This most interesting surname may derive from two possible sources. Firstly, it may be a variant of "Scotton" an English locational name from places so called in Lincolnshire, appearing as "Scottun" circa 1060 in the Saxon Diplomatic Codex, and two places in Yorkshire, recorded as "Scottune" and "Scotone" in the Domesday Book of 1086. The placename is composed of the Olde English pre 7th Century "scott", originally denoting an Irishman and later a Gael from Scotland, and the Olde English "tun", a homestead or village. Secondly, the surname may be of Anglo-Saxon origin, composed of the Olde English personal name "Scott", and the suffix "-ing", meaning "people of", hence the surname would translate as "the followers or tribe of Scott". Early examples of the surname include the marriage of Jane Scottan and Henry Odingzells on September 27th 1563 at Coleby (Kesteven), in Lincolnshire; the christening of Robert Scottinge on December 26th, 1581 at St. Mary's, Whitechapel, London; the christening of Elizabeth Skotting, also at St. Mary's on August 11th 1584; and the marriage of Esther Scotting and Samuell Bodley on June 5th 1687 at St. James', Duke's Place, in London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Rychard Skolton, which was dated May 7th 1543, marriage to Elizabeth Thompson, at St. Martin and St. Gregory, in York, Yorkshire, during the reign of King Henry V111, known as "Good King Hal", 1509 - 1547. 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.

© Copyright: Name Origin Research 1980 - 2024