British Chilean
Encyclopedia
The British Chileans are people of British ancestry, in full or in part, who reside in Chile
. The British have been very important in the formation of the Chilean nation. They include Chileans of English, Scottish
and Welsh
ancestry. The numbers of Scottish and Welsh are higher in the Patagonia
and Magallanes
regions. The highest percentage of British Chileans is found in Punta Arenas, followed by Santiago
, Valparaiso
, Concepcion
, Viña del Mar
and Antofagasta
.
, facing the Pacific Ocean, has for many years had an important British presence. Over 50,000 British immigrants settled in Chile
from 1840 to 1914. A significant number of them settled in Magallanes in Province
, especially the city of Punta Arenas
when it flourished as a major global seaport for ships crossing the Strait of Magellan from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean. Around 32,000 English settled in Valparaíso
, influencing the port city to the extent of making it virtually a British colony during the last decades of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. However, the opening of the Panama Canal
in 1914 and the outbreak of the First World War drove many of them away from the city or back to Europe.
In Valparaíso
they created their largest and most important colony, bringing with them neighbourhoods of British character, schools, social clubs
, sports clubs, business organizations and periodicals. Even today their influence is apparent in specific areas, such as the banks and the navy, as well as in certain social activities, such as football (soccer), horse racing, and the custom of drinking tea.
During the movement for independence
(1818), it was mainly the British who formed the Chilean Navy
, under the command of Lord Cochrane
.
British investment helped Chile become prosperous and British seamen helped the Chilean navy become a strong force in the South Pacific. Chile won two wars, the first against the Peru-Bolivian Confederation and the second, the War of the Pacific
, in 1878-79, against an alliance between Peru
and Bolivia
. The liberal-socialist "Revolution of 1891" introduced political reforms modeled on British parliamentary practice and lawmaking.
British immigrants were also important in the northern zone of the country during the saltpetre boom, in the ports of Iquique
and Pisagua
. The King of Saltpetre, John Thomas North
, was the principal tycoons of nitrate mining. The British legacy is reflected in the streets of the historic district of the city of Iquique, with the foundation of various institutions, such as the Club Hípico
(Racing Club). Nevertheless, the British active presence came to an end with the saltpetre crisis during the 1930s.
Some Scots
settled in the country's more temperate regions, where the climate and the forested landscape with glaciers and islands may have reminded them of their homeland (the Highlands and Northern Scotland), while English
and Welsh
made up the rest. The Irish immigrants, who were frequently confused with the British, arrived as merchants, tradesmen and sailors, settling along with the British in the main trading cities and ports.
An important contingent of British (principally Welsh) immigrants arrived between 1914 and 1950, settling in the present-day region of Magallanes
. British families were established in other areas of the country, such as Santiago
, Coquimbo
, the Araucanía
, and Chiloé.
Chile currently has the largest population descendants of British in Latin America. Over 700,000 Chileans may have British (English, Scottish
and Welsh
) origin, amounting to 4,5% of Chile's population.
Also to note is Australian prime minister Chris Watson
was born in Valparaiso of British/New Zealand
and German-Chilean
parentage. Isabel Allende's first husband, Michael Frias is of significant British ancestry.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. The British have been very important in the formation of the Chilean nation. They include Chileans of English, Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
and Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
ancestry. The numbers of Scottish and Welsh are higher in the Patagonia
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
and Magallanes
Magallanes
-Chile:* Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region** Magallanes Province, within this region** Punta Arenas or Magallanes, the main city in the region and province-Philippines:* Magallanes, Agusan del Norte* Magallanes, Cavite* Magallanes, Sorsogon...
regions. The highest percentage of British Chileans is found in Punta Arenas, followed by Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, Valparaiso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
, Concepcion
Concepción, Chile
Concepción is a city in Chile, capital of Concepción Province and of the Biobío Region or Region VIII. Greater Concepción is the second-largest conurbation in the country, with 889,725 inhabitants...
