Scrope Family History

of uncertain origin. Tengvik suggests derivation from the Old Scandinavian personal name Skrópi (of doubtful etymology but compare Old Scandinavian skrópa-maðr ‘hypocrite’ containing the genitive plural form of skrópar ‘sham hypocrisy’). It is possible but not certain that this personal name forms the first element of the Notts place-name Scrooby. Otherwise there is no evidence for its currency in England or more relevantly in Normandy.

Richards Castle (in Herefs and Shrops) was apparently named after Richard Scrope who held estates in Herefs and Worcs in 1066 and was a Norman favourite of Edward the Confessor. The Scrope family whose name is traditionally pronounced /skru:p/ was politically important in medieval England and acquired estates in Lincs (Barton on Humber) NR Yorks (Castle Bolton) and in ER Yorks (Flotmanby).

Richard (le) Scrope of Bolton in Wensleydale was Lord Chancellor in the reign of Richard II. The use of le and de in the surname suggesting either a nickname or a locative name must be treated with caution because these were often added gratuitously to Anglo-Norman surnames as a sign of high social status.