Oldest Scottish Family Businesses
Family Business United are committed to compiling and maintaining a record of the oldest family businesses across Scotland and below you will find the current listing of the oldest family firms in the country, going back generations and representing thousands of years of familial ownership and leadership.
In compiling the listings, we have used various means to make it as comprehensive and accurate as possible. However, due to the fact that there is no legal requirement to disclose the status of the underlying ownership in business it is not an easy process. We used our networks, connections at trade bodies and extensive desktop research to determine the oldest family businesses but are not able to say unequivocally that there are not a few other hidden gems out there. From time to time another long-standing family firm is brought to our attention and after the necessary research and confirmations have been obtained, the business is added and the list updated.
If you are aware of a family business that needs to be considered for inclusion then please do not hesitate to get in touch so that we can update the list accordingly.

John White & Son (Weighing Machines) Limited
1715
A leading UK supplier of weighing solutions which since being founded in 1715 has gained a reputation for innovation and engineering excellence.

Macnaughton Group Limited
1783
With more than 240 years of experience, Macnaughton is Scotland’s specialist manufacturer and distributor of woollen fabrics and accessories, committed to the highest standards in service, excellent quality, and beautiful design.

Montrose Rope & Sail Company Limited
1789
Designers and UK manufacturers of made to measure PVC covers and tarpaulins, designed for all weathers and built to last.

Thomas Taylor (Bowls) Limited
1796
The leading bowls innovator for over 200 years. Taylor Bowls remains a Scottish family business which has remained under family ownership since it was founded all those years ago.

Johnstons Of Elgin Limited
1797
The values, skills and craftsmanship that have defined Johnstons of Elgin since the very beginning of their story remain every bit as relevant today. Their contemporary collections, diverse textures and patterns continue to showcase their expertise working with the world's finest fibres.

J. Hewit & Sons Limited
1823
J Hewit & Sons Ltd. is a historic, family-run Scottish tannery and supplier specialising in high-quality leather, tools, and materials for bookbinding and leather goods production.

James Jones & Sons (Pallets And Packaging) Limited
1838
James Jones & Sons Ltd is a family owned and managed forest products company, now under its 5th generation leadership, operating from 27 locations strategically located across the UK. The Group has evolved through more than 180 years of trading and has been active in the following activities and sectors: sawmilling, timber engineering, pallet manufacturing, forestry and land management, windfarms, iron foundry, ship building, nail manufacturing, mechanical engineering, telegraph poles, telecommunications.

Thomsons Coffee Company Limited
1841
Thomson's Coffee take immense pride in being an independent Scottish family business with a rich heritage. While they honour their past, they are not confined by it ensuring the coffees they produce are of the highest quality, with verified provenance.

Andrew Kay & Company (Curling Stones) Limited
1851
Kays Scotland (trading as Andrew Kay & Company) is the world's leading manufacturer of curling stones and the sole supplier for the Winter Olympic Games. Based in Mauchline, Ayrshire, the company has hand-crafted competition-standard stones since 1851.

James Porter & Son (Jewellers)
1858
James Porter & Son is a historic, family-run independent jeweller and watch specialist based in Glasgow's Argyll Arcade. Founded in 1858, the business is currently led by the 5th generation of the Porter family.

James Donaldson Group Ltd
1860
We are a family of pioneering timber experts. For 6 generations, we’ve been building for better futures. Today, our family includes a portfolio of diverse, exciting, specialist business in 47 sites right across the UK and over 1700 colleagues. Our customers are part of that family too, relying on us to be compatible, considerate and collaborative partners and working with them to create Positive Futures.

James Walker (Leith) Limited
1863
James Walker (Leith) Ltd was founded in Inverness in 1863. The transformation of the original family-owned timber business from one small sawmill to a national multi-faceted organisation, is an impressive story of initiative and expansion.
Since its inception, the Group has grown incrementally with the addition of new manufacturing plant and the establishment and acquisition of new companies. At all times, we have been at the forefront of developments in the construction and healthcare industries. For example, we were one of the pioneers of the timber frame construction revolution and won the tender for the first healthcare facility to be built in partnership with the NHS.

Denholm Group Limited
1866
The Denholm Group (officially J. & J. Denholm Limited) is a private, fifth-generation British family business headquartered in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1866 by John Denholm, it has grown from a local ship broking firm into a major maritime, shipping, and logistics conglomerate.

Baxters Food Group Ltd
1867
Baxters Food Group (trading as Baxters) is a fourth-generation, family-owned Scottish food processing company headquartered in Edinburgh. Founded in 1868 by George Baxter, the company has grown from a local grocery shop in Fochabers into a global manufacturer with facilities across Europe, North America, and Australia

Crieff Hydro Limited
1868
Crieff Hydro is a historic, four-star resort set on a 900-acre estate in Perthshire, Scotland. Originally founded in 1868 as a hydropathic retreat, it has evolved into a premier destination for families, offering over 60 indoor and outdoor activities, extensive spa facilities, and diverse dining options.
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Kinloch Anderson Limited
1868
Kinloch Anderson is a prestigious Scottish family-owned heritage brand, established in 1868, that specialises in Scottish Tartans, Kilts, and Highland Dress. Based in Edinburgh, the company is currently managed by John Kinloch Anderson, the sixth generation of the family to lead the firm.

James Cordiner & Son Limited
1870
James Cordiner & Son Limited is a prominent Aberdeen-based timber and builders' merchant that has been family-owned and operated for five generations. Originally founded as a small boat-building business in 1870, the company has evolved into a major supplier for the construction, energy, and joinery sectors.

Peacock Salt Limited
1874
Yes, J.C. Peacock & Co. Ltd (better known as Peacock Salt) is a prominent family-owned business based in Ayr, Scotland.

William Grant & Sons Limited
1887
William Grant & Sons is an independent, family-owned global spirits company established in 1887 and headquartered in Dufftown, Scotland. As a business they recently finalised the acquisition of The Famous Grouse.

William Purves (Funeral Directors) Limited
1888
William Purves Funeral Directors is a fifth-generation, family-run independent funeral director company based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Established in 1888, the firm operates 27 branches across Scotland and North-East England.