, Viña del Mar
Viña del Mar
Viña del Mar , is a city and commune on central Chile's Pacific coast. Its long stretches of white sandy beaches are a major attraction for national and international tourists. The city is Chile's main tourist attraction. Known as "La Ciudad Jardín" , Viña del Mar is a Chilean Municipality located...
and Antofagasta
Antofagasta
Antofagasta is a port city in northern Chile, about north of Santiago. It is the capital of Antofagasta Province and Antofagasta Region. According to the 2002 census, the city has a population of 296,905...
.
History
ChileChile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, facing the Pacific Ocean, has for many years had an important British presence. Over 50,000 British immigrants settled in Chile
Immigration to Chile
Over the centuries, Chile has received a number of immigrants mainly from Europe followed by the Americas and Asia. Today, millions of their descendants still live in the country and are found in all areas of the community....
from 1840 to 1914. A significant number of them settled in Magallanes in Province
Magallanes Province
Magallanes Province is one of four provinces in the southern Chilean region of Magallanes and Antártica Chilena . The provincial capital is the city of Punta Arenas.-Geography and demography:...
, especially the city of Punta Arenas
Punta Arenas, Chile
Punta Arenas is a commune and the capital city of Chile's southernmost region, Magallanes and Antartica Chilena. The city was officially renamed Magallanes in 1927, but in 1938 it was changed back to Punta Arenas...
when it flourished as a major global seaport for ships crossing the Strait of Magellan from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean. Around 32,000 English settled in Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
, influencing the port city to the extent of making it virtually a British colony during the last decades of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. However, the opening of the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
in 1914 and the outbreak of the First World War drove many of them away from the city or back to Europe.
In Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
they created their largest and most important colony, bringing with them neighbourhoods of British character, schools, social clubs
Social clubs
A social club may refer to a group of people or the place where they meet, generally formed around a common interest, occupation or activity . Note that this article covers only two distinct types of social clubs, the historic gentlemen's clubs and the modern activities clubs...
, sports clubs, business organizations and periodicals. Even today their influence is apparent in specific areas, such as the banks and the navy, as well as in certain social activities, such as football (soccer), horse racing, and the custom of drinking tea.
During the movement for independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
(1818), it was mainly the British who formed the Chilean Navy
Chilean Navy
-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the...
, under the command of Lord Cochrane
Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald
Admiral Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, 1st Marquess of Maranhão, GCB, ODM , styled Lord Cochrane between 1778 and 1831, was a senior British naval flag officer and radical politician....
.
British investment helped Chile become prosperous and British seamen helped the Chilean navy become a strong force in the South Pacific. Chile won two wars, the first against the Peru-Bolivian Confederation and the second, the War of the Pacific
War of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...
, in 1878-79, against an alliance between Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
. The liberal-socialist "Revolution of 1891" introduced political reforms modeled on British parliamentary practice and lawmaking.
British immigrants were also important in the northern zone of the country during the saltpetre boom, in the ports of Iquique
Iquique
Iquique is a port city and commune in northern Chile, capital of both the Iquique Province and Tarapacá Region. It lies on the Pacific coast, west of the Atacama Desert and the Pampa del Tamarugal. It had a population of 216,419 as of the 2002 census...
and Pisagua
Pisagua
Pisagua is a Chilean port on the Pacific Ocean, located in Huara comuna , in Tarapacá Region, northern Chile. In 2007, the new province of El Tamarugal was established and the comuna of Huara, previously within the province of Iquique, was incorporated to the newly created province.-Early...
. The King of Saltpetre, John Thomas North
John Thomas North
John Thomas North was a British investor and businessman. North was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, the son of a coal merchant and a churchwarden. At the age of fifteen he was apprenticed to millwrights and engineers before working for several years as a mechanic. He moved to Chile in South America...
, was the principal tycoons of nitrate mining. The British legacy is reflected in the streets of the historic district of the city of Iquique, with the foundation of various institutions, such as the Club Hípico
Club Hipico de Santiago
Club Hípico de Santiago is a thoroughbred horse race track in Santiago, Chile.- History :The Club Hípico de Santiago, opened in 1870, is Chile's oldest racetrack and home to South America's oldest stakes race, the Clásico El Ensayo...
(Racing Club). Nevertheless, the British active presence came to an end with the saltpetre crisis during the 1930s.
Some Scots
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
settled in the country's more temperate regions, where the climate and the forested landscape with glaciers and islands may have reminded them of their homeland (the Highlands and Northern Scotland), while English
English Chilean
English Chileans English descendants in Chile are estimated to number between 350,000 and 420,000 people, although over 700,000 Chileans may have British origin ....
and Welsh
Welsh Chilean
Welsh Chileans are Chileans of Welsh descent whose family roots came from Wales. The Welsh did not settle in Chile. Generally, they were identified with the other British groups in Chile. About 30,000 residents of the Patagonia region have Welsh surnames...
made up the rest. The Irish immigrants, who were frequently confused with the British, arrived as merchants, tradesmen and sailors, settling along with the British in the main trading cities and ports.
An important contingent of British (principally Welsh) immigrants arrived between 1914 and 1950, settling in the present-day region of Magallanes
Magallanes
-Chile:* Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region** Magallanes Province, within this region** Punta Arenas or Magallanes, the main city in the region and province-Philippines:* Magallanes, Agusan del Norte* Magallanes, Cavite* Magallanes, Sorsogon...
. British families were established in other areas of the country, such as Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, Coquimbo
Coquimbo
Coquimbo is a port city, commune and capital of the Elqui Province, located on the Pan-American Highway, in the Coquimbo Region of Chile. Coquimbo lies in a valley south of La Serena, with which it forms Greater La Serena with more than 400,000 inhabitants. The commune spans an area around the...
, the Araucanía
Araucanía Region
The IX Araucanía Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions and comprises two provinces: Malleco in the north and Cautín in the south....
, and Chiloé.
The cultural legacy
The cultural legacy of the British in Chile is notable and has spread beyond the British Chilean community onto society at large. One custom taken from the British is afternoon tea, called onces by Chileans. Another interesting, although peculiar, legacy is the sheer amount of use of British first surname by Chileans.Chile currently has the largest population descendants of British in Latin America. Over 700,000 Chileans may have British (English, Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
and Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
) origin, amounting to 4,5% of Chile's population.
Notable British Chileans
- Juan Williams RebolledoJuan Williams RebolledoJuan Williams Rebolledo was a Chilean rear admiral who was the organizer and commander-in-chief of the Chilean navy at the beginning of the War of the Pacific.-Early life:...
, Chilean Navy Admiral - Claudio ArrauClaudio ArrauClaudio Arrau León was a Chilean pianist known for his interpretations of a vast repertoire spanning from the baroque to 20th-century composers, especially Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms and Debussy...
, Darroch Family - Patricio Aylwin Azócar, President
- Michelle Bachelet Jeria, President
- Carlos Ibáñez del CampoCarlos Ibáñez del CampoGeneral Carlos Ibáñez del Campo was a Chilean Army officer and political figure. He served as dictator between 1927 and 1931 and as constitutional President from 1952 to 1958.- The coups of 1924 and 1925 :...
, President (family Evans) - William BeausireWilliam BeausireWilliam Robert Beausire was a British stockbroker with dual British and Chilean nationality, abducted while in transit in Buenos Aires airport in November 1974, then taken to a torture centre in Chile and never seen since...
, stockbroker and disappeared prisoner during the military dictatorship - Juan Pablo BennettJuan Pablo BennettDivision General Juan Pablo Bennett Argandoña was a Chilean military officer and member of the Government Junta that ruled Chile between 1924 and 1925....
, Army General - Alberto Blest GanaAlberto Blest GanaAlberto Blest Gana was a Chilean novelist and diplomat, considered the father of Chilean novel. Blest Gana was of Irish and Basque descent....
