Famous Scottish Men

When you think of Scotland, too many things come to the mind. From bagpipes and kilts to its rosy-cheeked women and cappuccinos and from its world-class distilleries and finest booze to its exemplary highland hospitality and a weather to die for, the land of Scots hold unlimited appeal for many and for pretty awesome reasons. Then there is this remarkable lot of extraordinarily great and accomplished people — actors, artistes, engineers, explorers, philosophers, politicians, scientists and sportsmen — who have stamped their greatness by the way they think, act, write, or do. They are the Scotsmen the world absolutely digs for (Think Robert Burns, Andy Murray or Sean Connery!). Since as long as one can remember, Scotland has produced a world of pioneers who have carved a niche for themselves in world map with their raw talent and versatility. They are the men, who today, stand synonymous to Scotland. Join us as we trail down the biography, timeline, trivia and engaging facts about some really famous Scottish men. Rest assured, these famous and influential men will leave your jaws hanging!
Vote for Your Favourite Scottish Men

Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

 1 
Sean Connery
(The First Actor to Portray Fictional British Secret Agent James Bond on Film)
Sean Connery
83
Birthdate: August 25, 1930
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: October 31, 2020
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 2 
Gordon Ramsay
(One of the Most Influential Chefs)
Gordon Ramsay
138
Birthdate: November 8, 1966
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 3 
Ewan McGregor
69
Birthdate: March 31, 1971
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Perth, Scotland
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
Recommended Lists:
 4 
Andy Murray
(One of the Best Tennis Players in the World)
Andy Murray
68
Birthdate: May 5, 1987
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 5 
Alexander Graham Bell
(Inventor of Telephone & Co-Founder of 'American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T)')
Alexander Graham Bell
51
Birthdate: March 3, 1847
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: August 2, 1922
 6 
Charles II
(King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 1660 to 1685)
Charles II
32
Birthdate: May 29, 1630
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: St James's Palace, London, England
Died: February 6, 1685
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 7 
Alex Ferguson
(One of the Greatest Football Managers of All Time)
Alex Ferguson
53
Birthdate: December 31, 1941
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
 8 
Andrew Carnegie
(Industrialist, Businessman, Entrepreneur and a major Philanthropist.)
Andrew Carnegie
28
Birthdate: November 25, 1835
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Dunfermline
Died: August 11, 1919
 9 
Billy Connolly
(Stand-up Comedian)
Billy Connolly
26
Birthdate: November 24, 1942
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 10 
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
(British Writer Who Created the Character of Sherlock Holmes)
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
29
Birthdate: May 22, 1859
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Scotland
Died: July 7, 1930
 11 
Adam Smith
(18th Century Scottish Economist Who is Considered the Father of Modern Economics)
Adam Smith
38
Birthdate: June 5, 1723
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland
Died: July 17, 1790
 12 
Bon Scott
(Singer & Musician)
Bon Scott
63
Birthdate: July 9, 1946
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Forfar, Scotland
Died: February 19, 1980
 13 
James McAvoy
(Scottish Actor)
James McAvoy
45
Birthdate: April 21, 1979
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 14 
Gerard Butler
(Scottish Actor and Film Producer)
Gerard Butler
42
Birthdate: November 13, 1969
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 15 
Richard Madden
57
Birthdate: June 18, 1986
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Elderslie, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 16 
David Byrne
(American-Scottish musician)
David Byrne
15
Birthdate: May 14, 1952
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Dumbarton, Scotland
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 17 
Lewis Capaldi
(Scottish Singer Best Known for His Hit Single 'Someone You Loved')
Lewis Capaldi
59
Birthdate: October 7, 1996
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 18 
David Tennant
35
Birthdate: April 18, 1971
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Bathgate, Scotland
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 19 
Robert Louis Stevenson
(Author of Famous Novels: 'Treasure Island' and 'Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde')
Robert Louis Stevenson
20
Birthdate: November 13, 1850
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: December 3, 1894
 20 
Robert Carlyle
(Actor)
Robert Carlyle
14
Birthdate: April 14, 1961
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Maryhill
 21 
Alexander Fleming
(Physician and Microbiologist Who Discovered ‘Penicillin’ World’s First Broadly Effective Antibiotic Substance)
Alexander Fleming
19
Birthdate: August 6, 1881
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Darvel, East Ayrshire, Scotland
Died: March 11, 1955
 22 
William Wallace
(Scottish Knight Who Became One of the Main Leaders During the First War of Scottish Independence)
William Wallace
18
Birthdate: April 3, 1270
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Elderslie, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Died: August 23, 1305
