Scott History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

In the annals of Scottish history, few names go farther back than Scott, whose ancestors go back to the people of the Boernician tribe. The first family to use the name Scott lived in Roxburgh (now part of the region of Borders), Scotland. The surname Scott is of local origin as it denotes one who came from Scotland as in the Scot. The double ‘t’ in Scott is now universal. Other records claim the name was for someone in England, who came to be from Scotland. Pre-dating surnames, the name may have been used for a Gaelic speaker within Scotland, who arrived with the Gaelic Dalriadans from Ireland in around 500 AD.

Early Origins of the Scott family

The surname Scott was first found in Roxburghshire, where a family seat was held on the lands of Ballendan at the head of the Ale water in that county. They descended from Uchtredus Scott who held the lands before 1107; he is on record as a witness to the foundation charter of Selkirk in 1120. Another early record is of Henricus le Scotte, who witnessed a charter by David Earl of Strathearn around 1195. By 1200, this great Clancontrolled the borderlands of the Middle Marches of West Teviotdale, Ewesdale, Liddesdale, Buccleuch and Balweariel. [1]

Early History of the Scott family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Scott research.

Scott Spelling Variations

Over the years, Scott has been written It appears under these variations because medieval scribes spelled names according to sound rather than by any over-arching set of rules. Scott, Scot, Skotts, Scot, Scotach, Scott, Schotts and many more.

Early Notables of the Scott family (pre 1700)

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Walter Scott of Buccleuch (1565-1611), a Scottish nobleman and famous border reiver, known as the “Bold Buccleuch”; Mary Scott, 3rd Countess of Buccleuch and Countess of Tarras (1647-1661) Scottish peeress who married at the age of 11; Walter Scott, 1st Earl of Tarras (1644-1693), a Scottish nobleman.

Scott World Ranking

In the United States, the name Scott is the 34^th most popular surname with an estimated 460,095 people with that name. [2] However, in Canada, the name Scott is ranked the 26^th most popular surname with an estimated 51,132 people with that name. [3] And in Quebec, Canada, the name Scott is the 618^th popular surname. [4] Newfoundland, Canada ranks Scott as 177^thwith 227 people. [5] France ranks Scott as 4,787^th with 1,500 – 2,000 people. [6] Australia ranks Scott as 32^nd with 47,646 people. [7] New Zealand ranks Scott as 7^th with 7,010 people. [8] The United Kingdom ranks Scott as 29^th with 107,393 people. [9] South Africa ranks Scott as 487^thwith 14,695 people. [10]

 Migration of the Scott family to Ireland

Some of the Scott family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.

 Scott migration to the United States +

When these Boernician-Scottish settlers arrived in North America they brought little with them and often had restart their lives from scratch. Through time, much of their heritage was lost, and it is only this century through Clan societies and highland games that many have recovered their national heritage. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Scott family to immigrate North America: 

Scott Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• Mr. Nicholas Scott, (Skot), who arrived in Jamestown, Virginia aboard the ship “Discovery” in 1607 [11]
• Walter Scott, who landed in Virginia in 1618 aboard the ship “Hercules” [12]
• Apphia Scott, who arrived in Virginia in 1618 aboard the ship “Gift” [12]
• Goodwife Scott, who arrived in Virginia in 1623
• Mrs. Scott, who landed in Virginia in 1623