Screws History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Screws was brought to England by the Normans when they conquered the island in 1066. It is a name for a writer to the court. This name comes from the Old French word scriven, which was the title of the person employed to keep official records of trials.

Early Origins of the Screws family

The surname Screws was first found in Scriven, a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire. The township comprises about 1598 acres, and includes the villages of Scriven and Tentergate, which latter forms part of the town of Knaresborough. The place name was derived from The Domesday Book 1 entry Scrauing(h) which in turn was derived from the Old English expression "Hollow place with pits" 2

Early History of the Screws family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Screws research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1580, 1608, 1609, 1629, 1660, 1688 and 1713 are included under the topic Early Screws History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Screws Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Screws family name include Scriven, Scrivener, Scrivenor, Scrivner and others.

Early Notables of the Screws family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Matthew Scrivener (1580-1609), an English colonist in Virginia, Colonial Governor of Virginia (1608-1609.) Born in Suffolk, England, he drowned at the age of 28 with eight other colonists, while attempting to cross to nearby Hog Island in a storm in 1609. His brother John Scrivener...
Another 53 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Screws Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Screws family to Ireland

Some of the Screws family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Screws family

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Screws family to immigrate North America: Arthur Scriven settled in Virginia in 1663; John Scriven settled in Barbados in 1665; Nathanial Scriven settled in Nevis in 1663; Robert Scriven settled in Virginia in 1635.

Contemporary Notables of the name Screws (post 1700) +

Claude Screws, American sheriff of Baker County, Georgia, eponym of the Screws Precedent, a 1944 Supreme Court ruling
William W. Screws, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Alabama, 1876, 1912; Secretary of State of Alabama, 1878-82 3
William P. Screws, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Alabama, 1936 3

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html