In early 1878, three Scottish members of a team called St. Andrew's Rovers FC decided to break away to form their own club for Scots.

[1] These men, George Grant, Neil Macglashan and Robert Arnot attracted a number of responses to a circular they sent out.

Very soon after, on 10 April 1878, London Scottish FC was founded[2] in The Queen's Head, in Water Lane, Blackfriars, London (universally known as MacKay's Tavern, frequently mis-recorded, as Ned Mackay the jovial Scottish landlord ran the pub),[3] initially played on Blackheath Common,[1] and later at Richmond Athletic Ground in Surrey.

[1] London Scottish had a very successful first season, and having played 15 matches they only lost four (against already well established sides, Flamingoes, Guy's Hospital, Queen's House and Wasps).

[1] In 1914 at the outbreak of the First World War all sixty members of the four London Scottish teams who played in their last matches in April enlisted.

[2] London Scottish made the John Player Cup Final in 1974, where they lost 26–6 against defending champions Coventry.

During the 2012–13 season, the club made the switch to a full-time professional set-up, with many of the club's part-time professional players leaving and new coaches brought on board, this included former Leicester Tigers hooker James Buckland and France and London Wasps legend Serge Betsen.

The fully professional set-up was credited for an impressive performance away to Championship leaders Newcastle Falcons, where three penalties brought them to the brink of a shock win, but they lost 12–9.

Scottish were still challenging for a place in the top four of the Championship until as late as March, when they were beaten by Leeds Carnegie, and they ended the season in mid-table.

Following a reduction in funding from the RFU, Scottish adopted a semi-professional model from the 2020–21 season, with players and coaches being employed part-time.