Exploring the Cultural Ties Between Scotland & Jamaica

This lush and culturally diverse Caribbean island carries within its history various influences, including that of Scotland. Our Scottish connection dates back to 1656 when Oliver Cromwell banished 1200 Scottish prisoners-of-war to Jamaica, England’s recently acquired colony. Subsequently, the practice of banishing Scottish exiles to Jamaica continued, and several thousand more Scotsmen came to Jamaica as indentured and skilled labourers with the promise of land and other riches. Eventually, Scottish settlers became involved in the slave trade and used enslaved Africans as their labour force on the sugar plantations. As such, Scottish and Jamaican history are intricately intertwined, albeit ghastly in many ways. Today, I’ll share five tangible ways in which Scotland has shaped Jamaican society.

---

Before we get into the article, please subscribe for new adventures.

Also, check out my book and GetYourGuide storefront for more travel ideas.

1. Many Jamaicans Have Scottish Surnames.

As a legacy of Scottish migration to Jamaica, many Jamaicans still have Scottish last names to this day. It has been said that up to 60% of names in the Jamaican telephone directory are Scottish in origin. Campbell is the most common surname in Jamaica and there are more Campbells per square acre in Jamaica than in Scotland! Other popular Scottish surnames in Jamaica include: Adair, Aikens, Aikman, Anderson, Archibald, Brown, Cameron, Dallas, Dewar, Douglas, Fraser, Gibson, Grant, Kemp, Kerr, Livingston and Wilson.

Some famous Jamaicans with Scottish surnames include: Paul Bogle and George William Gordon who are now National Heroes and led the Morant Bay Rebellion of 1865; Mary Seacole, a famous nurse during the Crimean War who was born Mary Grant; as well as two of Jamaica’s fastest women alive: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Veronica Campbell-Brown.

2. Scottish Place Names in Jamaica

Some Jamaican towns and landmarks have Scottish names, indicating early Scottish settlement and influence. These include:

• Aberdeen in St. Elizabeth which lies on the edge of the Cockpit Country
• Culloden in Westmoreland
• Dundee in St. James which was originally owned by William Stehert, a Scotsman.
• Elgin Town in Hanover and St. Mary
• Glasgow in Manchester
• Hampden Estate in Trelawny, a rum distillery you can tour.
• Inverness in St. Ann
• Kilmarnoch in St. Elizabeth, which gets its name from Kilmarnock, a town in Scotland
• Monymusk Sugar Estate in Clarendon, which still operates as a rum distillery.
• Perth Town in Trelawny

3. Scots Brought Presbyterian Churches to Jamaica.

The Church of Scotland is Presbyterian in polity, shaped by John Knox in the Reformation of 1560 when it split from the Catholic Church. As such, when Scots came to Jamaica in the 17th century and beyond, they brought Presbyterianism to the island with them. Today, 65% of Jamaican Christians identify as Protestant and a few Presbyterian churches still exist such as the St. Andrew Scots Kirk Church in Downtown, Kingston shown above. Presbyterian missionary work began in Jamaica in 1824 at Hampden in Trelawny. In 1965, the Presbyterian Church merged with the Congregationalists to form the United Church of Jamaica and Grand Cayman, and they have several branches islandwide.

4. Jamaica’s Flag Was Inspired By The Flag Of Scotland.

The only national flag apart from that of Scotland which includes the saltire (diagonal cross) is the flag of Jamaica. As Jamaica’s independence from Britain in 1962 approached, an initial design for the flag with three vertical stripes in green, black and gold was deemed unsatisfactory. A Presbyterian minister, Reverend William McGhie, suggested that the national flag should reflect Jamaica’s status as a Christian country and have a cross in it. He drew out the Scottish flag, substituting the blue and white of Scotland with the black, green and gold of Jamaica. His design was accepted and now the Jamaican flag is the only flag in the world without the colours red, blue and white.

5. Jamaica’s National Dress Comes From Scotland’s Tartan.

Jamaica’s National Dress is also known as the bandana costume (pictured above) and consists of a mixture of African kente and Scottish tartan. Our costume has vibrant reds and yellows with a plaid-like design, and makes special appearance during cultural festivals such as those held during the Emancipendence season (August 1 – 6, spanning Emancipation Day and Independence Day).

Wrap Up

Did you realize how strong Jamaica’s connection to Scotland was? I definitely learnt a lot myself while researching for this article. Comment which ethnic group in Jamaica I should cover next. We have lots more such as the Irish, Tainos (Amerindians), Chinese, East Indians, Lebanese, Syrians and of course, the British and Africans.

If you enjoyed this article, you will also like:

• Forgotten Footprints: Welsh Legacy in Jamaica
• The Untold Story of Germans in Jamaica
• Christmas celebrations in Jamaica

---

Find Elle on Facebook, Instagram & lend your support to keep me on the road.