Think you may be wrong. Google shows: http://www.answers.com/topic/ulster-scots I always thought they were Scots who migrated to Ireland looking for work or land - maybe even forcefully grabbing land as border raiders. Some families went back and forth over different generations?? Lauraine > > From: MomElefant <[email protected]> > Date: 2008/11/24 Mon AM 11:41:04 CST > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [CAN-USA-MIG] Surnames from Scotland; people lived in Ireland > > I could be wrong But I believe the "Scotch Irish" term came about > because the early Irish immigrants form the 1600's and 1700's and early > 1800's who were very well established did NOT want to be confused with > or associated with the "poor Irish immigrant" fleeing the "Potato > Famine' who came over with nothing and settled in the slums of New York > and Boston. > Therefore the Irish who had been here for many generations became known > as "Scotch Irish" > > MomEl