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In ancient Scotland, the first people to use Sellkredge as a surname were the Strathclyde-Britons. It was a name someone who lived in the former royal burgh county town of Selkirk. 1 2 3 This place name was also known as Selechirche, Selechyrche, Selekirke and literally meant "the Palace-Church [Old English sele, a palace, hall + O.(N.)E. circe (= Old Norse kirkia), a church] The Scottish kings had a hunting residence at Selkirk." 4
Another source notes the name came from "Cellkirk, a religious house. A cell was anciently that part of a temple within the walls. Sel-carrik." 5
And another source claims a slightly different origin of the place name. "This place, which is of considerable antiquity, derives its name, in the Celtic tongue signifying "the Church in the forest," from the ancient state of the surrounding district, which was thickly covered with wood and appropriated as a royal chase. From its proximity to the border, it was frequently the scene of hostile incursions, and intricately involved in all the ferocious and sanguinary wars of the rival kingdoms, during the mutual efforts of their monarchs to obtain the ascendancy. In the 12th century it appears to have been regarded as a place of importance; and David I. founded near the site of the present town a monastery, which was, however, subsequently for greater security removed to Kelso.' 6
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sellkredge research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1350, 1368, 1515, 1567, 1580, 1676, 1679, 1684, 1690, 1704, 1709, 1721 and 1731 are included under the topic Early Sellkredge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before the printing press standardized spelling in the last few hundred years, no general rules existed in the English language. Spelling variations in Scottish names from the Middle Ages are common even within a single document. Sellkredge has been spelled Selkirk, Salkirk, Silkrige, Selkyrk, Selcraig and others.
Notable amongst the family at this time was Alexander Selkirk (1676-1721), prototype of 'Robinson Crusoe,' also known as Alexander Selcraig, a Scottish privateer and sailor, seventh son of John Selcraig, shoemaker, of Largo, Fifeshire. 7
In September 1704, Captain Stradling aboard Cinque Ports, dropped Selkirk off on the island of Juan Fernandez with a musket, a hatchet, a knife, a cooking pot, a Bible, bedding and some...
Another 65 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sellkredge Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
For Scottish immigrants, the great expense of travel to North America did not seem such a problem in those unstable times. Acres of land awaited them and many got the chance to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. These Scots and their ancestors went on to play important roles in the forging of the great nations of the United States and Canada. Among them: James Selkirk who settled in New York State in 1774; Robert Selkridge settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1767.