Show ContentsEthceart History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Ethceart has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in Bedfordshire. Their name, however, translates as the dweller at the eastern cottage, and indicates that the original bearer lived in such a place. 1

Early Origins of the Ethceart family

The surname Ethceart was first found in Bedfordshire, where Gundwinus de Estcota was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1190. 2 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Richard de Estcott, Wiltshire; and Hugh de Estcote, Cambridgeshire. 3

Later the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex listed Robert atte Estcote in 1327. 2

Eastcourt is a hamlet, in the parish of Crudwell, union and hundred of Malmesbury, Malmesbury and Kingswood divisions of Wiltshire 4 and there are at least three villages name Eastcott (Wiltshire (2), Middlesex.) The oldest was Eastcourt, Wiltshire which dates back to Saxon times when it was known as Escote. Eastcott, Wiltshire dates back to 1167 and it was known as Estcota at that time. 5

Early History of the Ethceart family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ethceart research. Another 69 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1563, 1570, 1571, 1572, 1584, 1586, 1587, 1601, 1607, 1624, 1628, 1629, 1668, 1676, 1684, 1712, 1793 and 1828 are included under the topic Early Ethceart History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ethceart Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Ethceart have been found, including Estcourt, Estcott, Estcotte, Eastcourt, Escott and many more.

Early Notables of the Ethceart family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Thomas Estcourt (c. 1570-1624), an English lawyer and politician, High Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1607, Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in 1624; Sir Edward Estcourt of Salisbury; Richard Estcourt (1668-1712), an early English actor, active playing comedy parts in Dublin; and Sir Giles Estcourt, 1st Baronet (c. 1601-1668), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1628 to 1629, supporter of the Royalist cause in the English Civil War. He was from Newton in the County of Wiltshire and his descendants include: Sir Giles Estcourt, 2nd Baronet (died c. 1676); and...
Another 142 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ethceart Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ethceart family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Ethceart, or a variant listed above: Thomas Escott who settled in Virginia in 1680.



  1. Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  5. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)


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