, - Claudio Bunster WeitzmanClaudio BunsterClaudio Bunster Weitzman is a Chilean scientist.Bunster studied Sciences at the University of Chile , Santiago and received his Ph.D in Physics from Princeton University, U.S. in 1973. He remained at the university, at the Institute for Advanced Study and also at the University of Texas, until 1984...
, scientist - Patricio Bunster, actor and choreographer
- Ian CampbellIan CampbellIan or Iain Campbell may refer to:*Iain Campbell, Scottish footballer*Iain Campbell Smith, Australian diplomat, singer/songwriter and comedian*Ian Campbell, 12th Duke of Argyll , Scottish Peer and Chief of Clan Campbell...
, - Julio Canessa RobertsJulio CanessaLieutenant General Julio Canessa Roberts is a Chilean military and political figure. He was a member of the Government Junta that ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990, representing the Army. He was also a designated Senator between 1998 and 2006....
, Army General and politician - Andrés Chadwick Piñera,
- Marta ColvinMarta ColvinMarta Colvin Andrade is a sculptress from, Chillán, Chile.-Biography:Marta Colvin Andrade was the daughter of James Colvin and Elcira Andrade....
, sculptress - Enrique Cood RossEnrique CoodEnrique Cood Ross was a Chilean political figure, who served as minister and diplomat.He was born in Valparaíso, the son of Enrique Cood and of Isabel Ross. After completing his studies in his native city at the school of Guillermo Wolkins, he continued his education in England and Belgium...
, politician and diplomat - Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of DundonaldThomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of DundonaldAdmiral Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, 1st Marquess of Maranhão, GCB, ODM , styled Lord Cochrane between 1778 and 1831, was a senior British naval flag officer and radical politician....
, Navy Vice Admiral - Alejandra ChellewAlejandra ChellewAlejandra Chellew is a Chilean artistic businesswoman. One of the most important female leaders in the country, being selected among the 50 most important leaders in the country in 2005...
, businesswoman - Carlos CondellCarlos CondellCarlos Arnaldo Condell De La Haza was a prominent Chilean naval officer and hero of the Battle of Punta Gruesa during the start of the War of the Pacific....
, Navy Captain and hero of the War of the Pacific - Francisco José CoxFrancisco José CoxFrancisco José Cox Huneeus is a Chilean Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church and member of Schoenstatt Movement accused of abusing young boys for years....
, - William Cunningham BlestWilliam Cunningham BlestWilliam Cunningham Blest was an Anglo-Irish doctor, the president of the first Medical Society of Chile, creator of the first School of Medicine in Chile, a politician and father of the novelist Alberto Blest Gana.-Early life:...
, - Pedro DartnellPedro DartnellDivision General Pedro Pablo Dartnell Encina was a Chilean military officer and member of the Government Junta of Chile in 1925.-Early life:...
, - Agustín Edwards Eastman, businessman and owner of the El MercurioEl MercurioEl Mercurio is a conservative Chilean newspaper with editions in Valparaíso and Santiago. Its Santiago edition is considered the country's paper-of-record and its Valparaíso edition is the oldest daily in the Spanish language currently in circulation. El Mercurio is owned by El Mercurio S.A.P...
newspaper - Agustín Edwards Mac ClureAgustín Edwards Mac ClureAgustín Edwards McClure was a Chilean lawyer, diplomat and businessman, and founder of the Santiago edition of El Mercurio newspaper....
, businessman, politician and diplomat - Roberto Elphick,
- Alejandro FoxleyAlejandro FoxleyAlejandro Tomás Foxley Rioseco is a Chilean economist and politician. He was the Foreign Minister of Chile from 2006 to 2009 and previously served as Minister of Finance from 1990 to 1994 and leader of the Christian Democrat Party from 1994 to 1996.-Education and personal life:Foxley received a...
