Ok so this proves I have way too much time to think about things,but the actual truth is there is really a difference between being Scottish and being
Scots.Or another way of putting it not everyone of Scottish descent is of
Scots descent.
Confused?
Ok,here's why:
Like England Scotland became a sort of melting pot during the centuries.
One of the most important groups that settled there was the Scots,the tribe that gave the country it's name.
That's all and good,but here's where it gets interesting and why I mean not everyone who is of Scottish descent is of Scots descent;you see among the other groups that settled in what would later become Scotland were the
Norse.
Now over time the Norse assimilated into Scottish culture and some of the
Clans can even trace their history and heritage to the Norse.So that there are for example both Scots MacDonalds and Norse MacDonalds.
So well descendants of both can claim to be Scottish only the ones descended from the Scots MacDonalds can really claim to be of Scots descent.
And to further confuse everyone,since the Scots were originally an Irish
tribe it can rightly be said that all those of Scottish descent who are also of
Scots descent are Irish!