Scarlett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The origins the old family name Scarlett can be found within medieval Scotland. While the patronymic and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the name of the father and mother respectively, are the most common form of a hereditary surname in Scotland, occupational surnames also emerged during the late Middle Ages. Many people, such as the Scarlett family, adopted the name of their occupation as their surname. However, an occupational name did not become a hereditary surname until the office or type of employment became hereditary. The surname Scarlett was an occupational name for a person who dyed bright fabrics. Interestingly, the name Scarlett was derived from the Old French word "escarlet," meaning "scarlet," and indicating one of the bright colors in which the bearer dealt.
Early Origins of the Scarlett family
The surname Scarlett was first found in Essex, where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy. Undoubtedly, one of the most famous records of the name was Will Scarlet, (Scarlett, Scarlock, Scadlock, Scatheloke, and Scathelocke) a prominent member of Robin Hood's Merry Men who first appeared in the oldest surviving Robin Hood ballad, A Gest of Robyn Hode, printed between 1492 and 1534.
Early History of the Scarlett family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Scarlett research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1307, 1499, 1535, 1586 and 1594 are included under the topic Early Scarlett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Scarlett Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Scarlett, Scarlet, Scarlot, Scarlott and others.
Early Notables of the Scarlett family
Notable among the family at this time was
- Robert Scarlett (1499?-1594), 'Old Scarlett,' a well-known figure in the precincts of Peterborough Cathedral during the greater part of the 16th century...
Scarlett Ranking
In the United States, the name Scarlett is the 6,951st most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1
Scarlett migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Scarlett Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Samuel Scarlett, who settled in Boston in 1630
- Ann Scarlett, who landed in Virginia in 1664 2
Scarlett Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Anne Scarlett, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 2
- Tho Scarlett, who arrived in Virginia in 1706 2
- Thomas Scarlett, who landed in Virginia in 1714 2
- Catherine, James, Robert Scarlett all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1775 and 1840
- James Scarlett, who arrived in New York in 1794 2
Scarlett Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- John Scarlett, who settled in New York in 1820
- Edward Scarlett, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1870 2
- Richard Scarlett, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1870 2
- Robert Benjamin Scarlett, who landed in Mississippi in 1882 2
Scarlett 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:
Scarlett Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Mr. William Scarlett, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Nourmahal" arriving in Dunedin, Otaga, South Island, New Zealand on 5th May 1858 3
- Mrs. Scarlett, British settler travelling from London with 2 sons aboard the ship "Nourmahal" arriving in Dunedin, Otaga, South Island, New Zealand on 5th May 1858 3
- Mr. Joseph Scarlett, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Nourmahal" arriving in Dunedin, Otaga, South Island, New Zealand on 5th May 1858 3
- John Scarlett, aged 32, a blacksmith, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Assaye" in 1874 3
- Fanny Scarlett, aged 28, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Assaye" in 1874 3
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Scarlett (post 1700) +
- Hunter Watt Scarlett (1885-1954), American ophthalmologist, and college football player for the Penn Quakers from 1904 to 1908, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
- Francis Muir Scarlett (1891-1971), United States federal judge
- Austin Scarlett (b. 1983), American fashion designer and artist, best known for his appearances on Project Runway
- Liam Scarlett (1986-2021), British choreographer and artist in residence with The Royal Ballet and artistic associate with Queensland Ballet
- John Scarlett (1947-2019), Australian rules footballer who played for Geelong and South Melbourne from 1967 to 1979
- Mr. Peter John Scarlett M.B.E., British Leader for Benchmark Woodwork Project, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to the community in Ellon, Aberdeenshire 4
- Peter Campbell Scarlett CB DL (1804-1881), British diplomat, born in Spring Gardens, London, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Brazil (1855)
- James Yorke Macgregor Scarlett (1871-1903), 4th Baron Abinger, British General, and leader of the heavy cavalry charge at Balaclava, British peer
- James Scarlett (1769-1844), 1st Baron Abinger, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, Jamaica-born, British peer
- Sir William Anglin Scarlett (1777-1831), Chief Justice of Jamaica
- ... (Another 15 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Historic Events for the Scarlett family +
HMS Royal Oak
- Arthur Scarlett (1920-1939), British Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 5
Citations +
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
- "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
- Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html