Rosecro History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The illustrious surname Rosecro finds its origin in the rocky, sea swept coastal area of southwestern England known as Cornwall. Although surnames were fairly widespread in medieval England, people were originally known only by a single name. The process by which hereditary surnames were adopted is extremely interesting. As populations grew, people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Under the Feudal System of government, surnames evolved and they often reflected life on the manor and in the field. Lords and their tenants often became known by the name of the feudal territory they owned or lived on. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used local surnames. This was due to the heavy political and cultural influence of the English upon the Cornish People at the time that surnames first came into use. Local surnames were derived from where a person lived, held land, or was born. While many Cornish surnames of this sort appear to be topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees, many are actually habitation surnames derived from lost or unrecorded place names. The name Rosecro is a local type of surname and the Rosecro family lived in Cornwall. Their name, however, derives from the Old Norse roscowe, meaning roe-buck-wood, and indicates that the original bearer lived near a stand of such timber.

Early Origins of the Rosecro family

The surname Rosecro was first found in Cornwall where they were Lords of the manor of Roscrowe. 1 There is some disagreement about the earliest reference of the name as one reference claims "I feel sure it is a Lancashire local surname, although I cannot find the spot." 2 This source continues on with the earliest record of Gilbert Roscoe, of Exton as recorded in the Wills at Chester in 1303. Continuing in the same register, he noted James Roscoe of Farnworth, in 1303 and James Roscow of Leigh in 1504. 2

Back in Cornwall, Roscrowe is an estate in the parish of Gluvias in Cornwall which was held by the family in the 14th century and became extinct during the time of Henry I. 1

"Roscrow, [in the parish of St. Gluvias] according to Hals, gave name to a family of gentlemen at a very early period, of whom it became and continued the seat, until the reign of Henry VI. when the family of Roscrow became extinct in the male line. According to Tonkin, Thomas Harry, who settled at this place, in the reign of Henry VIII. took the name of Roscrow, and in succeeding years his grandson sold the barton to Samuel Pendarves, Esq." 3

Early History of the Rosecro family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rosecro research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rosecro History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rosecro Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Roscoe, Roscrowe, Roscrow, Rosecrowe, Roscow and others.

Early Notables of the Rosecro family

More information is included under the topic Early Rosecro Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Rosecro family

An investigation of the immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Rosecro: William and Rebecca Roscoe who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1635 with their children, Samuel, William, Sarah, and Mary.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print