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Famous Scots

Here are biographies of a growing selection of Scots who have had an influence on the world - ranging from saints in the 6th century to Billy Connolly in the 20th. There are already over 120 famous Scots in this index, in alphabetical order.

Adam - Robert (1728-1792) - Architect of Culzean Castle and many other fine buildings.

Alexander III - King (1241-1286) - A direct descendant of the first king of the Scots, Kenneth mac Alpin.

Allan - Robert (1774-1841) - Born in Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, died in USA.

Asquith - Margot (1864-1945) - High society wit and non-conformist who married Prime Minister Herbert Asquith.

Baird - John Logie (1888-1946) - Started the first TV station in the world.

Barrie - Sir J M (1860-1937) - Author of "Peter Pan" and "The Admirable Crichton".

Barbour - John (1316-1395) - Father of Scottish vernacular poetry with his epic "The Brus".

Bell - Alexander Graham (1847-1922) - Inventor of the telephone and involved in genetics and phonetics.

Brewster - Sir David (1781-1868) - Invented the kaleidoscope and the lenticular stereoscope.

Brodie - Deacon William (? - 1788) - A colourful and successful thief and inspiration for "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde".

Bruce - James (1730-1794) - A giant of a man who found the source of the Nile in Abbysinia in 1770.

Buchan - John (1875-1940) - Governor General of Canada and an the author of "The Thirty-Nine Steps" etc.

Buchanan - George (1506-1582) - Moderator of the Church of Scotland in 1567.

Burns - Robert (1759-1796) - Scotland's most celebrated poet.

Burrell - Sir William (1861-1958) - A wealthy shipping magnate who gave his art collection to Glasgow.

Byron - George Gordon (Lord Byron) (1788-1824) - His Scottish childhood doubtless had an impact on the poet.

Campbell - Colin, 1st Baron Clyde (1792-1863) - His exploits at Balaclava gave rise to the "thin red line" legend.

Carlyle - Thomas (1795-1881) - An influential philosopher and historian of the Victorian age.

Carnegie - Andrew (1835-1919) - The railway, iron and steel tycoon who gave all his wealth away.

Chalmers - Thomas (1780-1847) - Led a third of the Church of Scotland ministers to form the Free Church.

Charles I - King (1600-1649) - Conflict with Parliament and the people led to Civil War - and his execution.

Charles II - King (1630-1685) - Charles II was determined to hold on to his throne - and succeeded.

Connery - Sir Sean (1930- ) - Regarded by some as the greatest president Scotland never had.

Connolly - Billy (1942 - ) - The shipyard worker who became an international actor and comedian.

Cranston - Kate (1850-1934) - An entrepreneur who encouraged the artistic talents of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Dale - David (1739-1806) - His mills in New Lanark were the largest cotton-spinning mills in Britain.

David I - King (1084-1153) - After 30 years at the English court he led many knights north when he became king.

David II - King (1324-1371) - Son of Robert the Bruce, King David II was a less successful monarch.

Dewar - Donald (1937-2000) - Architect of the new Scottish Parliament and its first First Minister.

Dewar - Sir James (1842-1923) - Inventor of the vacuum flask.

Douglas - David (1799-1834) - Botanist and explorer after whom the Douglas fir is named.

Doyle - Sir Arthur Conan (1859-1930) - Based his famous detective Sherlock Holmes on a forensic scientist.

Duncan - Adam, 1st Viscount Camperdown (1731-1804) - Defeated the Dutch navy at Camperdown.

Duncan - Rev Henry (1774-1846) - Founder of the mutual savings bank movement, restorer of the Ruthwell Cross.

Dunlop - John Boyd (1840-1921) - Established the Dunlop Rubber Company.

Ferguson - Sir Alex (1942 - ) - A football manager who has made two different teams European Champions.

Fleming - Sir Alexander (1881-1955) - Won the Nobel prize as discoverer of penicillin.

Forrest - George (1873-1932) - Brought back over 30,000 specimens of 10,000 plants from China.

Galgacus (Lived Around 80AD - Earliest recorded Scot, his Caledonii tribe were defeated by the Romans.

Geddes - Sir Patrick (1854-1932) - Chiefly known for his ideas on town planning.

Gladstone - William Ewart (1809-1898) - UK Prime Minister.

Glover - Sir Thomas Blake (1838 - 1911) - Responsible for the modern industrialisation of Japan.

Graham - James, 1st Marquess of Montrose (1612-50) - A brilliant soldier.

