VIKINGS...THE NAME
It is said that the Scarboroughs of old originated as Vikings who raided the
English coast in search of plunder, rape, and riches. According to a 14th
century scribe, in the year 966, a fellow by the name of Thorgils Skardi
"set up the fort called Skardaborg." During the 9th and 10th centuries,
the whole of Yorkshire was colonized by Scandinavians. This costal
establishment began what is now Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England.
The surname Scarborough got its beginnings from the old norse
language. Our early ancestor, Thorgils Skardi apparently had a harelip. The
name seems to have developed from "Skardi" meaning harelipped and "borg"
meaning "fortress." Any Scarborough today knows how difficult the name
is for others to spell. Since literacy wasn't very common until the
19th century, it's no wonder that the name has evolved into
a variety of spellings and pronuciations throughout the years.
Earnest Scarborough's father,
Ernest
Scarborough, Sr. recorded as many as 17 different spellings of the
surname during his family research.
Information provided by Earnest Scarborough, Jr.
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YES, WE HAVE AN ENGLISH CASTLE...
Evelyn Kinder Donaldson writes in Squires and Dames of Old Virginia:
"...one of the old English families was the Scarborough family which had its original seat
in the Scarborough castle. Around this castle was built a municipality and the borough
of Scarborough. Located in the eastern part of North Riding, of Yorkshire, England, 231 miles
north of London. Scarborough was a walled city in 1118, and was granted a charter by
the King. To this day those same walls protect the twelfth century castle. In 1187 the
castle's strength was greatly increased by Henry II, and in 1285 Henry III granted them
a Court of Appeals, and a merchant's guild. The Scotts came to Scarborough in 1318 and
burned the town, but the castle was not damaged appreciably, since it stood somewhat
apart from the town. It was shelled by the Germans in 1917 and again in World War II, but
it still stands."
SCARBOROUGH, ENGLAND
If you're planning a visit to the old mother country, check out this website
of Scarborough and the Yorkshire area:
Scarborough, England
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