1 of 10

Write now Article Tools

ETYMOLOGY

Scott began purely as a surname meaning a native of Scotland or a person who spoke Gaelic. Scoti or Scotti was the name given by the Romans to Irish invaders..

ORIGIN & HISTORY

Scott as a surname originated in the Scottish Borders and later became a first name. The Clan Scott was a large and influential clan in southern Scotland, originally coming from Ireland.

So the name goes back about 2,000 years as a name but surnames only began to be used in the middle ages and the first record of its use is of one Uchtred filius Scot who was a witness to the foundation charter of the town of Selkirk in 1120. Selkirk, being in the Borders area confirms the association with this part of Scotland and not with the Highland Clans.

Towards the end of the 13th Century the Scotts can be found in another Border area, that of Fife when Michael LeScot became an emissary of King Edward I of England.

This period provides much documentation in the form of the Ragman Rolls which are now in the Public Record Office in London. These Rolls are legal instruments used by Edward I between 1291 and 1296 whose purpose was to force Scottish nobility to swear allegiance to the English king. Six of the lairds' are called Scott.

In the 14th century another Scott, Sir Michael fought with Robert the Bruce against the English in 1333 during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

The Scott family history and name continued through to the reign of James VI of Scotland who created the then Baron Scott Lord Scott of Buccleugh and later, 1619, Earl Scott. Today the Duke of Buccleugh is the largest private landowner in the UK.

Clan Scott supported the Hanoverian dynasty in its struggles with the Jacobite supporters of Bonnie Price Charlie in the 18th Century.

POPULARITY

Never a popular name before 1930, as a first-name its popularity rocketed from the early 1930's and remained one of the most popular boy's name sin the US until a gradual decline set in from the 1970's. Today it does not feature in the top 200.

FASCINATING FACTS

The sudden rise in the popularity of Scott as a first-name from the 1930's may be entirely due to F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940) who was known as Scott and became one of the most influential writers of the 20th century.

FAMOUS PERSONS

These divide into those with Scott as a first-name and those with Scott as a surname.
Scott Joplin (1867/8-1917) was a renowned ragtime musician whose music gained renewed popularity when his music was adapted for the movie The Sting. One of the stars of that

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Behind the name: Scott?
We want to hear your view. Write now!