Show ContentsScroggs History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Scroggs surname is a topographic surname derived from the Middle English word scrogge ("brushwood") or 'stunted growth' of foliage. 1 2 3

Early Origins of the Scroggs family

The surname Scroggs was first found in Peebles-shire in the lands of Stobo in Scotland where they held a family seat at Scrogges from the 12th century. 4 5 "Robert de Scrogges lost his life in the service of David de Lyne, and because of that his son Simon had a grant of the lands of Scrogges, c. 1208, from David de Line, and a few years later he sold the lands to Walter, bishop of Glasgow." 6

Some of the family were found further south in England where Thomas Scrag was listed in Yorkshire as a Knights Templar in 1185. The Pipe Rolls for Wiltshire included an entry for Osebert Scragg in 1218. 2

Henry Scoggin or Scogan (1361?-1407), was an English poet and belonged to a Norfolk family which owned much land in the county. Henry was probably educated at Oxford. In 1391 he succeeded his brother John as Lord of Haviles. On one of his trips to London, he met Chaucer of whom he became a close friend. In fact, Chaucer wrote a short poem about him entitled 'Lenvoy a Scogan' in 1393. 7

Early History of the Scroggs family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Scroggs research. Another 196 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1398, 1436, 1439, 1449, 1507, 1508, 1623, 1639, 1652, 1669, 1678, 1681, 1683 and 1695 are included under the topic Early Scroggs History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Scroggs Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Scroggs, Scrogges, Scrogs, Scroggis, Scruggs, Scroggin, Scroggins and many more.

Early Notables of the Scroggs family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

  • Sir William Scroggs (1623-1683), an English jurist, who became Lord Chief Justice of England (1678-1681) who presided over some of the Popish Plot trials. His daughter Ann married into the distinguish...
  • Sir William's parents is somewhat doubtful, but his father, who is described as William Scroggs of Deddington 'pleb.', was probably a retired butcher of considerable means. At the age of sixteen young...
  • Sir William Scroggs (1652?-1695), only son of the above, was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he was a chorister. 7

Scroggs Ranking

In the United States, the name Scroggs is the 13,926th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 8


New Zealand Scroggs migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Scroggs Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Sydney Malet Scroggs, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1842 aboard the ship Brougham
  • S.M. Scroggs, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Brougham" in 1842

Contemporary Notables of the name Scroggs (post 1700) +

  • James T. Scroggs, American politician, Member of South Dakota State Senate 1st District, 1907-10 9


  1. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
  4. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  5. Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
  6. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  7. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  8. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  9. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook