SCOTS IN POLAND

History of Scots in Poland

The earliest evidence of Scots migrating to Poland comes from the 14th century when the first Scottish merchant ships arrived in the city of Gdańsk. In 1380 the first Scots settled in Gdańsk. In the early 15th century, a village near Gdańsk was named “Stare Szkoty” (Old Scots in Polish), the evidence of Scottish settlement. Later, as much as 10% of goods in Gdańsk were supplied by Scottish merchants.
 
First wave

It was not until the second half of the 16th century – through to the mid-17th century that Scottish immigration to Poland significantly intensified. This increase, according to T. A. Fisher, made Poland the America of those days​. During that time Scots – both Protestants and Catholics – were settling in Poland for economic and religious reasons. 
 
Apart from Gdańsk, Scots settled in many other Polish towns, such as Poznań, Puck, Koronowo, Gostyń, Warsaw, Kraków, Lublin, Zamość and Lwów. They also settled in villages, although more rarely. Overall at least 420 localities in present-day Poland with recorded presence of Scottish merchants have been identified.
 
Initially many Scots in Poland worked as pedlars selling cheap products such as knives, ribbons, buckles and needles – which eventually became known in Poland as “Scottish wares”. This commercial activity was gradually banned although wealthier Scots, particularly those married to Polish women, were often granted urban citizenship. Among other goods traded by Scottish merchants were also wood, wine and crops. Some of the wealthier Scots loaned money to Polish nobles.
 
By the decree of king Stefan Batory in the late 16th century, Polish Scots were under the jurisdiction of the Grand Marshal of the Crown (close equivalent to the modern Home Secretary). They were also granted the privilege of having their own parliament and judges.
 
William Lithgow, a Scottish traveller who visited Poland in 1616 described Poland as a Mother and Nurse, for the youth and younglings of Scotland, who are yearely sent hither in great numbers. He estimated that there were around 30,000 Scottish families living in Poland. Modern historians estimate the number to be somewhat lower – anywhere between 800 and 7400 families (the latter would correspond to around 37,000 Polish Scots).
 
However, several local or national laws in Poland were repressive towards Scots whose peddling activities were seen as a threat to local commerce, e.g. in 1567 Poznań became the first city to banish all Scots who did not own a property. In 1650 a 10% tax was levied on Scots living in Poland. Nevertheless many Scots successfully evaded these taxes which makes it so much more difficult to estimate the true number of Polish Scots and their descendants.
 
Among Scots in Poland there were skilled craftsmen, merchants and those who succeeded in accumulating significant wealth would pursue political careers as mayors or members of town councils. Some Polish Scots (e.g. Czochron/Cochrane and Mier/Muir families) were granted nobility status by Polish monarchs and married into Polish aristocracy.

Although some Scots returned to Scotland those that stayed assimilated with the Polish population and by 1700 the most commonly spoken language by the Scottish merchants was Polish.

​Second wave

The 18th century marked the beginning of the second wave of Scottish migration to Poland that lasted to the beginning of the 19th century. This time, the majority of Scottish immigrants were engineers, textile producers, farmers and millers - they were invited to Poland to help with the development and modernisation the economy. In 1815 General Ludwik Michał Pac welcomed over 500 Scottish settlers to his Suwałki estates - they introduced crop rotation, popularised potato cultivation, bred horses and sheep, built distilleries, starch mills, breweries, oil mills and a factory producing modern agricultural machinery. Just like the first wave Scottish settlers, they, too, gradually assimilated and Polonised.