, academic and politician - Dominique Gallego, tv reality girl, model, dancer (British mother)
- Laurence GolborneLaurence GolborneLaurence Nelson Golborne Riveros is a Chilean engineer and entrepreneur. He is the current Mining Minister and Energy Minister in the administration of President Sebastián Piñera.- Family and education :...
, Minister - Marmaduque GroveMarmaduque GroveMarmaduque Grove Vallejo was a Chilean Air Force officer, political figure and member of the Government Junta of the Socialist Republic of Chile in 1932.-Early life:...
, Air Force officer and politician, founder of the Socialist Party of Chile - Luis Eduardo HicksLuis Eduardo HicksLuis Eduardo Hicks Castillo is a Chilean footballer who plays as a defender for Medan Chiefs from Liga Primer Indonesia....
, - Adolfo HolleyAdolfo HolleyAdolfo Holley Urzúa was a Chilean general who served in the War of the Pacific and in the Chilean Civil War and held posts in the resulting government....
, Army General - Francisco HudsonFrancisco Hudsonthumb|right|250px|Map showing in yellow the main route used to reach [[Punta Arenas]] by sea from [[Ancud]], and in orange Hudson's proposed route. The red dot shows the 20 km wide [[Ofqui Isthmus]] the only obstacle that makes this route intransitable....
, Navy officer and hydrographer - Pablo HuneeusPablo HuneeusPablo Miguel Huneeus Cox, born in Santiago, 1940, and raised in New Jersey, is a Chilean writer and social critic.His more than thirty books are known for their lively personal style, sense of humor, and vivid portraits of real people. Several have been bestsellers.Trained as a sociologist, he...
, - Stewart Iglehart, rancher, ice hockey and polo player
- Daniella Campos LathropDaniella CamposDaniella Andrea Campos Lathrop is a Chilean TV presenter and beauty pageant titleholder who placed in the Top 10 at Miss World 1998.-Miss World 1998:...
, TV presenter and model - Gustavo Leigh GuzmanGustavo LeighAir General Gustavo Leigh Guzmán was a Chilean general, who represented the Air Force in the 1973 Chilean coup d'état and, for a time, in the ruling junta that followed. Leigh was forced out of the military government in 1978.-Biography:Leigh was born in Santiago, son of Hernán Leigh Bañados and...
, Air Force General and member of the Government Junta of 1973 - Bernardo LeightonBernardo LeightonBernardo Leighton Guzmán was a Chilean Christian Democrat who was targeted by Operation Condor.In 1937, President Arturo Alessandri Palma appointed him as Employment minister....
, politician - Patricio LynchPatricio LynchPatricio Javier de los Dolores Lynch y Solo de Zaldívar was a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and a Rear Admiral in the Chilean navy, and one of the principal figures of the later stages of the War of the Pacific...
, - Sergio Livingstone PohlhammerSergio LivingstoneSergio Roberto "Sapo" Livingstone Pohlhammer , affectionally called Sapito Livingstone, is a former Chilean goalkeeper, considered the first great footballer in the country's history, who later became a well regarded journalist. He was called El Sapo for his typical posture in the goal mouth...
, football player and TV sports commentator - John MacKennaJohn MacKennaJohn MacKenna is an Irish playwright and novelist.MacKenna taught for a number of years before working as a producer at RTÉ Radio in 1980...
, - Carmela MackennaCarmela MackennaCarmela Mackenna Subercaseaux was a Chilean pianist and composer. She was born in Santiago, Chile, the granddaughter of Chilean hero Juan Mackenna, and aunt of composer Alfonso Leng...
, - Harold Mayne-NichollsHarold Mayne-NichollsHarold Alfred Mayne-Nicholls Secul is a Chilean journalist and former president of the National Professional Football Association and of the Chilean Football Federation . He was replaced as president of the ANFP by Jorge Segovia in November 2010. He is also a FIFA official.-References:...
