SCRIMGEOUR
Scrimgeour is a Scottish surname that has been associated with several notable offices and offices of heraldry since the Middle Ages. The name is recorded in a number of historical documents and has been borne by a line of hereditary standard‑bearers and constables, a tradition that has afforded the family a distinguished place in the annals of Scottish history.
The early origins of the surname are documented in two distinct linguistic traditions. Some sources state that it derives from the Old Norse personal name Skrymir, meaning “giant” or “strongman”, a nickname that would have described an imposing figure in early Scottish society. Other records trace the name back to the Old French term eskermisseor (or variants such as eskermisour), meaning “fencer” or “skirmisher”, indicating an occupational background for the original bearers. Both traditions are supported by contemporary medieval documents and should therefore be regarded as historically documented possibilities rather than conjecture.
The surname was first recorded in the thirteenth century under variations including Lescermissur, Leskirmisur and le Skermisur, with examples such as William Lescermissur in Suffolk in 1180 and Gilbert le Skermisur in Warwickshire in 1222. A particularly early instance, dated 1154, is that of Richer le Schirmissur in Lincolnshire, as cited in documents concerning the Danelaw under the reign of King Henry the Builder (reigned 1154‑1189).
The Scrimgeour line gained prominence in Scotland through its association with the hereditary office of standard‑bearer to the King of Scots and the constableship of Dundee. In 1298 Sir Alexander, known in contemporary records as Schyrmeschur, was granted lands in Forfar for services as standard‑bearer and was appointed Constable of the Castle of Dundee. A later Sir James Scrymgeour, a favourite of James the Five, succeeded to these same offices in 1576. John Scrymgeour, the second Viscount Dudhope, was elevated to the earldom of Dundee in 1660, cementing the family’s noble status.
The family possesses five recorded coats of arms, all of which exhibit a common motif: a red shield bearing a gold lion rampant, armed and langued blue, holding in the dexter paw a silver scimitar. The crest, situated on a chapeau argent, is a lion's paw grasping a scimitar. These heraldic symbols have been used by the Scrimgeours of Dundee and are recorded in the Register of the Lord Lyon.
In modern times the surname remains uncommon. By the early twentieth century, the name was chiefly found in the United Kingdom, with smaller numbers of bearers located in Australia, Canada and the United States—reflecting the broader Scottish diaspora. The persistence of the Scrimgeour surname, even in remote regions, is a testament to the enduring legacy of Scotland’s medieval offices and the families that held them.
Typical given names associated with the Scrimgeour surname
Male
- Alexander
- Andrew
- Brian
- David
- Gordon
- Ian
- James
- John
- Michael
- Neil
- Richard
- Robert
- Tom
Female
- Anne
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Gillian
- Helen
- Janet
- Karen
- Margaret
- Nicola
- 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 Scrimgeour in...
Braille
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Morse
...-.-..-...----..---..-.-.
Semaphore
There are approximately 739 people named Scrimgeour in the UK. That makes it roughly the 9,312th most common surname in Britain. Around 11 in a million people in Britain are named Scrimgeour.
Famous people named Scrimgeour
- Brian Scrimgeour - Football player
- Sam Scrimgeour - Rower
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.