SCRIVENS
Scrivens is a surname of English origin, traditionally associated with the occupation of a scrivener – a professional scribe or manuscript copyist. The name is derived from the Latin word scriba, meaning a writer or copyist, and entered the English language through the Old French term escrivein, itself a continuation of the Latin verb scribere ‘to write’.
As an occupational name, Scrivens would have been bestowed upon individuals who practised the art of writing or copying religious and legal documents by hand. These scribes played a crucial role in medieval society, preserving and disseminating knowledge before the advent of printing technology.
The surname has appeared in several variant forms. Recorded spellings include Scriven, Scrivener, Scrivenor, Scriver, Scrivinor and Scrivner. Such variations reflect spelling differences that evolved alongside regional dialects and changes in orthographic conventions over the centuries.
Earliest surviving documentation of the surname can be traced to the early twelfth century. The name appears as Simon Scrivine in the charters of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, dated 1218, during the reign of King Henry XII, who ruled from 1216 to 1272. A later example from the fifteenth century records the marriage of John Scrivener to Jone Fallis on 12 November 1570 at St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, London.
A notable bearer of the name is Frederick Henry Ambrose Scrivener (1813‑1891), a distinguished religious divine. He received a degree from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland in 1872 and served as one of the scholars involved in the revision of the New Testament between 1870 and 1882. Scrivener subsequently published scholarly works concerning the textual criticism of biblical passages.
Heraldic records attach an ancient coat of arms to the surname. The blazon describes a red field charged with a silver chevron situated between two leopard faces in chief, with a silver bugle in base. This armorial image dates back to the time of Henry XII.
Typical given names associated with the Scrivens surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
Female
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Joanne
- Julie
- Louise
- Margaret
- Maria
- Mary
- 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 Scrivens in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 2,395 people named Scrivens in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,627th most common surname in Britain. Around 37 in a million people in Britain are named Scrivens.
Surname type: Occupational name
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Scrivens
- Steve Scrivens - Football player
- Brian Scrivens - Englsh-born Welsh rugby union and rugby league football player
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.