# If You're Scotch-Irish... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 3, 1999, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680 "1999-12-03T05:53:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea666f/32.png) [@Jois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jois)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/1 "1999-12-03T05:53:00Z")
I’ve been reading “The Scotch-Irish” by James G. Leyburn who describes the Lowland Scot - Ulster - and the migration to America. Do you have any family hand-me-down information about how, when, or why your Scotch-Irish family came to America? ---
**Author:** ![Strainger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strainger/32/244_2.png) [@Strainger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strainger)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/2 "1999-12-03T07:04:00Z")
Who: James and Mary (McDonald) Strain When: 1795 Where: Assuming they were from Ulster. Initially settled in Pennsylvania but moved to Park Co. Indiana in 1821. How: United Airline flight 1028 out of Dublin. Why: Because Indiana is so damn thrilling. * * * “Well, walk it off! And next time, _stretch_ before you ovulate.” – Al Bundy ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/3 "1999-12-03T07:26:00Z")
Who: Several ancestors How: Boat Why: Bad 'taters ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/4 "1999-12-03T12:04:00Z")
[http://hometown.aol.com/DL7715/irish.html](http://hometown.aol.com/DL7715/irish.html) * * * **Dopeler effect:** The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly. ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/5 "1999-12-03T12:21:00Z")
Sorry. I thought you said “If you’re Irish _needing_ scotch…” ---
**Author:** ![Ayesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Ayesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ayesha)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/6 "1999-12-03T13:05:00Z")
I can’t stand it any longer,that’s Scots-Irish. * * * Ayesha - Lioness * * * There are two solutions to every problem : the wrong one, and mine (Thomas A. Edison) ---
**Author:** ![saraam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@saraam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saraam)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/7 "1999-12-03T13:16:00Z")
Elizabeth McClymet (sp?), Verner Axelson, came over about 1930, settled in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (that’s one side), and then the McCombs side came over in about 1890. Where they were originally from, I am not sure, but I know they were all Scotch-Irish, or Scots-Irish, or whatever you call it. ---
**Author:** ![Felinecare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Felinecare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Felinecare)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/8 "1999-12-03T13:22:00Z")
> [@](#): > > I can’t stand it any longer,that’s Scots-Irish. Actually, according to my Scotch-Irish relatives, the American slang is correct in this instance, being a combination of language development and historical context. _Scots_-Irish would be like saying _It’s not Pennsylvania Dutch, but Pennsylvania Deutch_ Oh, and as far I know: Ancestors moved from Scotland to Ireland shortly before 1700, circa 1700 decided Ireland sucked, first known U.S. settlement was Pennsylvania. ---
**Author:** ![TomPMilligan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac8455/32.png) [@TomPMilligan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TomPMilligan)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/9 "1999-12-03T14:25:00Z")
As a Scot living in the UK I can confirm that none of my countrymen or women would describe themselves as Scotch. Scottish or Scots are both acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/10 "1999-12-03T14:53:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Actually, according to my Scotch-Irish relatives, the American slang is correct in this instance, being a combination of language development and historical context. Both sides of the argument are correct. If you say Scotch-Irish to refer **only** to the Scottish Protestants who came to colonial and 19th century America via Ireland, you can get away with it. Don’t call any other Scots “Scotch” though. Also, the descendants of these folk who remained in the north of Ireland wouldn’t take kindly to the term either, as they tend to consider themselves purely British. To answer the OP, one G-Grandpa came from somewhere in Scotland to County Tyrone to West Virginia, and another from Lanarkshire to somewhere in Ireland to California, but no idea about why … ---
**Author:** ![Jois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea666f/32.png) [@Jois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jois)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/11 "1999-12-03T15:00:00Z")
Tom, the introduction to this book “Scotch-Irish” says, "The term Scotch-Irish is an Americanism, generally unknown in Scotland and Ireland, and rarely used by British historians. In American usage, it refers to people of Scottish descent who, having lived for a tiem in the north of Ireland, migrated in considerable numbers to the American colonies in the eighteenth century. I was stuck by the usage when I first saw the title because I remember being told or having overheard as a child that a scotch was a drink and a Scot was a person. ---
