Scottish Place Names Around the World
- Orkney to Stirling
Follow the links at the end of the page to go to the pages covering Aberdeen to Elgin and Fife to Oban.
For Scottish-related names found as suburbs in a number of locations around the world, see the Index Page.
Orkney
Orkney lies to the north of mainland Scotland and consists of over 70 islands, of which around 20 are inhabited. Archaeological remains show that there have been people living on the islands for 6,000 years. The total coastline is around 500 miles long. In midwinter sunset is six hours after sunrise but in midsummer the sun rises at 3am and sets at 9.30pm.
There is an Orkney in Canada (Saskatchewan), South Africa (North-West province) and USA (Kentucky, Virginia).Paisley
Paisley dates back to the 10th century and has an abbey which was built in 1219. It was granted burgh status by the crown in 1219. Paisley University celebrated its 100th birthday last year. At one time it had a population larger than Aberdeen and Dundee. It became famous for the manufacture of thread (J&P Coats were the largest sewing thread manufacturers in the world at one time) and for the "Paisley Pattern" design, a swirling motif which adorned many of the town's silks and cotton.
There is a Paisley in Canada (Ontario and Cape Breton) and USA (Florida, Kansas, Nevada, New York, Oregon and Oklahoma).Patna, East Ayrshire
The origins of most Scottish place names go back a long way, but occasionally a new name pops up in comparatively recent times and owes its origin to another part of the world. That is the case with Patna, named after the capital city of Bihar in India. The Ayrshire coal and ironstone mining village on the banks of the river Doon, dates from around 1800 and was established by members of the Fullarton family who had been in the service of the East India CompanyPerth
The "Fair City of Perth" sits on the banks of the "silvery Tay". Its name may be derived from "Aber-Tha" or mouth of the Tay. It was known as "Bertha" to the Romans who had a camp two miles north of the city. At one time it was called "St John's toun" and the local football (soccer) team is still St Johnstone. Although it is called a "city" it has never had a cathedral, the normal criteria for a "city". Its title as "Ancient capital of Scotland" rests on its proximity to Scone where many kings of Scotland were crowned.
The name Perth can also be found in Australia (Tasmania and Western Australia), Canada (Ontario, New Brunswick), Guiana, South Africa (North-West province) and USA (Indiana, Kansas, New York, North Dakota).Rutherglen
Rutherglen claims to be the oldest royal burgh in Scotland since it received its charter from David I (reigned 1124-1153). William Wallace signed a treaty there with the English in 1297 and his capture in 1305 at Robroyston was plotted here by Sir John Mentieth. Rutherglen castle was frequently a royal residence but the importance of the burgh declined as Glasgow had easier access to the sea. It long fought to remain outside the City of Glasgow boundary (it is two miles from George Square) but was submerged in 1975 only to escape as part of South Lanarkshire in the next local government reorganisation.
There is a Rutherglen in Australia (Tasmania, Victoria), Canada (Ontario), New Zealand and USA (Virginia).Saint Andrews
Saint Andrews in Fife can trace its name back to the arrival of relics of St Andrew at a Pictish settlement named Kinrymont. The Scottish national flag, the St.Andrew cross, is one of the oldest national flags of all, dating back at least to the 12th century. By tradition the flag is based on a saltire-cross of St Andrew which appeared in the form of clouds in the sky above a battle between the Scots and the Saxons. This encouraged the Scots to victory and ever since the 'sky-blue' flag with a white saltire has been the national flag.
There is a Saint Andrew or Saint Andrews in Australia (New South Wales), Trinidad, Jamaica, Gambia, Canada (Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Quebec), USA (South Carolina) plus a St Andrew Bay in Florida and a St Andrew Channel in Nova Scotia. There is a St Andrews in New Zealand - and it has a golf course! There is also a St Andrews Beach on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia (part of metropolitan Melbourne and not far from other suburbs with a Scottish ring such as Blairgowrie and Arthur's Seat). Christchurch, New Zealand, has a St Andrews Hill.Scone
Scone, (pronounced "skoon") is a few miles north of Perth, and was where the Stone of Destiny was located until King Edward I removed it to London. Generations of Scottish kings had been crowned sitting on this piece of rock. Even after the removal of the symbolic stone, kings continued to be crowned there - the last one was King Charles II in 1651.
There is a Scone (pronounced to rhyme with bone) in New South Wales, Australia. It is about eight miles north of Aberdeen!Scotland
Scotland got its name from the Scots who originally came over from Ireland and settled in Dalriada, now Argyll, on the west coast of the country. Scotland has been used as a place name (or part of a place name) right across USA in Alabama, Arkansas (2), California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maine (2), Maryland (2), Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and Virginia. There is a Scotland Hill (1,736 metres high, so it's taller than Ben Nevis!) in the Drakensberg Mountains in Mpumalanga province.Stirling
Although Stirling is in the centre of Scotland and was an important communications centre, it has never been the capital of Scotland (a title conferred on a number of Scottish towns over the centuries). Stirling is associated with William Wallace (who defeated an English army at Stirling Bridge in 1297 and Robert the Bruce defeated Edward II at Bannockburn, near Stirling, in 1314.
There are two Stirlings in Australia one in New Zealand and three in Canada (Alberta, Ontario and Quebec). In USA, Stirling can be found in New Jersey, New York and California. Cities with suburbs called Stirling include Adelaide, Canberra and Perth in Australia, East London in South Africa and Metropolitan New York. There is a Stirling Creek in Australia and one of the Solomon Islands is named Stirling Island. There is also a Stirling Range in Western Australia. Mt. Sterling in Kentucky, was founded by a Scot and named for his hometown. The original spelling was Mt. Stirling, and somehow over the years became misspelled to "Sterling."
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