Graham - John, Viscount Dundee (1648-1689)- "Bonnie Dundee" came from Sir Walter Scott's song.

Grierson - John (1898-1972) - "Father of the documentary".

Haig - Earl of Bemersyde (1861-1928) - Commander-in-chief of British forces in France in the 1914-18 War.

Hall of the Heroes - Sixteen famous Scots highlighted in the William Wallace National Monument.

Hepburn - James (1536-1578) - 4th Earl of Bothwell, he abducted Mary Queen of Scots and married her.

Hill - David Octavius (1802 - 1870) - Produced some of the finest photographic portraits of the 19th century

Hogg - James (1770-1835) - The "Ettrick Shepherd" poet wrote often about his native Borders.

Hume - David (1711-1776) - Voted recently as the Scot who had made the greatest impact in the last 1,000 years.

Inglis - Elsie (1864-1917) - Winston Churchill wrote that Inglis and her nurses "would shine in history".

Jackson - Gordon (1923-1990) - Actor remembered for "Tunes of Glory" and "Upstairs and Downstairs".

James I - King (1394-1437) - Became a prisoner of the English King Henry IV at age 12.

James II - King (1430-1460) - A violent reign, full of murders and intrigue.

James III - King (1451-1488) - Reigned for 28 years but was overthrown by his son, James IV.

James IV - King (1473-1513) - As penance for the death of his father, he wore an iron chain for the rest of his life.

James V - King (1512 to 1542) - Died only days after the birth of his daughter, Mary Queen of Scots.

James VI - King (1566-1625) - The first king of both Scotland and England.

Jones - John Paul (1747-1792) - America's first naval hero.

Kelvin - Lord (1824-1907) - University at age 10, professor at 22, prolific inventor and publisher of scientific papers.

Kenneth mac Alpin (? - 858AD) - First King of Alba, uniting the Picts and Scots.

Kidd - Captain William (1645-1701) - The treasure of this famous pirate, hanged in 1701, has never been found.

Knox - John (1513-1572) - Leader of the Reformation of the church in Scotland.

Lauder - Sir Harry (1870-1950) - Entertainer and song writer whose caricatures influenced Scotland's image.

Liddell - Eric Henry (1902-1945) - A great athlete, he became the subject of the film "Chariot's of Fire".

Lister - Lord Joseph (1827-1912) - Pioneer of modern surgery and antiseptics.

Liston - Robert (1794-1847) - A brilliant surgeon before the days of anaesthetics.

Livingstone - Dr David (1813-1873) - African missionary and explorer.

Lyon - Elizabeth Bowes (1900-2002) - Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, the world's favourite gran.

McAdam - John Loudon (1756-1836) - Improved a tar-based road surface which became known as "tarmac".

Macbeth - King (1005- 1057) - Shakespeare based his tragedy on selected facts about this Scottish king.

MacDonald - Flora (1725-1790) - Her bravery helped save Bonnie Prince Charlie after the defeat at Culloden.

MacDonald - James Ramsay (1866-1937) - Became the first Labour Prime Minister in Britain in 1924.

Macdonald - Sir John A (1815-1891) - First Prime Minister of Canada in 1867-1873 and again from 1878 to 1891.

McGonagall - William (1830-1902) - Considered by many to be the "worst poet in the world".

MacGregor - Rob Roy (1671-1734) - The larger than life Highland Rogue.

Macintosh - Charles (1766-1843) - His invention of waterproof clothing added his name to the English dictionary.

McKellar - Kenneth (1927- ) - This popular tenor toured the world with Scottish songs.

Mackenzie - Sir Alexander (1764-1820) - Explored Canada and reached the Pacific Ocean in 1793.

Mackenzie - Sir Compton (1883-1972) - Author of books such as "Whisky Galore" and a staunch nationalist.

Maclean - Alistair (1922-1987) - Author of books such as "HMS Ulysses" and "The Guns of Navaronne".

Macquarrie - Lachlan (1762-1824) - "Father of Australia".

Malcolm 'Canmore' (1031-1093) - King Malcolm killed Macbeth and Macbeth's stepson, Lulach.

Mary - Queen of Scots (1542-1567) - Her life was full of tragedy, violence and love.

Maxwell - James Clerk (1831-1879) - Crerated a profound change in the conception of reality in physics.

Miller - Hugh (1802-1856) - A pioneer of the science of geology.

Muir - John (1834-1914) - One of the founders of United States Conservation.

Murdoch - William (1754-1839) - Inventor who is best known for his manufacture of gas lighting.

New Zealand and Scots - From the first recorded settler to Governor General and three Prime Ministers.

