Some Like It Scot

August 24, 2022

Scotland

A destination on my list for years. My family nearly went in 2016. But things changed and then I set off for other adventures. But after two COVID years, I thought the time was right to finally plan Scotland, land of my ancestors. 

We derived from fierce warrior Picts from western Europe, crossing the sea from the continent to present-day England. The Pict tribes occupied England until the Romans conquered and controlled most of England. But the Romans could never tame Scotland, or even Wales. Even with Scandinavian, Norman, Alba, and finally British Monarchy rule, the Scots resisted and rebelled. But since the early 18th century, all of Scotland, Wales, and England unified under the Treaty of Union and fly the Union Jack flag of the United Kingdom.

Family research suggests we were mostly Lowlanders, along the mid west coast of Scotland across the Irish Sea from Northern Ireland. Recent Y-DNA testing suggests our Gaelic/Celtic background descends from dominant tribe Dál Riata of Northeast Ireland and Western Scotland. However, there is a group of our family that may be a sept or branch of Highlander Clan MacFarlane. 

Eventually, some migrated to Northern Ireland and became known as Scotch-Irish (an American term, elsewhere known as Scot-Irish, used to describe persons who left Scotland for Northern Ireland).  From there, our forebears crossed the Atlantic to begin a new life in the New World, mostly landing in South Carolina.

So there is my maternal side. More DNA testing should be on the horizon for me to investigate my paternal side. That oral history includes English ancestry as well, but also German.  But that is research, a trip, and a blog for another day.

So on to Scotland—aka Caledonia, aka Alba. I may visit a grave or two. And a distillery or two. And castles! Lots of castles! 

Some Like It Scot!