PASCOE
Pascoe is a surname of Cornish origin that has been documented as early as the late thirteenth century. It is derived from the medieval given name Pascow, the Cornish form of the Latin personal name Paschalis, which in turn is taken from the Latin word pascha meaning “Easter.” The translation of the name ties it to the Christian feast of Easter and explains the connection between the surname and the season.
The evolution of the name is linked to the introduction of the name Pascal into England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. Pascal was a pet form that entered English usage, and the suffixes -oe and -ow were added to create the diminutive Pascow. This construction is typical of early‑medieval English naming practices and reflects the influence of the Latin Church on personal names during that period.
Archival evidence shows the surname first appearing in official records in 1372, when a Simon Pascoe is listed as a witness in the court rolls of the borough of Colchester, Essex, during the reign of King Edward III (1327‑1377). Further references include a John Pascowe mentioned in a 1443 “Descriptive Catalogue of Ancient Deeds” in Cornwall and a baptism of Thomas Pascoe, son of Richarde, on 20 September 1598 in St. Columb Minor, Cornwall.
Geographically, the surname is most frequently found in Cornwall and Devon and remains the forty‑third most common surname in Cornwall. The Isles of Scilly record the highest concentration of individuals bearing the name. Migration has dispersed bearers of the surname across the United Kingdom, with notable concentrations in England, Scotland, and Wales, and beyond the British Isles into Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States, particularly within the states of California, Oregon, Washington, and New York.
Many members of the Pascoe family have contributed to Victorian and modern scholarship. The most distinguished of these is Francis Polkinghorne Pascoe (1813–1893), a pre‑eminent entomologist whose extensive collection now resides in the Natural History Museum, London, where it continues to support scientific research.
Spelling variations of the surname have changed over the centuries. Historical documents record the forms Pascoe, Pascow, and Pascho; in later periods and in different countries the name has been rendered as Pasko or Pasco. These variants all retain the same etymological and cultural roots linked to the Easter feast.
In sum, the surname Pascoe remains a marker of Cornish heritage and Christian tradition, its origins firmly embedded in Latin linguistic ancestry and the historical spread of the Christian name through medieval England. The name’s endurance and presence across continents continue to illustrate the lasting influence of early English naming conventions and the cultural mobility of families carrying this distinctive surname.
Typical given names associated with the Pascoe surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Richard
- William
Female
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Jane
- Jennifer
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Pascoe in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 5,129 people named Pascoe in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,844th most common surname in Britain. Around 79 in a million people in Britain are named Pascoe.
Origin: Anglo-Saxon
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Pascoe
- Sara Pascoe - Writer, stand-up comedian and actress
- Alan Pascoe - Hurdler
- Colin Pascoe - Welsh football player
- Robert Pascoe - Army general
- Charles Pascoe - Cricketer (1876 to 1957)
- Daniel Pascoe - Welsh rugby union and rugby league football player (1900 to 1971)
- Francis Polkinghorne Pascoe - Entomologist (1813 to 1893)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.