This interesting and unusual name is of medieval Cornish origin and is a topographical surname for a dweller from the Cornish word "ros", meaning a moor, and the British (pre Roman) "cruc", and the Welsh "crug", a hill or sometimes barrow. The name, with variant spellings Roskrug, Roscrigg and Rose Krege, is fairly well recorded in Cornwall, for example, Anthony Roskruge who was christened on November 6th 1631 at St. Anthony's in Meneage, and Beniamin Roskruge on January 1st 1645, also at St. Anthony's in Meneage. Topographical names, are some of the earliest names to be created, as topographical features, whether natural or manmade, provided obvious and convenient means of identification. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Grace Roscrigg (marriage to Arthur Paynter), which was dated February 2nd 1596, at St. Anthony's, Meneage, Cornwall, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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