SCRIVEN
Scriven is an English surname of medieval origin, first recorded in the early twelfth century. The name is derived from the Middle English word scrive(n), meaning “to write” or “to copy”, and denotes a person engaged in the profession of writing, particularly a scribe or clerk.
The occupational surname Scriven descends from the Old French escrivein, itself a borrowing from the Latin verb scribanus, meaning “to write”. Following the Norman Conquest of 1066, French became the official tongue of England for three centuries, and many clerical titles were adopted from Norman French. As literacy was limited, scribes and clerks were essential for record‑keeping in courts and monasteries, making the name a marker of skilled workmanship.
Early documentary evidence confirms the use of the surname in the twenty‑seventeenth century. In 1208 the court of fees at Oxford recorded Richard le Scrivein, the first recorded spelling of the family name. Subsequent entries include Gervase Le Escruein in the Assize Rolls of Somerset (1278), Richard Scrivin in Kent (1294), William de Skrevyn among the freemen of York (1310), Johannes Schryuen in Yorkshire poll tax rolls (1379), and Peter Skreven marrying Alya Langlee at St Dionis Backchurch, London (1539). These examples illustrate the persistence of the name in a Middle English orthographic form well into the sixteenth century.
Throughout history the surname has appeared in a number of orthographic variants, including Scrivenor, Scrivenor, Scriver, Scrivinor, Scrivner, and Scrivener. These variants are acknowledged in contemporary records and genealogical databases and reflect regional spelling differences and the fluid nature of spelling before the advent of standardised orthography.
In Britain the surname is found throughout England and in parts of Ireland, notably in Counties Sligo, Dublin, and Antrim. In the United Kingdom there are also occurrences that can be traced to Colonial connections, such as a notable Scrivener family in Jamaica dating from the mid‑eighteenth century. In Canada the name appears mainly in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and New Brunswick, presumably arriving during the Great Migration of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In the United States the surname is relatively rare but appears in state archives for Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, with migration records placing some bearers in those states in the mid‑nineteenth century.
The original coat of arms associated with the surname dates from the reign of Henry III (1216-1272). The blazon describes a red field charged with a silver chevron between two silver leopard faces in chief, with a silver bugle in base. This heraldic device is the earliest visual representation of the family and demonstrates the historical significance accorded to the name.
Notable individuals bearing the name include the British minister Edmund Scriven, footballer Wayne Scriven, writer and missionary Benjamin Scriven, and American scientist Allan Scriven. These figures illustrate the continued relevance of the surname across a range of professions and geographies.
While the occupation of scribe or clerk was common across medieval England, the surname Scriven was adopted by those who held such a role, and the name passed to subsequent generations. In some instances the name may be habitational, deriving from places called Scriven in Yorkshire and Shropshire, where the Old English words scraef (ravine) and senne (water or pond) contributed to the toponym. The surname shares a root with Dutch words such as scrijver and scrifa, further underscoring its linguistic connection to the act of writing.
Thus, the surname Scriven encapsulates a medieval professional tradition, an enduring family identity, and a linguistic legacy that continues to appear in records across the United Kingdom, Ireland, North America, and the Caribbean.
Typical given names associated with the Scriven surname
Male
- Anthony
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Jonathan
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- William
Female
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Jane
- Jean
- Julie
- Karen
- Lesley
- Margaret
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Rebecca
- 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 Scriven in...
Braille
⠎⠉⠗⠊⠧⠑⠝
Morse
...-.-..-......-.-.
Semaphore
There are approximately 2,840 people named Scriven in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,145th most common surname in Britain. Around 44 in a million people in Britain are named Scriven.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Scriven
- Paul Scriven - Politician
- Margaret Croft "Peggy" Scriven-Vivian - Tennis player (1912 to 2001)
- Bert Scriven - Football player (1908 to 2001)
- Jack Scriven - Cricketer
- Aubrey Scriven - Football player (1904 to 1)
- Tim Scriven - Cricket player
- Tom Scriven - Cricketer
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.