| width="20%"|Tenure | width="35%"|Incumbent | width="40%"|Notes |
| olspan="3"|Prefecture Apostolic of Scotland |
| small>13 October 1653 to 2 September 1661 | Bishop William Ballantine, Prefect of Scotland | Priest; died in office |
| small>12 June 1662 to July 1693 | Bishop Alexander Winchester, Prefect of Scotland | Priest; resigned |
| olspan="3"|Vicariate Apostolic of Scotland |
| small>7 September 1694 to 12 October 1718 | Bishop Thomas Nicolson, Vicar Apostolic of Scotland | Priest; died in office |
| small>12 October 1718 to 23 July 1727 | Bishop James Gordon, Vicar Apostolic of Scotland | Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Scotland; becoming Vicar Apostolic of the Lowland District |
| olspan="3"|Vicariate Apostolic of the Lowland District |
| small>23 July 1727 to 18 February 1746 | Bishop James Gordon, Vicar Apostolic of the Lowland District | Hitherto Vicar Apostolic of Scotland; died in office |
| small>18 February 1746 to 21 August 1767 | Bishop Alexander Smith, Vicar Apostolic of the Lowland District | Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of the Lowland District; died in office |
| small>21 August 1767 to 3 December 1778 | Bishop James Grant, Vicar Apostolic of the Lowland District | Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of the Lowland District; died in office |
| small>3 December 1778 to 24 August 1805 | Bishop George Hay, Vicar Apostolic of the Lowland District | Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of the Lowland District; retired |
| small>24 August 1805 to 20 August 1825 | Bishop Alexander Cameron, Vicar Apostolic of the Lowland District | Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of the Lowland District; retired |
| small>20 August 1825 to 13 February 1827 | Bishop Alexander Paterson, Vicar Apostolic of the Lowland District | Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of the Lowland District; becoming Vicar Apostolic of the Eastern District |
| olspan="3"|Vicariate Apostolic of the Eastern District |
| small>13 February 1827 to 30 October 1831 | Bishop Alexander Paterson, Vicar Apostolic of the Lowland District | Hitherto Vicar Apostolic of the Lowland District; died in office |
| small>28 September 1832 to 24 May 1852 | Bishop Andrew Carruthers, Vicar Apostolic of the Eastern District | Priest; died in office |
| small>24 May 1852 to 24 February 1864 | Bishop James Gillies, Vicar Apostolic of the Eastern District | Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of the Eastern District; died in office |
| small>2 September 1864 to 2 July 1883 | Bishop John Menzies Strain, Vicar Apostolic of the Eastern District | Priest; becoming Archbishop |
| olspan="3"|Archdiocese of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh |
| small>2 September 1864 to 15 March 1878 | John Menzies Strain, Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh | Hitherto Vicar Apostolic of the Eastern District; died in office |
| small>15 March 1878 to 16 March 1892 | William Smith, Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh | Priest; ordained 28 October 1885; died in office |
| small>15 July 1892 to 29 April 1900 | Angus McDonald, Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh | Bishop of Argyll and the Isles; died in office |
| small>30 August 1900 to 25 November 1928 | James Smith, Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh | Bishop of Dunkeld; died in office |
| small>19 July 1929 to 22 May 1950 | Andrew Thomas (Joseph) McDonald, OSB, Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh | Priest of the Order of Saint Benedict; ordained 24 September 1929; died in office |
| small>20 June 1951 to 28 April 1969 | Gordon Joseph Gray, Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh | Priest; ordained 21 September 1951; elevated to Cardinal |
| small>28 April 1969 to 30 May 1985 | Gordon Joseph Cardinal Gray, Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh | Retired |
| small>30 May 1985 to 21 October 2003 | Keith Michael Patrick O'Brien, Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh | Priest of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh; ordained 25 August 1985; elevated to Cardinal |
| small>21 October 2003 to present | Keith Michael Patrick Cardinal O'Brien, Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh | |