Scarsbrook

Recorded in a wide range of spellings including: Scarsbrook, Scarisbrook, Scaysbrook, and Scarisbrick, this is an English locational surname. It originates from a place called Scarisbrick, in the county of Lancashire. The placename is derived from the pre 7th century Norse-Viking personal name "Skar", of uncertain etymology, and the Norse "brekka", meaning slope or hill, hence "Skar's hillside". The placename was first recorded as "Scharisbrec" in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in circa 1200, and as "Skaresbrek" in the tax rolls known as the 'Feet of Fines' for the county, in 1238. Locational surnames were developed when former inhabitants of a place moved to another area, usually to seek work, and were best identified by the name of their birthplace. Early examples of the surname recordings include: Thomas Scarysbrig of Devon in the register of students at Oxford University in the year 1508, Anthony Scarsbricke, a mercer of London, in 1615, and Grace Scarsbrooke, who married Edmond Orrell, on June 8th 1690, at Wigan in Lancashire. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Gilbert de Scaresbrec, which was dated circa 1250, at the manor of Scarisbrick, Lancashire. This was during the reign of King Henry 111 of England, 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was often known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries surnames in every country have continued to "develop", often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.