Arscott History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

Etymology of Arscott

The Atlantic Ocean to the north and west and the English Channel to the south borders Cornwall, the homeland to the Arscott family name. Even though the usage of surnames was common during the Middle Ages, all English people were known only by a single name in early times. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames are derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. The Arscott family originally lived in Arscott, in Devon and perhaps Arscott in Shropshire (Salop.)

Alternatively, the Ascott variant, derived from the Old English words "east" + "cot," meaning "eastern cottages," 1 can be found in Berkshire, Warwickshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. 2 The Berkshire parish is the oldest, dating back to 1177 when it was known as Estcota. Ascott-under-Wychwood in Oxfordshire literally means "near the forest of Wynchwood." 1

Early Origins of the Arscott family

Early History of the Arscott family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Arscott research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1554, 1588, 1603, 1613, 1618, 1656, 1675, 1683, 1718, 1722, 1747, 1762 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Arscott History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Arscott 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 Arscot, Ascot, Arscott, Ascott, Asscot, Asscott and others.

Early Notables of the Arscott family

• Arthur Arscott (1683-1762) of Tetcott, Devon, a British landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1722 to 1747
• John Arscott (1613-1675), of Tetcott, Devon, was Sheriff of Devon in 1675. He was the eldest son and heir of Edmund Arscott (1588-1656), of Tetcott. Arthur Arscott (1554-1618), the sheriff's grandfath...