Famous Scots - Scots in New Zealand
At the risk of omitting someone important, here is a selection of people with Scottish roots who have made their mark on New Zealand's history. At one stage, 30% of the non-Maori population in New Zealand were of Scots lineage :-
- George Bruce - the first recorded settler, 1809.
- James Herd - leader of first organised settlement by the NZ Company, 1825.
- George Rennie - founded settlement at Otago, 1842.
- John Campbell - sent first cargo of NZ produce from Auckland to England, 1844.
- Rev Norman McLeod - brought his parishioners from Nova Scotia, 1852.
- Rev Thos Burns - nephew of Robert Burns, leader of Otago colony.
- Donald Sutherland - discovered Sutherland Falls, the country's highest.
- Wm Davidson/Thomas Brydone - first shipment of frozen meat to Britain, 1882.
- Sir Bernard Ferguson - Governor General (as were his father and grandfather).
- David Munro - Speaker of the House of Representatives.
- Sir Robert Stout - born in Shetland, prime minister (1884-1887).
- John Mackenzie - born Ross-shire, minister of agriculture, 1890s.
- Peter Fraser - born in Scotland, prime minister during World War II.
- Norman E Kirk - Scottish descent, prime minister in the 1970s.
Return to the Index of Famous Scots
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
