READ Famous Engineers from Scotland

3k views 50 items

List of notable or famous engineers from Scotland, with bios and photos, including the top engineers born in Scotland and even some popular engineers who immigrated to Scotland. If you're trying to find out the names of famous Scottish engineers then this list is the perfect resource for you. These engineers are among the most prominent in their field, and information about each well-known engineer from Scotland is included when available.

The list you're viewing is made up of people like William Kennedy Dickson and Sandford Fleming.

This historic engineers from Scotland list can help answer the questions "Who are some Scottish engineers of note?" and "Who are the most famous engineers from Scotland?" These prominent engineers of Scotland may or may not be currently alive, but what they all have in common is that they're all respected Scottish engineers.

Use this list of renowned Scottish engineers to discover some new engineers that you aren't familiar with. Don't forget to share this list by clicking one of the social media icons at the top or bottom of the page. (50 items)

1

Alan Stevenson Died at 58 (1807-1865) Alan Stevenson FRSE MInstCE was a Scottish lighthouse engineer who was Engineer to the Board of Northern Lighthouses. Among his notable works is the Skerryvore Lighthouse. A member of the famous ...more

2

Alexander Kennedy Smith Died at 57 (1824-1881) Alexander Kennedy Smith was a Scottish/Australian engineer and former Mayor of Melbourne.

3

Alexander Mackenzie Died at 70 (1822-1892) Alexander Mackenzie, PC, a building contractor and newspaper editor, was the second Prime Minister of Canada, from November 7, 1873 to October 8, 1878.

4

Alexander Thom Died at 91 (1894-1985) Alexander "Sandy" Thom was a Scottish engineer most famous for his theory of the Megalithic yard, categorisation of stone circles and his studies of Stonehenge and other archaeological

5

Benjamin Blyth II Died at 68 (1849-1917) Benjamin Hall Blyth FRSE, often called Benjamin Blyth II, was a Scottish civil engineer.

6

Benno Schotz Died at 93 (1891-1984) Benno Schotz was a Scottish artist.

7

Charles Abercrombie Died at 67 (1750-1817) Scotish Engineer who set out many of Scotland's roads between the late 18th century and 1817.

8

Charles Murray, Lord Murray Died at 70 (1866-1936) Charles David Murray, Lord Murray CMG, PC, KC was a Scottish Tory politician, lawyer and judge. Born in London, Murray was educated at Edinburgh Academy and Edinburgh University and was admitted ...more

9

Colin Mackenzie Died at 67 (1754-1821) Colonel Colin Mackenzie was Scottish army officer in the British East India Company who later became the first Surveyor General of India. He was a collector of antiquities and an orientalist. He ...more

10

David Alan Stevenson Died at 84 (1854-1938) David Alan Stevenson was a lighthouse engineer who built twenty six lighthouses in and around Scotland. Born into the famous Stevenson family of lighthouse engineers, son of David Stevenson, ...more

11

David Lennox Died at 85 (1788-1873) David Lennox was a Scottish-Australian bridge-builder and master stonemason born in Ayr, Scotland.

12

David Stevenson Died at 71 (1815-1886) David Stevenson FRSE FRSSA was a Scottish lighthouse designer, who designed over thirty lighthouses in and around Scotland, and helped found a great dynasty of lighthouse engineering.

13

George Johnston Died at 90 (1855-1945) George Johnston was a Scottish engineer. He was the son of the Reverend James Johnston, of Springburn's United Presbyterian Church. George spent the early part of his career in locomotive ...more

14

Graham Bartram age 54 Graham Bartram is a British vexillologist who is Secretary-General for Congresses of the Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques, the Chief Vexillologist of the ...more

15

Henry Renny-Tailyour Died at 71 (1849-1920) Henry Waugh Renny-Tailyour was an amateur all-round sportsman who appeared for Scotland in some of the earliest international football and rugby union matches, remaining to this day the only ...more

16

Innes Ireland Died at 63 (1930-1993) Robert McGregor Innes Ireland, was a British military officer, engineer, and motor racing driver. He was a larger-than-life character who, according to a rival team boss, "lived without ...more

17

James Abercrombie Engineer brother of Charles Abercrombie. Worked with Telford on Waterloo Bridge 1810-1817.

18

James Abernethy Died at 82 (1814-1896) James Abernethy FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer.

