Saint Andrew's society
A Saint Andrew's society or Caledonian society is any of a variety of independent organizations celebrating Scottish heritage. They are found all over the world, and are especially common in areas of large-scale historic immigration from Scotland, though medium-to-large cities anywhere may have enough Scottish diaspora to support such a club. They are generally not-for-profit or charitable organizations. Some have alternative names such as "St Andrews & Caledonian Club of ", " Scottish Association", "North British Society of ", " Scots Club", etc.
Early groups of this sort were founded primarily as friendly societies or other mutual-aid societies, pooling financial contributions to provide post-immigration and other assistance to members and their families, invest in Scottish-owned businesses, provide scholarships for descendants, etc. Most today have branched into organising social, cultural, and arts activities, as well as promoting the preservation of Scottish heritage – often without any remaining financial charitible programmes, especially among the smaller clubs. Such a society is often involved in annual public Highland games and dance events in their area, though some of the larger events, including Grandfather Mountain HG and Stone Mountain HG, are their own non-profit organisations with input from multiple Caledonian/St Andrew's societies in their regions.
When an area has had more than one such organization, it is common for them to eventually merge, especially as their activities increasingly shift toward socio-cultural events and away from charitable grant-making.
Some such societies limit membership to people born in Scotland, but more often they are open to Scots' descendants. Those that provide scholarships and other charity services may limit them to Scots by birth or descent. A few still only accept male members, though this is increasingly rare ; some that still operate this way have closely affiliated sister organisations for women.
Some diasporic clubs are associated loosely with the original Saint Andrew's Society of Edinburgh, Scotland, but many are not.
Australia
- Society of St. Andrew of Scotland Queensland – Toowong, Brisbane
- Saint Andrews Society of Western Australia – Perth
Brazil
- St. Andrew Society of São Paulo – São Paulo
Brunei
- Saint Andrews Society of Bandar Negara – Darussalam
Canada
- St. Andrew–Caledonian Society of Calgary – Calgary, Alberta
- St. Andrew's Society of Winnipeg – Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew – Fredericton, New Brunswick
- North British Society – Halifax, Nova Scotia
- St. Andrew's Society of Pictou County – New Glasgow, Nova Scotia; founded 1921
- St. Andrew’s Society of Ottawa – Ottawa, Ontario
- St. Andrews Society of Petrolia – Petrolia, Ontario
- St. Andrew's Society of Toronto – Toronto, Ontario
- St. Andrew's Society of Montreal – Montreal, Quebec
Chile
- St. Andrews Society of Valparaiso – Valparaiso
China
- St. Andrew's Society of Hong Kong – Hong Kong
Greece
- St. Andrew's Society of Athens – Athens
Indonesia
- Java St. Andrew Society – Jakarta
Mexico
- St. Andrew's Society of Mexico – Montes Escandinavos, Distrito Federal
New Zealand
- St Andrew's Society of Otago – Dunedin
- St Andrews Scottish Society and Burns Club Southland – Invercargill
Panama
- Panama St. Andrews Society – Panama City
Philippines
- Manila St. Andrew's Society – Manila
Singapore
- St Andrew's Society of Singapore – Singapore city
Thailand
- Bangkok St Andrew's Society – Bangkok
United Kingdom
England
- Saint Andrew’s Society of Manchester – Altrincham, Trafford, Greater Manchester
Scotland
- Saint Andrew's Society of Edinburgh – Eingburgh, Lothian; the original such organisation
- St. Andrews Society of Aberdeen – Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire
- St Andrews Society of Glasgow – Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire
United States
Alabama
- St. Andrews Society of Mid-South – Birmingham
- St. Andrews Society of Southeast Alabama – Enterprise; defunct
- St. Andrews Society of Montgomery – Montgomery
