Italian Scots

Infobox Ethnic group
group = Italian Scot

poptime = No exact numbers but estimates range from 35,000 to 100,000
popplace = Throughout Scotland specifically Glasgow·
langs = British English·Italian (and related forms)
rels = Predominantly
Roman Catholic

related = Italian, Welsh Italians, Scots, Welsh, Maltese, Gibraltarians

Italian Scots or Scots-Italians are an ethnic minority of Italian descent living in Scotland. These terms may refer to people who are born in Scotland and of Italian descent. It can also refer to people of both Scottish and Italian descents. A recent Italian voter census estimated that there are 70,000 to 100,000 people in Scotland of Italian descent or Italian nationals, which is up to 1.9% of the Scottish population.

The first people from Italy to reach Scotland were the Romans in and around 40 AD. The Romans left their mark on Scotland in the shape of Hadrians Wall, Antonine Wall and other monumental constructions. However, it was not until the end of the nineteenth century that an Italian-Scots identity really began to take shape.

Many Italian-Scots can trace their ancestry back to the 1890s where their forefathers escaped drought, famine and poverty in their homeland for a better life in Scotland; yet it was not until World War I that a sizeable population of Italian-Scots, of over 4,000, [cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3976689.stm| title=Italian role in Scotland honoured| publisher=BBC News| date=3 November, 2004| accessdate=2008-03-16] began to emerge, with Glasgow hosting the third largest community in the United Kingdom (ibid.). Since then, there has been a steady flow of migration between the two countries.

Italy and the fascist involvement in World War II brought many hardships on Italians settled in Scotland - many families were separated as adult males were interned. [cite web| url=http://www.scotsitalian.com/history.htm| title=History| publisher=ScotsItalian.com| accessdate=2008-03-16] The family members that were left behind were forced to cope with mistrust and discrimination. Of those imprisoned many men found themselves held in Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. A number of others were employed in Orkney, at Scapa Flow, to construct a barrier against Nazi U-boats. These men additionally constructed the Chapel of Lambholm from scrap metal and junk. [cite web| url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/heritage/scotland/highland/article_1.shtml| title=Orkney's Italian Gift| publisher=BBC| accessdate=2008-03-16] Nowadays, this Chapel is one of Orkney's most popular tourist attractions.

Today, Italian Scots can be found working in all manner of professions. However, a large proportion of the community have plied their trade in the catering industry, working in the chip shops, ice-cream parlours, pizzerias and restaurants across Scotland.

The Scots in Italy

Over the last few centuries many Scots migrated to mainland Europe in search of a better life or to escape religious persecution. Italy was one of the many destinations that the Scots migrated to.

By 1592 the Scottish community in Rome was big enough to merit the building of Sant'Andrea degli Scozzesi it was constructed for the Scottish expatriate community in Rome, especially for those intended for priesthood. The adjoining hospice was a shelter for Catholic Scots who escaped their country because of religious persecutions. In 1615 Pope Paul V gave the hospice and the nearby Scottish Seminar to the Jesuits. It was rebuilt in 1645. They became more important when James Francis Edward Stuart, the Old Pretender set his residence in Rome in 1717. It was abandoned during the French occupation of Rome in the late 18th century. In 1820, religious activity was resumed, but no longer by the Jesuits. It was reconstructed in 1869 by Luigi Poletti. The church was deconsecrated in 1962 and incorporated in a bank (Cassa di Risparmio delle Province Lombarde). The Scottish Seminar also moved away. The Feast of St Andrew is still celebrated there on 30 November.

Gurro in Italy is said to populated by the descendents of Scottish soldiers. According to local legend, Scottish soldiers fleeing the Battle of Pavia arrived in the area where stopped by severe blizzards forcing many or if not all to give up their travels and settled in the town. To this day the town of Gurro is still proud of its Scottish links many of the residents claim that their surnames are Italian translations of Scottish surnames and the town also has a Scottish museum. [cite web| url=http://www.strathspey.org/archive/msg?m=11944| title=Scottish Soldiers in Norway| accessdate=2008-03-16] [cite web| url=http://www.deliciousitaly.com/visualizza.php?Id=451&regione_id=5| title=Scottish Celts in Italy| accessdate=2008-03-16]

Notable Italian Scots

* Ronni Ancona, impressionist and actress
* Elish Angiolini, Lord Advocate
* Nicola Benedetti, violinist
* Romana D'Annunzio, television presenter
* Junior Campbell, musician and composer
* Peter Capaldi
* Emilio Coia, caricaturist
* Paul Coia
* Jack Antonio Coia
* Mario Joseph Conti, Archbishop of Glasgow
* Tom Conti
* Mary Contini
* Adrienne Corri, Actress
* Richard Demarco
* Sophia Dussek
* Paul di Giacomo, footballer
* Linda Fabiani, Scottish National Party MSP, and current Minister for Culture.
* Charles Forte
* Dario Franchitti, race car driver
* Michael Greco, actor, poker player
* Armando Iannucci
* Lou Macari, footballer and football manager
* Oscar Marzaroli
* Dominic Matteo
* Anthony Minghella
* Dominic Minghella
* Max Minghella
* Alberto Morrocco, artist
* Giovanni Moscardini
* Daniela Nardini, actress
* Paolo Nutini, singer-songwriter
* Sir Eduardo Paolozzi, sculptor
* Marco Pelosi
* Paul di Resta
* David Rizzio
* Marcus di Rollo
* George Rossi
* Ricky Sbragia, footballer
* Tom Sermanni, football coach
* Sharleen Spiteri, singer
* Ken Stott, actor
* Philip Tartaglia, prelate
* Alexander Trocchi, writer and junkie
* Jack Vettriano, artist
* Barry Wallace, bassist in The Fratellis
* Lena Zavaroni, singer
* Simon 'Sick Boy' Williamson, a major character in Irvine Welsh's "Trainspotting"
* Robert Stevens

In Popular Culture

*American Cousins - A film about a Italian Scots family and their Mafia associated American cousins.
*Strictly Sinatra

Note

Johnny Dundee, born Giuseppe Carrora in Sicily, was an Italian American boxer known as the "Scotch Wop". Dundee had no Scottish ancestry, but became known as the "Scotch Wop" because his boxing alias, Dundee, is the name of a Scottish city.

Ray Liotta, though he has an Italian surname, is actually of mostly Scottish ancestry. He was adopted by an Italian American couple.

Nancy Dow, the mother of actress Jennifer Aniston and a former model and actress herself, was distantly related to Mary, Queen of Scots through her father, who was of Scottish ancestry. Her mother was of Italian descent.

See also

* Italian migration to Britain
* Immigration to the United Kingdom
* Italian diaspora
* List of Italian Britons
* Lithuanian Scots

References

Pieri, J. (2005) 'The Scots-Italians: Recollections of an Immigrant' The Mercat Press