19

James Alfred Ewing Died at 80 (1855-1935) Sir James Alfred Ewing KCB FRS FRSE MInstitCE was a Scottish physicist and engineer, best known for his work on the magnetic properties of metals and, in particular, for his discovery of, and ...more

20

James Brunlees Died at 76 (1816-1892) Sir James Brunlees was a Scottish civil engineer. He was born in Kelso in the Scottish Borders in 1816.

21

James Clerk Maxwell Died at 48 (1831-1879) James Clerk Maxwell FRS FRSE was a Scottish scientist in the field of mathematical physics. His most notable achievement was to formulate the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation, ...more

22

James Graham, 6th Duke of Montrose Died at 76 (1878-1954) James Graham, 6th Duke of Montrose KT CB CVO VD, was a Scottish nobleman, politician and engineer. The eldest son of Douglas Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose, he was educated at Eton College. In ...more

23

James Nasmyth Died at 82 (1808-1890) James Hall Nasmyth was a Scottish engineer and inventor famous for his development of the steam hammer. He was the co-founder of Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company manufacturers of machine tools. He ...more

24

James R. Barr Died at 25 (1885-1910) James Robertson Barr A.M.I.E.E. was a Scottish engineer and lecturer in Electrical Engineering at Heriot-Watt College, Edinburgh. He was an apprentice to Bruce Peebles & Co. Ltd. and spent a ...more

25

James Walker Died at 81 (1781-1862) James Walker FRS, was an influential Scottish civil engineer. Born in Falkirk, he was apprenticed to his uncle Ralph Walker. Around 1800 they worked on the design and construction of London's ...more

26

James Watt Died at 83 (1736-1819) James Watt, FRS, FRSE was a Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer whose improvements to the Newcomen steam engine were fundamental to the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution in both ...more

27

John Logie Baird Died at 58 (1888-1946) John Logie Baird FRSE was a Scottish engineer, innovator and inventor of the world's first mechanical television; the first publicly demonstrated colour television system; and the first purely ...more

28

John Loudon McAdam Died at 80 (1756-1836) John Loudon McAdam was a Scottish engineer and road-builder. He invented a new process, "macadamisation", for building roads with a smooth hard surface, using controlled materials of ...more

29

John Reith, 1st Baron Reith Died at 82 (1889-1971) John Charles Walsham Reith, 1st Baron Reith, KT GCVO GBE CB TD PC was a British broadcasting executive who established the tradition of independent public service broadcasting in the United ...more

30

John Rennie the Elder Died at 60 (1761-1821) John Rennie FRSE FRS was a Scottish civil engineer who designed many bridges, canals, and docks.

31

Pete McLaren Pete McLaren was the father of Malcolm McLaren.

32

Richard Henry Brunton Died at 60 (1841-1901) Richard Henry Brunton FRGS MICE was the so-called "Father of Japanese lighthouses". Brunton was born in Muchalls, Kincardineshire, Scotland. He was employed by the government of Meiji ...more

33

Robert Bald Died at 85 (1776-1861) Robert Bald FRSE FSA MWS was a Scottish surveyor, civil and mining engineer, and antiquarian. He was born in Culross, Scotland, the son of Alexander Bald, a colliery agent of Alloa. Robert Bald ...more

34

Robert Mylne Died at 78 (1733-1811) Robert Mylne was a Scottish architect and civil engineer, particularly remembered for his design for Blackfriars Bridge in London. Born and raised in Edinburgh, he travelled to Europe as a young ...more

35

Robert Stevenson Died at 78 (1772-1850) Robert Stevenson FRSE, FGS, FRAS, MSA Scot, MWS, MInstCE was a Scottish civil engineer and famed designer and builder of lighthouses. One of his finest achievements was the construction of the ...more

36

Ronald King Murray, Lord Murray age 95 Ronald King Murray, Lord Murray PC is a former Scottish Labour politician and judge. Educated at George Watson's College, Edinburgh, the University of Edinburgh and Jesus College, Oxford, he ...more

37

Sandford Fleming Died at 88 (1827-1915) Sir Sandford Fleming, KCMG was a Scottish-born Canadian engineer and inventor. He proposed worldwide standard time zones, designed Canada's first postage stamp, left a huge body of surveying and ...more

38

Thomas Drummond Died at 43 (1797-1840) Captain Thomas Drummond, from Edinburgh, Scotland, was an army officer, civil engineer and senior public official. Drummond used the Drummond light which was employed in the trigonometrical ...more

39

Thomas Lomar Gray Died at 58 (1850-1908) Thomas Lomar Gray was a Scottish engineer noted for his pioneering work in seismology.

