Scrace History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Scrace

What does the name Scrace mean?

The name Scrace is tied to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of England. It comes from the baptismal name for the son of Scraewa, which was an ancient Anglo-Saxon personal name. Baptismal names began to appear as surnames relatively late in the growth of the naming tradition. This is a little surprising, given the popularity of biblical figures in the Christian countries of Europe. Nevertheless, surnames derived from baptismal names grew in popularity during the Middle Ages, and have become one of the foremost sources for surnames.

Early Origins of the Scrace family

The surname Scrace was first found in Sussex where the family claim to have "settled from Denmark before the Norman Conquest. However, there is no record of the family name earlier than the 13th century. The name has been conjecturally derived from the great Norman appellative of Scures or D'Escures. " 1 Another source claims that name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name Scraewa, which is also coincidentally the name of a mouse.

Early History of the Scrace family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Scrace research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1620 and 1937 are included under the topic Early Scrace History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Scrace Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Scrace has undergone many spelling variations, including Scrace, Scrase, Scras, Scrayce and others.

Early Notables of the Scrace family

More information is included under the topic Early Scrace Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Scrace family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Scrace were among those contributors: John Scrase who settled in West New Jersey in 1664.

Contemporary Notables of the name Scrace (post 1700) +

Dale N. Scrace (b. 1947), American politician, Mayor of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, 2001- 2

The Scrace Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Volando reptilla sperno
Motto Translation: Flying myself I despise creeping things.

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html