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
 23 
Sam Heughan
(Actor and Producer Best Known for His Role as ‘Jamie Fraser’ in the TV Series ‘Outlander’)
Sam Heughan
25
Birthdate: April 30, 1980
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Balmaclellan, Scotland
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 24 
David Hume
(Best Known for His Highly Influential System of Philosophical Empiricism, Scepticism and Naturalism)
David Hume
15
Birthdate: April 26, 1711
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: August 25, 1776
 25 
Charles I of England
(King of England, Scotland & Ireland from 1625 to 1649)
Charles I of England
20
Birthdate: November 19, 1600
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Dunfermline Palace, Dunfermline, Scotland
Died: January 30, 1649
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
 26 
Robbie Coltrane
(Actor)
Robbie Coltrane
8
Birthdate: March 30, 1950
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Rutherglen, Scotland
 27 
Calvin Harris
(The First UK Solo Artist to Reach more than One Billion Streams on Spotify)
Calvin Harris
32
Birthdate: January 17, 1984
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Dumfries, Scotland
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 28 
Robert Burns
(Poet and Lyricist widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide.)
Robert Burns
20
Birthdate: January 25, 1759
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Ayrshire, Scotland
Died: July 21, 1796
 29 
David McCallum
18
Birthdate: September 19, 1933
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 30 
Alan Cumming
(Scottish Actor, Writer and Singer Known for His TV Series ‘The Good Wife’)
Alan Cumming
25
Birthdate: January 27, 1965
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Aberfeldy, Perthshire, Scotland
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 31 
James Maxwell
(Scottish Mathematician and Scientist Who Gave the Classical Theory of Electromagnetic Radiation)
James Maxwell
9
Birthdate: June 13, 1831
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: November 5, 1879
 32 
Donovan
(Singer-songwriter, Guitarist, Composer, Autobiographer, Writer, Poet, Record producer, Film score composer)
Donovan
7
Birthdate: May 10, 1946
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 33 
Peter Capaldi
19
Birthdate: April 14, 1958
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Glasgow
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 34 
James Watt
(Inventor of Steam Engine)
James Watt
13
Birthdate: January 19, 1736
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Died: August 25, 1819
 35 
David Livingstone
(Scottish Physician, Explorer and Missionary)
David Livingstone
13
Birthdate: March 19, 1813
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Scotland
Died: May 1, 1873
 36 
Kenny Dalglish
(Scottish Former Football Player and Manager)
Kenny Dalglish
8
Birthdate: March 4, 1951
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 37 
Sir James Matthew Barrie
10
Birthdate: May 9, 1860
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland
Died: June 19, 1937
 38 
Thomas Doherty
38
Birthdate: April 21, 1995
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Scotland
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 39 
Iain Glen
(Best Known for His Role as ‘Dr. Alexander Isaacs’ in ‘Resident Evil’ Film Series)
Iain Glen
17
Birthdate: June 24, 1961
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 40 
Ian McDiarmid
(Best Known for His Villainous Role of 'Emperor Palpatine' from the 'Star Wars' Film Series)
Ian McDiarmid
9
Birthdate: August 11, 1944
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 41 
Drew McIntyre
(Scottish Professional Wrestler)
Drew McIntyre
11
Birthdate: June 6, 1985
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Ayr, Scotland
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
 42 
John Barrowman
(Known for His Role as 'Captain Jack Harkness' in 'Doctor Who')
John Barrowman
40
Birthdate: March 11, 1967
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Mount Vernon, Glasgow, Scotland
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 43 
Graham McTavish
(Scottish Actor and Writer)
Graham McTavish
12
Birthdate: January 4, 1961
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 44 
Rory McCann
(Scottish Actor Best Known for Portraying 'Sandor 'The Hound' Clegane' on the HBO Series 'Game of Thrones')
Rory McCann
11
Birthdate: April 24, 1969
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 45 
David Stirling
(Officer)
David Stirling
0
Birthdate: November 15, 1915
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Lecropt, Perthshire, Scotland
Died: November 4, 1990
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 46 
Colin McRae
(Scottish Rally Driver: The First British Driver to Win the World Rally Championship Drivers' Title)
Colin McRae
3
Birthdate: August 5, 1968
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Lanark, Scotland
Died: September 15, 2007
 47 
John Logie Baird
7
Birthdate: August 13, 1888
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Helensburgh
Died: June 14, 1946
 48 
John Knox
(Religious Leader and Founder of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland)
John Knox
5
Birthdate: 1514 AD
Birthplace: Giffordgate, Haddington, Scotland
Died: November 24, 1572
 49 
Dougray Scott
7
Birthdate: November 26, 1965
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Glenrothes
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 50 
John Muir
(Naturalist)
John Muir
17
Birthdate: April 21, 1838
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Dunbar
Died: December 24, 1914
.