ROSCOE
Roscoe is a locational surname that originates from a place name in Lancashire, England. The name is thought to have emerged in the late 13th century and is recorded in the wills of the early 14th century. It has strong ties to both English and Old Norse linguistic traditions.
Etymologically, Roscoe derives from Old Norse elements. One proposed origin is the combination of hross, meaning *horse*, and skógr, meaning *wood* or *forest*. This gives the interpretation *horse‑wood* or *horse‑forest*. A second interpretation uses the Old Norse ra, a *roe‑deer*, together with scogr, meaning *copse* or *thicket*, producing the sense *roe‑deer copse*. Both derivations reflect the historic landscape of the area, a wooded region that was used for horse breeding or where deer were common.
The earliest documented instance of the surname is found in the name Gilbert Roscoe of Euxton, Lancashire, dated 1293 and preserved in the wills of the Chester archives. These records were compiled during the reign of King Edward the First, whose reign extended from 1272 to 1307.
Church parish registers from Lancashire in the 16th century provide further evidence of the name’s use. Examples include the marriage of Ellen Roscow to James Hodgson on 7 January 1561 in Chorley, the christening of Margaret, daughter of Thomas Roscow, on 9 March 1563 in the same town, the marriage of Thomas Roscow to Ellen Jackson on 11 May 1578 in Eccles, and the wedding of Thomas Roscoe to Cathrena Mort on 1 June 1589, also in Eccles. Such entries show the surname firmly established in the local community.
Heraldic records indicate that a coat of arms was awarded to Thomas Tattersall Roscopy, Middlesex. The arms consist of a silver and red shield divided vertically, each section displaying a counter‑changed bar between three cinquefoils; the crest features an erect staff with two entwined serpents between two ermine wings. The grant of arms demonstrates the family’s social standing in the early modern period.
Variations of the spelling include Roscoe and Roscow, with the latter occasionally appearing in earlier records. Throughout history the name has remained concentrated in Lancashire but has migrated to other parts of the United Kingdom and to the United States, where it is most frequently encountered in the North‑Central region. The surname is considered uncommon yet well documented, making it a subject of interest for those studying genealogical or heraldic history.
Typical given names associated with the Roscoe surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- William
Female
- Elaine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Jane
- Joanne
- Julie
- Louise
- Margaret
- Mary
- 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 Roscoe in...
Braille
⠗⠕⠎⠉⠕⠑
Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 3,139 people named Roscoe in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,877th most common surname in Britain. Around 48 in a million people in Britain are named Roscoe.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Roscoe
- William Roscoe - Historian, abolitionist, art collector, politician, lawyer, banker, botanist and writer (1753 to 1831)
- Andy Roscoe - Football player
- Sam Roscoe - Football player
- Ingrid Roscoe - Art historian
- John Roscoe - Missionary (1861 to 1932)
- Jack Roscoe - Football player (1906 to 1)
- Thomas Roscoe - Writer (1791 to 1871)
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.