Oliphant - Carolina (Lady Nairne) (1766-1845) - Carolina Oliphant's songs are second only in popularity to Burns.

Paolozzi - Eduardo (1924 - ) - An international painter and sculptor, born in Leith.

Paterson - William (1658-1719) - Founder of the Bank of England and organiser of the ill-fated Darien Scheme.

Pinkerton - Allan (1819-1884) - Founded the Pinkerton Detective Agency in Chicago in 1850.

Raeburn - Sir Henry (1756-1823) - One of Scotland's most famous portrait painters.

Ramensky - Johnny (1905-1972) - Criminal and a war hero, this master of escape became a legendary folk hero.

Ramsay - Allan Snr 1686-1758 - Started as a wigmaker and became a poet.

Ramsay - Allan Jnr 1713-1784 - Accomplished portrait painter of the rich and famous.

Robert I - King (1274-1329) - Robert the Bruce achieved Scotland's freedom.

Robert II - King (1316-90) King in Waiting for 53 Years.

Robert III - King (1337-1406) - Described himself as "the worst of kings and the most miserable of men."

Rowling - J. K. (1965 - ) - The author of the "Harry Potter" books has made Scotland her adopted home.

St Columba (521 - 597) - His abbey on Iona has had an influence on Scotland for over 1400 years.

St Kentigern/St Mungo (520-612) - Patron Saint of Glasgow.

St Margaret (1046-1093) - Descended from the Saxon King Alfred, born in Hungary and wife of King Malcolm III.

Scientific Terms and Scots - Scots who gave their names to scientific terms.

Scott - Sir Walter (1771-1832) - Author of novels such as "Ivanhoe" who also "invented" modern tartans.

Simpson - Sir James Y (1811-1870) - Pioneer of the medical use of chloroform.

Scott - Michael (? - 1236?)- Philospher, translator, alchemist, astrologer and legendary "wizard".

Scotus - John Duns (1265-1308) - One of the greatest of medieval thinkers, he gave his name to the word "dunce".

Slessor - Mary (1848-1915) - Missionary in Calabar, West Africa who transformed the treatment of women there.

Smith - Adam (1723-1790) - Wrote the first "modern" book on economics, advocating free trade to increase wealth.

Smith - Madeleine (1835-1928) - Her murder trial in 1855 was the most sensational ever heard in a Scottish court.

Smollet - Tobias George (1721- 1771) - Regarded as a founder of the modern novel.

Spence - Catherine (1826-1910) - Australia's first female political candidate and a campaigner for women's suffrage.

Stein - Jock (1922 - 1985) - One of the most successful football managers ever produced in Scotland.

Stevenson - Robert Louis (1850-1894)- Author of such classics as "Treasure Island" and "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde".

Stewart - Sir Jackie (1939 - ?) - Formula 1 Racing World Champion in 1969, 1971 and 1973.

Stuart - Prince Charles Edward (1720-1788) - Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite Uprising of 1745/46.

Tannahill - Robert (1774-1810) - Paisley's most famous poet wrote in a similar style to Burns.

Telford - Thomas (1757-1834) - The "Colossus of Roads" earned a reputation as the finest civil engineer of his day.

Thomas the Rhymer (c1210-c1294) - Legend says he lived with the Queen of the Fairies under the Eildon Hills.

Thomson - Alexander "Greek" (1817-1875) - Architect whose admiration for Grecian forms bcame a trademark.

Transport and the Scots - Scots inventors from railways to steamboats and two-stroke engines.

Tranter - Nigel (1909-2000) - A celebrated novelist who revived interest in Scottish history.

UK Run by Scots - From the Prime Minister to the leader of the Liberal Democrat Party.

United States First Governors - Nine of the first governors of the 13 states were of Scottish ancestry.

Wallace - Sir William (?- 1305) - The freedom fighter who inspired a nation to fight back.

Watson-Watt - Sir Robert (1892-1973)- Developed radar which helped to win the Battle of Britain in 1940.

Watt - James (1736-1819) - His development of the steam engine was the springboard for the Industrial Revolution.

William I - King ("The Lion") (1143-1214) - His heraldic lion rampant symbol gave him his nickname "The Lion".

Wilson - Alexander (1766-1813) - He published nine volumes of his illustrations of North American birds.

Wingate - Walter (1865-1918)- A schoolmaster whose poems have been taught to generations of schoolchildren.

Witherspoon - John (1723-1794) - Scottish minister urged the signing of the American Declaration of Independence.