**Author:** ![putrid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e5b9ba/32.png) [@putrid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/putrid)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/12 "1999-12-03T15:07:00Z")
I’m only 1/16th Scotch-Irish and don’t know much more about the guy than that he came over to LaPorte County, Indiana, in the late 19th century and that he was alternately referred to as English, apparently only because he was a Shakespearean actor in England for awhile. As a matter has been brought up that I’ve wondered about for some while – so are Scotch and Scotch-Irish purely American terms? Or were those terms formerly used over in Scotland &/or Ireland &/or England and have simply fallen out of favor there? Is the annoyance over their use strictly a new phenomenon? ---
**Author:** ![putrid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e5b9ba/32.png) [@putrid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/putrid)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/13 "1999-12-03T15:08:00Z")
Well, that was a choice same-time posting. ---
**Author:** ![Ayesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Ayesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ayesha)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/14 "1999-12-03T17:25:00Z")
Alright, we are both right ! FelineCare, wanna celebrate ? * * * Ayesha - Lioness * * * There are two solutions to every problem : the wrong one, and mine (Thomas A. Edison) ---
**Author:** ![BunnyGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@BunnyGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunnyGirl)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/15 "1999-12-03T17:40:00Z")
Great-great grandfather Kennedy had fight with local bishop in Northern Ireland, skipped across channel to Scotland and married Belle McVickers from Loch Gier. Settled in Ontario and from there to Michigan. That’s the family story, anywhoo. ---
**Author:** ![Ursa\_Major](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a88e57/32.png) [@Ursa\_Major](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ursa_Major)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/16 "1999-12-03T17:55:00Z")
What is it about Indiana that attracts immigrants from Scotland? Both Scottish branches (the Boyds and the Keiths) on my family tree ended up there. Thank God some of their grandchildren moved west because I’m not much of a basketball fan and I prefer to watch the Indy 500 on TV. ---
**Author:** ![Felinecare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Felinecare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Felinecare)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/17 "1999-12-03T21:36:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Alright, we are both right ! FelineCare, wanna celebrate ? As long as it’s not with Scotch - never did get a taste for it. My bloodlines must be too diluted 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Torgo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@Torgo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torgo)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/18 "1999-12-03T23:19:00Z")
Grandma’s brother was an IRA gunman back in the teens (acutally, they weren’t known as the IRA back then, but by some other moniker) and was hunted down and killed by the Black & Tans. This upset grandma so she packed up and settled in Lynn, MA. * * * “My hovercraft is full of eels.” ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 1999, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/19 "1999-12-04T01:22:00Z")
Some of mine lived on the Orkney Islands, then migrated to Ontario, scuttled around there for awhile,then started picking fruit in California for the winter. Back to Canada in the summers, before finally settling in the Golden State during the 1920’s. We got the hell out of there in the 1970’s, settling in the South, where there is a large Scots-Irish heritage. Seems to be a wild-haired gene for unpopulated territory… ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 1999, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680/20 "1999-12-04T01:41:00Z")
The Scots branch of my warped family tree came over in two waves. The first was before the Revolution; they settled in the Smokies and Blue Ridge Mountains. They were tough and durable as old boots, and just about as respected. They fled the carnage and insanity of the old country for the mountains of the new world. Those old mountains must have reminded them of home, because they dug in and are still around. Yep, they’re the laconic, hardscrabble loners and miners of West Virginia, Kentucky and southern Ohio. You know, quaint hillbillies. Still around, still tough as old boots and just as honest. The second wave came around 1840. (Whee! Just in time for the Civil War!) That bunch moved a bit more west and north, into flatter land. It was hardpan clay and not suited for much but backbreaking work and heartache. Fortunately, they were used to it. My great great grandfer married into money, in canny Scots style. Of course the whole wad was completely blown in the Great Depression. But capitalizing “depression” is hard when looking at those kind of time depths. I figure the genes aren’t fancy or very generously footnoted, but if some of the grit and pure cussedness was passed on, that’s enough. Veb [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-scotch-irish/11680.md?page=2)