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List of the Greatest Scottish People in History

Renuka Savant
Scotland, despite being a part of the United Kingdom, has always had its distinct cultural identity. Historyplex brings you a list of famous Scottish people; the very men and women who helped build this great nation.

Did You Know?

Celebrated author J. K. Rowling, though born in England, calls Scotland her home and continues to live in Edinburgh.
For years, people of Scotland have been quietly but surely working towards contributing in fields like arts, politics, sports, and entertainment. To compile a list of all famous Scots would be impossible, because they are too many to be numbered. However, we've brought you few names that have managed to make Scotland proud in their field of excellence.

Historical Figures
  • James V of Scotland - King of Scots, 1513-1542
  • Mary, Queen of Scots - Queen of Scots, 1542-1567
  • William Wallace - Freedom Fighter
  • Black Agnes - Countess of Dunbar
  • Bonnie Prince Charlie - Purported heir to the throne
  • Robert the Bruce - King of Scots, 1306-1329
  • James VI and I - King of Scotland and England
  • Rob Roy - Revolutionary

Artists
  • George Jamesone - Portrait painter
  • John Michael Wright - Portrait painter
  • Andrew Bell - Engraver/Printer
  • Gavin Hamilton - Neoclassical painter
  • Robert Freebairn - Landscape artist
  • David Roberts - Painter/Lithographer
  • John Runciman - Biblical artist
  • Alexander Milne Calder - Sculptor
  • Henry Snell Gamley - Sculptor
  • John Henderson - Painter

Musicians and Singers
  • Annie Lennox - Singer
  • Susan Boyle - Singer
  • Brian Connolly - Singer
  • Lulu - Singer
  • John Martyn - Musician
  • Rod Stewart - Singer
  • Eric Woolfson - Lyricist/Singer
  • Billy Lyall - Musician
  • Robin Williamson - Musician
  • Frankie Miller - Singer

Actors
  • Gerard Butler
  • Sir Sean Connery
  • Tilda Swinton
  • James McAvoy
  • Brian Cox, CBE
  • Dougray Scott
  • Richard Madden
  • Robbie Coltrane, OBE
  • Robert Carlyle, OBE
  • Gary Lewis
  • Ken Stott
  • Richard Rankin
  • Alan Cumming
  • Billy Boyd
  • Ewan McGregor

Writers and Poets
  • Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Writer
  • George MacDonald - Author/Poet
  • Allan Ramsay - Poet
  • James Macpherson - Poet
  • J. M. Barrie - Writer
  • Joanna Baillie - Poet/Dramatist
  • David Hume - Historian/Poet
  • Sir Walter Scott - Novelist/Playwright/Poet
  • Robert Burns - Poet/Lyricist
  • Robert Louis Stevenson - Writer/Poet

Explorers and Innovators
  • Adam Smith - Father of Modern Economics
  • Sir Robert Watson-Watt - Contributor to invention of radar
  • Alexander Graham Bell - Invented telephone
  • Lord Kelvin - Kelvin Scale of absolute temperature
  • Sir Alexander Fleming - Discovered penicillin
  • James Watt - Invented the steam engine
  • Joseph Black - Father of Quantitative Chemistry
  • William Speirs Bruce - Oceanographer and Polar Explorer
  • James Clerk Maxwell - Mathematician/Physicist
  • Sir William Ramsay - Chemist

Sportspersons
  • Sir Alex Ferguson - Rtd. footballer/Ex-Manager of Manchester United
  • Bill Shankly - Rtd. footballer/Ex-Manager of Liverpool F.C.
  • Sir Jackie Stewart - Formula One
  • Andy Murray - Tennis
  • Catriona Matthews - Golf
  • Sir Christopher Hoy MBE - Cycling
  • Chris Paterson - Rugby
  • Eric Henry Liddell - Athletics
  • Tim Baillie - Canoeing
  • Matt Busby - Footballer, Manager

Politicians
  • Tony Blair - Former Labour Prime Minister, UK
  • Gordon Brown - Former Labour Prime Minister, UK
  • Arthur Balfour - Former Prime Minister, UK
  • Alec Douglas-Home - Former Prime Minister, UK
  • Bonar Law - Former Prime Minister, UK
  • Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman - Former Prime Minister, UK