40

Thomas Stevenson Died at 69 (1818-1887) Thomas Stevenson PRSE MInstCE FRSSA FSAScot was a pioneering Scottish lighthouse designer and meteorologist, who designed over thirty lighthouses in and around Scotland, as well as the Stevenson ...more

41

Thomas Telford Died at 77 (1757-1834) Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder. After establishing himself as an engineer of road and canal projects ...more

42

Wilfrid Normand, Baron Normand Died at 78 (1884-1962) Wilfrid Guild Normand, Baron Normand, PC, was a Scottish politician and judge.

43

William Fife Died at 87 (1857-1944) William Fife III OBE, also known as Wm. Fife, Jr., was the third generation of a family of Scottish yacht designers and builders. Fife was born in the small village of Fairlie on the Firth of ...more

44

William George Nicholson Geddes Died at 80 (1913-1993) William George Nicholson Geddes, CBE DSc FRSE FEng was a Scottish civil engineer. George Geddes was born in Oldhamstocks, East Lothian and studied civil engineering at Edinburgh University, ...more

45

William John Macquorn Rankine Died at 52 (1820-1872) William John Macquorn Rankine, FRSE FRS was in the first place a Scottish mechanical engineer and on second place civil engineer, physicist and mathematician. He was a founding contributor, with ...more

46

William Kennedy Dickson Died at 75 (1860-1935) William Kennedy Laurie Dickson was a Scottish inventor who devised an early motion picture camera under the employment of Thomas Edison.

47

William Murdoch Died at 85 (1754-1839) William Murdoch was a Scottish engineer and long-term inventor. Murdoch was employed by the firm of Boulton and Watt and worked for them in Cornwall, as a steam engine erector for ten years, ...more

48

William Playfair Died at 64 (1759-1823) William Playfair was a Scottish engineer and political economist, the founder of graphical methods of statistics. William Playfair invented four types of diagrams: in 1786 the line graph and bar ...more

49

William Symington Died at 68 (1763-1831) William Symington was a Scottish engineer and inventor, and the builder of the first practical steamboat, the Charlotte Dundas.

50

William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin Died at 83 (1824-1907) William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin OM GCVO PC PRS PRSE was a British mathematical physicist and engineer who was born in Belfast in 1824. At the University of Glasgow he did important work in the ...more

1 Alan Stevenson Died at 58 (1807-1865) Alan Stevenson FRSE MInstCE was a Scottish lighthouse engineer who was Engineer to the Board of Northern Lighthouses. Among his notable works is the Skerryvore Lighthouse. A member of the famous ...more

2 Alexander Kennedy Smith Died at 57 (1824-1881) Alexander Kennedy Smith was a Scottish/Australian engineer and former Mayor of Melbourne.

3 Alexander Mackenzie Died at 70 (1822-1892) Alexander Mackenzie, PC, a building contractor and newspaper editor, was the second Prime Minister of Canada, from November 7, 1873 to October 8, 1878.

4 Alexander Thom Died at 91 (1894-1985) Alexander "Sandy" Thom was a Scottish engineer most famous for his theory of the Megalithic yard, categorisation of stone circles and his studies of Stonehenge and other archaeological

5 Benjamin Blyth II Died at 68 (1849-1917) Benjamin Hall Blyth FRSE, often called Benjamin Blyth II, was a Scottish civil engineer.

6 Benno Schotz Died at 93 (1891-1984) Benno Schotz was a Scottish artist.

7 Charles Abercrombie Died at 67 (1750-1817) Scotish Engineer who set out many of Scotland's roads between the late 18th century and 1817.

