107).^[40] Alexander I (c. 1078 – 1124) used the words Rex Scottorum on his great seal, as did many of his successors up to and including James II.^[41]

In modern times the words Scot and Scottish are applied mainly to inhabitants of Scotland. The ancient Irish connotations are largely forgotten. The language known as Ulster Scots, spoken in parts of North East Ireland, is the result of 17th and 18th century immigration to Ireland from Scotland.

In the English language, the word Scotch is a term to describe a thing from Scotland, such as "Scotch Whisky". However, when referring to people, the preferred term is Scots. Many Scottish people find the term Scotch to be offensive when applied to people.^[42] The Oxford Dictionary describes Scotch as an "old-fashioned" term for "Scottish".^[43]

[edit] See also

• Alba
• Caledonia
• Gaels
• Irish-Scots
• Italian-Scots
• List of Scots
• Prehistoric settlement of Great Britain and Ireland
• Redlegs
• Scots-Irish
• Scots-Quebecer
• Scottish American
• Scottish-Canadian
• Scottish national identity

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Ritchie, A. & Breeze, D.J. Invaders of Scotland HMSO. (?1991) ISBN-X
• David Armitage, "The Scottish Diaspora" in Jenny Wormald (ed.), Scotland: A History. Oxford UP, Oxford, 2005. ISBN
• Scotchirish.net: "Pioneers". http://www.scotchirish.net/The%20Pioneers.php4

[edit] External links

• "We're nearly all Celts under the skin" by Ian Johnston for The Scotsman Online

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