Contents [hide]

Scrivens History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Scrivens History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Scrivens reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Scrivens family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest in 1066. Scrivens 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 Scrivens family

The surname Scrivens 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 Scrivens family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Scrivens 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 Scrivens History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Scrivens Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Scrivens are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Scrivens include Scriven, Scrivener, Scrivenor, Scrivner and others.

Early Notables of the Scrivens 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 Scrivens Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Scrivens family to Ireland

Some of the Scrivens 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.

Scrivens migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Scrivens, or a variant listed above:

Scrivens Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Wilfred Nason Scrivens, aged 26, who landed in America from Birmingham, in 1903
Robert Scrivens, aged 59, who immigrated to America from Watford, Herts, England, in 1907
Albert James Scrivens, aged 19, who settled in America from Peckston, England, in 1909
Elizabeth Scrivens, who immigrated to the United States, in 1909
Clara Scrivens, aged 38, who landed in America from Walthanstow, England, in 1911
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Scrivens migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Scrivens Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Jeremiah Scrivens, British Convict who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 25th June 1838, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3
Miss Martha Scrivens, (Connor), (b. 1828), aged 20, Welsh house maid from Colford, Wales who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Cadet" on 10th November 1848, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4

Scrivens migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Scrivens Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Alfred Scrivens, aged 20, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Berar" in 1875

Contemporary Notables of the name Scrivens (post 1700) +

Thomas "Tom" Scrivens (1876-1899), English professional footballer
Jean Eileen Scrivens (1935-1956), English silver medalist athlete at the 1956 Summer Olympics
Benjamin John Scrivens (b. 1986), Canadian ice hockey goaltender

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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cadet/