Scottish Americans

Scottish Americans, often known as Scots Americans, are people who were born in the United States but whose ancestors were born entirely or partially in Scotland. Scottish Americans are tightly linked to Scotch-Irish Americans, who are descended from Ulster Scots, and the two groups highlight and celebrate a shared ancestry in their respective communities. Many Scotch-Irish Americans trace their origins back to Lowland Scotland and Northern England before moving to the province of Ulster in Ireland (see Plantation of Ulster) and then, starting around five generations later, to North America in considerable numbers beginning in the eighteenth century. According to current estimates, there are around 25 million Scottish Americans living in the United States, and displays of 'Scottishness' may be seen in large-scale Tartan Day parades and Burns Night festivities.

Scottish immigration to the United States started in the 1700s and accelerated with the Jacobite uprising of 1745, the gradual deterioration of clan systems, and the Highland Clearances (which took place in the 1830s). Following these periods of societal turmoil, even greater rates of emigration were recorded. A 0.8 percent decrease in overall population occurred in Scotland during the 1920s, completely absorbing the natural population gain of 7.2 percent. The United States and Canada were the most popular destinations for these immigrants.

The total of Americans of Scottish descent presently is estimated to be 20 to 25 million (up to 8.3 percent of the total US population), and the number of Scotch-Irish Americans is estimated to be 27 to 30 million (up to 10 percent of the total US population). Because of their shared ancestral surnames and heritage, the subgroups are overlapping and not always distinguishable from one another.

Many Scotch-Irish Americans trace their origins back to Lowland Scotland and Northern England before moving to the province of Ulster in Ireland (see Plantation of Ulster) and then, starting around five generations later, to North America in considerable numbers beginning in the eighteenth century.