8 Charles Murray, Lord Murray Died at 70 (1866-1936) Charles David Murray, Lord Murray CMG, PC, KC was a Scottish Tory politician, lawyer and judge. Born in London, Murray was educated at Edinburgh Academy and Edinburgh University and was admitted ...more

9 Colin Mackenzie Died at 67 (1754-1821) Colonel Colin Mackenzie was Scottish army officer in the British East India Company who later became the first Surveyor General of India. He was a collector of antiquities and an orientalist. He ...more

10 David Alan Stevenson Died at 84 (1854-1938) David Alan Stevenson was a lighthouse engineer who built twenty six lighthouses in and around Scotland. Born into the famous Stevenson family of lighthouse engineers, son of David Stevenson, ...more

11 David Lennox Died at 85 (1788-1873) David Lennox was a Scottish-Australian bridge-builder and master stonemason born in Ayr, Scotland.

12 David Stevenson Died at 71 (1815-1886) David Stevenson FRSE FRSSA was a Scottish lighthouse designer, who designed over thirty lighthouses in and around Scotland, and helped found a great dynasty of lighthouse engineering.

13 George Johnston Died at 90 (1855-1945) George Johnston was a Scottish engineer. He was the son of the Reverend James Johnston, of Springburn's United Presbyterian Church. George spent the early part of his career in locomotive ...more

14 Graham Bartram age 54 Graham Bartram is a British vexillologist who is Secretary-General for Congresses of the Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques, the Chief Vexillologist of the ...more

15 Henry Renny-Tailyour Died at 71 (1849-1920) Henry Waugh Renny-Tailyour was an amateur all-round sportsman who appeared for Scotland in some of the earliest international football and rugby union matches, remaining to this day the only ...more

16 Innes Ireland Died at 63 (1930-1993) Robert McGregor Innes Ireland, was a British military officer, engineer, and motor racing driver. He was a larger-than-life character who, according to a rival team boss, "lived without ...more

17 James Abercrombie Engineer brother of Charles Abercrombie. Worked with Telford on Waterloo Bridge 1810-1817.

18 James Abernethy Died at 82 (1814-1896) James Abernethy FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer.

19 James Alfred Ewing Died at 80 (1855-1935) Sir James Alfred Ewing KCB FRS FRSE MInstitCE was a Scottish physicist and engineer, best known for his work on the magnetic properties of metals and, in particular, for his discovery of, and ...more

20 James Brunlees Died at 76 (1816-1892) Sir James Brunlees was a Scottish civil engineer. He was born in Kelso in the Scottish Borders in 1816.

21 James Clerk Maxwell Died at 48 (1831-1879) James Clerk Maxwell FRS FRSE was a Scottish scientist in the field of mathematical physics. His most notable achievement was to formulate the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation, ...more

22 James Graham, 6th Duke of Montrose Died at 76 (1878-1954) James Graham, 6th Duke of Montrose KT CB CVO VD, was a Scottish nobleman, politician and engineer. The eldest son of Douglas Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose, he was educated at Eton College. In ...more

23 James Nasmyth Died at 82 (1808-1890) James Hall Nasmyth was a Scottish engineer and inventor famous for his development of the steam hammer. He was the co-founder of Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company manufacturers of machine tools. He ...more

24 James R. Barr Died at 25 (1885-1910) James Robertson Barr A.M.I.E.E. was a Scottish engineer and lecturer in Electrical Engineering at Heriot-Watt College, Edinburgh. He was an apprentice to Bruce Peebles & Co. Ltd. and spent a ...more

25 James Walker Died at 81 (1781-1862) James Walker FRS, was an influential Scottish civil engineer. Born in Falkirk, he was apprenticed to his uncle Ralph Walker. Around 1800 they worked on the design and construction of London's ...more

26 James Watt Died at 83 (1736-1819) James Watt, FRS, FRSE was a Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer whose improvements to the Newcomen steam engine were fundamental to the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution in both ...more

27 John Logie Baird Died at 58 (1888-1946) John Logie Baird FRSE was a Scottish engineer, innovator and inventor of the world's first mechanical television; the first publicly demonstrated colour television system; and the first purely ...more

28 John Loudon McAdam Died at 80 (1756-1836) John Loudon McAdam was a Scottish engineer and road-builder. He invented a new process, "macadamisation", for building roads with a smooth hard surface, using controlled materials of ...more

29 John Reith, 1st Baron Reith Died at 82 (1889-1971) John Charles Walsham Reith, 1st Baron Reith, KT GCVO GBE CB TD PC was a British broadcasting executive who established the tradition of independent public service broadcasting in the United ...more

30 John Rennie the Elder Died at 60 (1761-1821) John Rennie FRSE FRS was a Scottish civil engineer who designed many bridges, canals, and docks.

