Hands up all those who hate being called Scotch ! Hands up all those who hate it and reply that Scotch is a drink !

There are still English people who call Scots “Scotch”. Americans of a non-Celtic origin no doubt still talk of “Scotch” and “Scotchmen”.

But how did it start ? My rough guess is that it started during the 17th Century when sorting out the finer points of the English language and perhaps ch was used in adjectives instead of sh. For sure, 2 Scottish regiments had Scotch in their titles in the second half of the 17th Century:- Dalyell’s or The Grey Regiment of Scotch Dragoons (later 2nd Dragoons) and The Earl of Mar’s Regiment of Scotch Fuzileers (later 21st Foot). During the 18th Century, after union with England and Wales to form Great Britain, members of the awakening Scottish Enlightenment ditched “Scottish” and even “Scotch” for a more unified title of “North British”. Consequently, for a while, the 2nd Dragoons became the 2nd Royal North British Dragoons and the 21st became the 21st Royal North British Fusiliers. The term “Scots” was substituted in early Victorian times. Of course, the name Scotch has become associated with the national drink and will always be so, though MacCallums uses the term Scots Whisky.

The Welsh people have had much the same to contend with, being called Welch when Scots were called Scotch. Two of their regiments were titled the (23rd) Royal Welch Fusiliers (which they have always kept) and the (41st) Welch Regiment (which was changed latterly to Welsh).

Can anyone shed light on when the term Scotch first appeared ?