, journalist, FIFA official and former President of the National Professional Football Association and the Chilean Football Federation - Mary Rose McGill, socialité
- Rodrigo Montt SwettRodrigo MonttRodrigo Antonio Montt Swett is a Chilean lawyer, jurist and politician.-Early life:Montt was born in Santiago, Chile on July 5th, 1974, the fourth of six children of Manuel Montt Dubournais and María Gloria Swett De la Cerda.-Education:...
, lawyer and politician - Bernardo O'HigginsBernardo O'HigginsBernardo O'Higgins Riquelme was a Chilean independence leader who, together with José de San Martín, freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. Although he was the second Supreme Director of Chile , he is considered one of Chile's founding fathers, as he was the first holder...
, Chile's founding FATHER - Anita Reeves,
- Agustín RossAgustín RossAgustín Ross Edwards was a Chilean politician, diplomat, and banker. He was son of David Ross and Carmen Edwards Ossandon; both were of British ancestry. He was married to Susana Ferari.- Biography :Ross studied at the Carlos Black and Simon Kerr School in La Serena...
, - Carlos RossCarlos RossCarlos Esteban Ross Cotal is a Chilean young footballer who plays as striker in Coquimbo Unido.His debut was in Audax Italiano aganist Palestino in the week 3 of Torneo Apertura 2009, he played 3 matches more as substitute....
, - Edmundo SearleEdmundo SearleEdmundo "Mundo" Searle was a Chilean cartoonist who specialized in society and turf cartoons.Searle was born in Valparaíso, and studied at the San Luis English School of Limache and at the Colegio de los Sagrados Corazones of Valparaíso, where he graduated in 1908...
, - Felipe SeymourFelipe SeymourFelipe Ignacio Seymour Dobud is a Chilean football midfielder. He currently plays for Genoa of the Italian Serie A.-Early career:...
, - Robert Souper HowardRobert SouperColonel Robert Souper Howard was an English soldier who served in the Chilean Army during most of the War of the Pacific.-Early life:Born in Harwich, England, son of Colonel William Souper and Emily Howard...
, Army officer - María Elena SwettMaría Elena SwettMaría Elena Swett Urquieta is a Chilean actress. She was born in Santiago on April 11, 1979. Formally married to the Chilean actor Felipe Braun. She is also known as "Mane" by friends and family. She studied at Colegio Nuestra Señora del Pilar and later at the Academia de Humanidades de Recoleta....
, actress - Sussan Taunton ThomasSussan Taunton-Biography:Sussan is a Chilean actress, studied acting at the Centro de Educación Artística of Televisa for over 3 years. She came to Mexico seeking for an opportunity in 1988 and became an instant hit, having notable roles in the most important soap operas of Televisa...
, actress - William Thayer,
- Raimundo TupperRaimundo TupperRaimundo Tupper Lyon was a Chilean professional football player, best known for his years with Universidad Católica. He was a left back.-Career:Born into a family of five children...
, - Benjamin Vicuña MackennaBenjamín Vicuña MackennaBenjamín Vicuña Mackenna was a Chilean writer, journalist, historian and politician. Vicuña Mackenna was of Irish and Basque descent.-Biography:...
, - Carlos Villanueva Roland,
- Robert Winthrop SimpsonRobert Winthrop SimpsonRobert Winthrop Simpson was a Rear-Admiral of the Chilean navy and a hero of the War of the Confederation.-Early life:...
, Navy officer - Alexander Bryan Witt, filmmaker
- Andrés Wood,
Also to note is Australian prime minister Chris Watson
Chris Watson
John Christian Watson , commonly known as Chris Watson, Australian politician, was the third Prime Minister of Australia...
was born in Valparaiso of British/New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and German-Chilean
German-Chilean
German Chileans are an important ethnic group in Chile; they are Chileans of German descent deriving their German ethnicity from one or both parents – they also include a minority of German citizens holding permanent residency in Chile...
parentage. Isabel Allende's first husband, Michael Frias is of significant British ancestry.