Last name: Scott
This famous surname, has an unusual origin. Although widespread in Scotland and most of England from the medieval period, it actually derives from the Old English pre 7th Century word "scotti". This in former and ancient times denoted not a Scotsman, but an Irishman, and specifically a Gael, one who had taken part in conquering the west coast of Scotland in or about the 5th century a.d! In the English border counties though the word or name had a more general meaning of anybody from Scotland. Given the warlike conditions which applied for many centuries and may so again, the name was not always complimentary. Early examples of the recordings include: Uchtred filius Scot, in the register of Kelso Abbey in 1120, when he witnessed the foundation charter of the town of Selkirk, whilst in his work "Scotland under her early Kings", Robertson notes "Scotus as such described a Gael, in the same way that Flandrensis meant a Fleming". Amongst the nobilty of Scotland, Richard le Scot of Murthoxton, who rendered homage in 1296 to the government of Scotland, was the first ancestor of the ducal house of Buccleuch and Queensberry. The family also holds the earldom of Doncaster. Sir Walter Scott (1771 - 1832), novelist and poet, born in College Wynd, Edinburgh, came from a branch of this family. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Roger Scot, which was dated circa 1150, in the "Documents relating to the Danelaw", Lincolnshire, during the reign of King Stephen, known as "Count of Blois", 1135 - 1154. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as Poll Tax.
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It doesn't make it clear in this explanation [possibly for political reasons] that the word 'Scotti' was a term of abuse given BY the Germanic Anglo Saxon tribes TO the pirate-raiders who fetched up in the south of ireland in about the 2nd century AD and who then laid siege to the north east of that island populated by the Uliti tribe [from whom we get the name Ulster]. These were the intruders later known as 'irish'. The term 'gael' is the term the Uliti gave the to invader. It means robber or brigand. Says it all really.
Many of the besieged Uliti fled to the west of coast of what is now scotland when things got sticky. The term 'Scotti' applied to them, but by no means exclusively to them in the first instance. Nor did they 'conquer' the west coast. They merely arrived in large numbers, fighting many battles against the picts with whom they later began inter-breeding.
Americans won't like this explanation, and will twist things and twist things till they're all bent out of shape and fit neatly with their own prejudices - Scott means "sovereign" does it? Hilarious - and that's great entertainment, but as an Englishman I think it very creditable of the sweaty socks [jocks] to adopt the identity we gave them. After all, we gave them everything else. The earliest written [scottish] accounts make clear the 'Inglis' even introduced the bagpipes. No wonder they refuse to teach English history in schools anymore. It just isn't safe. :-)
Hey, does anyone have any information on the Scott's from the Caribbean? My grandfather was a mulatto, and he was also from the Caribbean. There are few people in the Caribbean with the last name Scott, and i'm only hearing about those who migrated to America, but most of them are mixed with both black and white. Can anyone help me with this? Much appreciated.
America is made up of people of many descents...I just wanted to know where my last name originated. I know i am Irish, English and Dutch as well as Native American as I come from NY in a mostly Dutch settled community. I simply wanted to know if I was Scottish as well without someone shaming me about it...Wow!
Does anybody out there have any information on the father of William T. Scott b.1834 d. 1902 married to Caroline Skippen b.1842 d.1892. Both lived in Manitoulin Island. I believe the father came from Ireland.
my grandad was fitzgerald scott and his father was lancelot scott and him and his father were born in jamaica, im from south america, i'd really love to know where is the rest of the scott familia, if there's still any of them alive in jamaica, i dont know if anyone can help me here? i'd also like to know, i mean, i wanna know if our surname came from slaves or the british people who arrived to jamaica and lived there, if our surname is from slave owners, what is our real surname? any help, info or something is very welcome, and thanks!