Scottish Americans

Scottish Americans or Scots Americans (Scottish Gaelic: Ameireaganaich Albannach; Scots: Scots-American) are Americans whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in Scotland. Scottish Americans are closely related to Scotch-Irish Americans, descendants of Ulster Scots, and communities emphasize and celebrate a common heritage. The majority of Scotch-Irish Americans originally came from Lowland Scotland and Northern England before migrating to the province of Ulster in Ireland (see Plantation of Ulster) and thence, beginning about five generations later, to North America in large numbers during the eighteenth century. The number of Scottish Americans is believed to be around 25 million, and celebrations of Scottish identity can be seen through Tartan Day parades, Burns Night celebrations, and Tartan Kirking ceremonies.

Significant emigration from Scotland to America began in the 1700s, accelerating after the Jacobite rising of 1745, the steady degradation of clan structures, and the Highland Clearances. During the 18th century, the "push" elements of emigration decisions were set alongside the "pull" of the many opportunities for Scots in the British Empire created by the Act of Union. At this stage, those leaving included members of the lower-ranking gentry; for instance, emigrants from the Highlands had among them tacksmen and some wealthier farmers who chose not to accept the changes being imposed in the earliest phases of the Highland clearances.

Even higher rates of emigration occurred after these times of social upheaval. In the second half of the 19th century, Scotland was losing to emigration, in the years 1855–1860, an amount equal to 28% of its natural population increase; this rose to 54% in 1881–1890 and 84% by 1901–1910.

In the 1920s, Scotland experienced a reduction in total population of 0.8%, totally absorbing the natural population increase of 7.2%: the U.S. and Canada were the most common destinations of these emigrants. Despite emphasis on the struggles and 'forced exile' of Jacobites and Highland clansmen in popular media, Scottish migration was mostly from the Lowland regions. The vast bulk of Scottish emigration was at times when the domestic economy was doing well. The idea that the typical emigrant was escaping poverty is not supported by the evidence. Those who left, while being a diverse cross-section of all of Scottish society, included many whose abilities were considered by some to be a worrying loss to Scotland.