SCARTH
Scarth is a surname of Scottish origin, deriving from the Old Norse personal name Skarði, which translates to “gap” or “notch.” Its emergence as a hereditary surname is attributed to Norse settlers who integrated into the Gaelic-speaking communities of the north of the British Isles.
The primary sense of the name is topographical, referring to an individual who lived near a noticeable gap or notch in the landscape. Such features were common in the rugged terrain of the Scottish Highlands and the islands of Orkney, providing a natural basis for the nickname and its eventual evolution into the family name Scarth.
An alternative derivation links the surname to the Old Norse byname Skarthi, meaning “hare‑lipped.” This variant underscores a physical distinction that may have been noted among early bearers of the name, although it remains a less frequently cited explanation compared to the locational origin.
Historical records place the first attestation of the surname in Scotland in 1482, when a witness called Fene Skatht is noted in the parish of Firth, in the island of Orkney. Subsequent ecclesiastical documents from the late eighteenth century record baptisms, marriages, and burials of individuals bearing the name in Kirkwall, St. Ola, and other localities, indicating a sustained presence of the family in that region.
Beyond Scotland, the name appears in the historic Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire, where a Henry Scharf is listed in 1273 during the reign of King Edward I. The existence of a place called Scarth Hill in Lincolnshire suggests that the surname may have been adopted by settlers who migrated southward from the north, bringing with them their toponymic heritage.
Variants of the surname documented over the centuries include Scarf, Scarfe, and Scarff(e). These orthographic differences reflect the fluid nature of spelling in early modern England and Scotland, where literacy levels and local dialects influenced written forms.
Today, the surname Scarth remains a rare but identifiable element of Scottish genealogical records, largely concentrated in Orkney but also found, albeit sparsely, in other parts of the United Kingdom and in diaspora communities abroad. Its Norse origin and connection to landscape features highlight the enduring impact of Viking settlement on British nomenclature.
Typical given names associated with the Scarth surname
Male
- Andrew
- Brian
- Christopher
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Jonathan
- Martin
- Paul
- Robert
- Thomas
Female
- Amy
- Ann
- Carol
- Dorothy
- Elizabeth
- Jayne
- Joanne
- Julie
- Margaret
- Mary
- Sarah
- Susan
- Victoria
- Vivien
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 Scarth in...
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Morse
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There are approximately 803 people named Scarth in the UK. That makes it roughly the 8,740th most common surname in Britain. Around 12 in a million people in Britain are named Scarth.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Scotland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Scarth
- Jimmy Scarth - Football player (1926 to 2000)
- Jonathan Scarth - Factory owner (1772 to 1850)
- William Bain Scarth - Canadian politician (1837 to 1902)
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.