31 Pete McLaren Pete McLaren was the father of Malcolm McLaren.

32 Richard Henry Brunton Died at 60 (1841-1901) Richard Henry Brunton FRGS MICE was the so-called "Father of Japanese lighthouses". Brunton was born in Muchalls, Kincardineshire, Scotland. He was employed by the government of Meiji ...more

33 Robert Bald Died at 85 (1776-1861) Robert Bald FRSE FSA MWS was a Scottish surveyor, civil and mining engineer, and antiquarian. He was born in Culross, Scotland, the son of Alexander Bald, a colliery agent of Alloa. Robert Bald ...more

34 Robert Mylne Died at 78 (1733-1811) Robert Mylne was a Scottish architect and civil engineer, particularly remembered for his design for Blackfriars Bridge in London. Born and raised in Edinburgh, he travelled to Europe as a young ...more

35 Robert Stevenson Died at 78 (1772-1850) Robert Stevenson FRSE, FGS, FRAS, MSA Scot, MWS, MInstCE was a Scottish civil engineer and famed designer and builder of lighthouses. One of his finest achievements was the construction of the ...more

36 Ronald King Murray, Lord Murray age 95 Ronald King Murray, Lord Murray PC is a former Scottish Labour politician and judge. Educated at George Watson's College, Edinburgh, the University of Edinburgh and Jesus College, Oxford, he ...more

37 Sandford Fleming Died at 88 (1827-1915) Sir Sandford Fleming, KCMG was a Scottish-born Canadian engineer and inventor. He proposed worldwide standard time zones, designed Canada's first postage stamp, left a huge body of surveying and ...more

38 Thomas Drummond Died at 43 (1797-1840) Captain Thomas Drummond, from Edinburgh, Scotland, was an army officer, civil engineer and senior public official. Drummond used the Drummond light which was employed in the trigonometrical ...more

39 Thomas Lomar Gray Died at 58 (1850-1908) Thomas Lomar Gray was a Scottish engineer noted for his pioneering work in seismology.

40 Thomas Stevenson Died at 69 (1818-1887) Thomas Stevenson PRSE MInstCE FRSSA FSAScot was a pioneering Scottish lighthouse designer and meteorologist, who designed over thirty lighthouses in and around Scotland, as well as the Stevenson ...more

41 Thomas Telford Died at 77 (1757-1834) Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder. After establishing himself as an engineer of road and canal projects ...more

42 Wilfrid Normand, Baron Normand Died at 78 (1884-1962) Wilfrid Guild Normand, Baron Normand, PC, was a Scottish politician and judge.

43 William Fife Died at 87 (1857-1944) William Fife III OBE, also known as Wm. Fife, Jr., was the third generation of a family of Scottish yacht designers and builders. Fife was born in the small village of Fairlie on the Firth of ...more

44 William George Nicholson Geddes Died at 80 (1913-1993) William George Nicholson Geddes, CBE DSc FRSE FEng was a Scottish civil engineer. George Geddes was born in Oldhamstocks, East Lothian and studied civil engineering at Edinburgh University, ...more

45 William John Macquorn Rankine Died at 52 (1820-1872) William John Macquorn Rankine, FRSE FRS was in the first place a Scottish mechanical engineer and on second place civil engineer, physicist and mathematician. He was a founding contributor, with ...more

46 William Kennedy Dickson Died at 75 (1860-1935) William Kennedy Laurie Dickson was a Scottish inventor who devised an early motion picture camera under the employment of Thomas Edison.

47 William Murdoch Died at 85 (1754-1839) William Murdoch was a Scottish engineer and long-term inventor. Murdoch was employed by the firm of Boulton and Watt and worked for them in Cornwall, as a steam engine erector for ten years, ...more

48 William Playfair Died at 64 (1759-1823) William Playfair was a Scottish engineer and political economist, the founder of graphical methods of statistics. William Playfair invented four types of diagrams: in 1786 the line graph and bar ...more

49 William Symington Died at 68 (1763-1831) William Symington was a Scottish engineer and inventor, and the builder of the first practical steamboat, the Charlotte Dundas.

50 William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin Died at 83 (1824-1907) William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin OM GCVO PC PRS PRSE was a British mathematical physicist and engineer who was born in Belfast in 1824. At the University of Glasgow he did important work in the ...more