- St. Andrew’s Society of the Middle South – Middle South
- St. Andrews Society of Tuscaloosa – Tuscaloosa
California
- Saint Andrew's Society of San Francisco – San Francisco
- St. Andrew's Society of Los Angeles – Beverly Hills
- St. Andrew's Society of Southern California – Beverly Hills
- St. Andrew's Society of Sacramento – Sacramento
- St. Andrew's Society of the East Bay – Pleasanton; largest such organisation in the US; organises the Pleasanton Highland Gathering & Games, largest such event outside Scotland
- St. Andrew's Society of Modesto – Modesto
Colorado
- St. Andrew Society of Colorado – Denver
Connecticut
- St. Andrew's Society of Connecticut – Litchfield
Florida
- St. Andrew's Society of Central Florida – Central Florida
- St. Andrew's Society of Jacksonville – Jacksonville
- Saint Andrew's Society Naples – Naples
- St. Andrew's Society of Tallahassee – Tallahassee
- St. Andrew's Society of Tampa Bay – Tampa
- St. Andrew's Society of Sarasota – Sarasota
Georgia
- St. Andrew's Society of Atlanta – Marietta ; organises the Stone Mountain Highland Games, formerly the largest such event in the US
- St. Andrew's Society of Savannah – Savannah
Hawaii
- Saint Andrew's Society of Hawaii – Honolulu
Illinois
- St. Andrew's Society of Central Illinois – Springfield
- Illinois Saint Andrew's Society – North River
Indiana
- St. Andrew's Society of Evansville – Evansville
Kansas
- Topeka St. Andrew's Society – Silver Lake
Louisiana
- St. Andrews Society of Louisiana – New Orleans
Maine
- St. Andrew's Society of Maine – Augusta
Maryland
- St. Andrew's Society of Baltimore – Baltimore
- St. Andrew's Society of Mid-Maryland – Frederick
- St. Andrew's Society of the Eastern Shore – Easton
Massachusetts
- St. Andrew’s Society of Massachusetts – North Weymouth
Michigan
- St. Andrew’s Society of Detroit – Detroit
Minnesota
- St. Andrew's Society of Minnesota – Woodbury
Missouri
- Kansas City Saint Andrew Society – Kansas City
- Greater St. Louis St. Andrew's Society – Chesterfield
- Springfield Saint Andrew & Burns Society – Springfield
Nevada
- St. Andrew's Society of Southern Nevada – Las Vegas, Nevada
New Hampshire
- St. Andrew's Society of New Hampshire – North Salem; defunct
New Mexico
- St. Andrew Scottish Society of New Mexico – Albuquerque
New York
- St. Andrew's Society of the Adirondacks – Adirondacks
- St. Andrew's Society of Albany – Albany
- St. Andrew's Society of Central New York – Baldwinsville
- Saint Andrew's Society of the State of New York – New York City
- St. Andrew's Society of Schenectady – Schenectady
North Carolina
- Carolina Highlands St. Andrew's Society – Fletcher
- Saint Andrew's Society of North Carolina – Southern Pines
- Saint Andrew Society of Carolina – Charlotte
North Dakota
- St. Andrew's Society of Fargo-Moorhead – Fargo
Ohio
- St. Andrew's Society of Dayton – Centerville
Oregon
- St. Andrew's Society of Oregon – Portland
- Mid-Willamett St. Andrew's Society – Salem
Pennsylvania
- St. Andrew's Society of Philadelphia – Philadelphia
- St. Andrew's Society of Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh
Rhode Island
- St. Andrew's Society of Rhode Island – Cranston
South Carolina
- St. Andrew's Society of Aiken – Aiken
- St. Andrew's Society of Charleston – Charleston
- St. Andrew's Society of Lowcountry – defunct
- St. Andrew's Society of Upper South Carolina – Greenville
Tennessee
- St. Andrew's Society of East Tennessee – Knoxville
Vermont
- St. Andrew's Society of Vermont – Essex Junction
Virginia
- St. Andrew's Society of Richmond – Glen Allen
- St. Andrew's Society of Tidewater – Virginia Beach
- St. Andrew's Society of Williamsburg – Williamsburg
Washington, DC
- St. Andrew's Society of Washington, DC
Washington state
- The Caledonian & St. Andrew's Society of Seattle – Seattle
- St. Andrew's Society of the Inland Northwest – Spokane
Wisconsin
- St. Andrew's Society of Madison – Madison
- St. Andrew's Society of Milwaukee – Milwaukee
- St. Andrew's Society of Mid-Maryland – Frederick
Uruguay
- St. Andrew's Society of Uruguay – Montevideo