The proud Scovill family originated in
Cornwall, a rugged coastal region in southwestern
England. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same
personal name. 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 Scovill family originally lived in
Cornwall. Their name however, is derived from the village of
Scoville, Normandy, where the family lived before arriving with the
Norman Conquest in the 11th century.
Early Origins of the Scovill family
The surname Scovill was first found in
Cornwall where they held a
family seat as Lords of the Manor of St. Austell and also having branches at Mavaggissey, Polrudden, Tregonnan and Menagwins. Another reference claims this name in old Cornish language signifies broom-plant. "The family have flourished for a long series of generations, in knightly and gentle degree, in that part of England."
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print. The first one record was Thomas de Scobbahull, Sheriff of
Devon in 1291.
Early History of the Scovill family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Scovill research.
Another 119 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1291, 1610, 1660 and 1648 are included under the topic Early Scovill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Scovill 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 Scobell, Scobel, Schobell, Schobel, Scobahull, Scobbahull, Scobhull, Scobhill, Scoble, Scobal and many more.
Early Notables of the Scovill family (pre 1700)
Notable amongst the family at this time was Thomas Scobbahull, Sheriff of Devon; and Henry Scobell
(c. 1610-1660), an English Parliamentary official, and clerk to the Long Parliament. "He is said to have been born at Menagwin in St. Austell,
Cornwall, and to have owned...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Scovill Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Scovill family to the New World and Oceana
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Scovill Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
- Rev. James Scovill U.E. born in Waterbury, Connecticut, USA who settled in Kingston, Kings County, New Brunswick c. 1784 he died in 1809 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Contemporary Notables of the name Scovill (post 1700)
- Joseph Scovill, American politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Haddam, 1823 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - James Mitchell Lamson Scovill (b. 1789), American politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Waterbury, 1826; Member of Connecticut State Senate 5th District, 1834 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - Horace C. Scovill, American politician, Mayor of Rockford, Illinois, 1887-89 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - Henry R. Scovill, American Democrat politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1924 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - Edward W. Scovill, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Columbia County, 1903-06 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - Charles W. Scovill, American Republican politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Haddam; Elected 1908 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - Amherst Scovill, American politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Columbia, 1823, 1835 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - Alfred H. Scovill, American Democrat politician, Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Watertown, 1908 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Scovill Family Crest Products
Related Stories
Citations
- ^ Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- ^ Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
- ^ The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html