Surname Huscroft - Meaning and Origin
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Huscroft: What does the surname Huscroft mean?
The surname Huscroft is of Anglo-Saxon origins, deriving from the Old English word ‘huscrofte’, meaning “a cottage, house, and farm, either occupied or enclosed”. The Huscroft name is therefore believed to have originated as a result of an individual who was either a tenant or the owner of a cottage and a small estate.
In the Middle Ages, Huscroft may have referred to someone who lived and worked on a large farm, either as a worker or a steward. The term may also have been adopted by a family of farmers with a small plot of land. In other cases, it may refer to a worker on an estate owned by a lord who had a number of cottages, or to someone who was a forester and cared for the woods and animals near the farm.
The Huscroft name can be found predominantly in areas in England, Ireland and Scotland. In Scotland, Huscroft is an extremely rare name, while the surname is more commonly found in northern and western England.
Often appearing as a topographical surname, Huscroft could also have been used to describe an individual from a particular rural community, or one who lived close to a castle or church. Huscroft may also be a diminutive of the first name Hugh, which is derived from the German “hug” meaning “heart, mind and spirit.”
Today, Huscroft is a relatively rare surname, and although it may trace back to various origins, it is generally a reference to a home or a small estate.
Order DNA origin analysisHuscroft: Where does the name Huscroft come from?
The last name Huscroft is most commonly found in England, particularly on the western side. It is also present in smaller numbers in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.
In the United Kingdom, the Huscroft name is recorded in large numbers in Lancashire and Wales; much smaller concentrations can be found in Cumbria, Durham, and Yorkshire.
The United States shows a very small concentration of Huscroft names throughout the Middle-Atlantic states, with a significant number found in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The state with the highest concentration of Huscroft names is Missouri, followed by Arizona and California.
It is also found in small numbers in Canada primarily along the western side, mostly in British Colombia and Alberta; however, there are a smaller number of individuals bearing this name in the eastern provinces. It is most common in Toronto, ON, followed by Vancouver, BC.
Internationally, the Huscroft name can be found in large numbers in Australia primarily in the state of Victoria. Additionally, smaller numbers of individuals bearing this surname can be found in India, South Africa, Germany, and New Zealand.
Variations of the surname Huscroft
The surname Huscroft is a habitational name which is derived from several settlements throughout England. The spelling variants of this surname include Huscrofte, Hoscrofte, Huscroft, Hescroft, and Huscraft.
The Huscroft family was originally founded in Cheshire, where various Huscroft families were recorded in the Cheshire Subsidy Rolls in 1332, and there were also numerous Huscroft families in the freeman list for Oldham, Lancashire in 1635.
In the 1800s, many Huscroft families migrated to other areas of England, such as Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire. By the 1891 census, there were a total of 986 Huscroft families spread across England.
In some instances the Huscroft surname is also found as a variant spelling of other similar sounding surnames such as Hoscroft, Hascroft, and Hascraft.
The popularity of the surname Huscroft was largely concentrated in the north-west of England, and there were also some appearances of the name in Scotland. The Huscroft surname continues to be used today and is still most prevalent in the Lancashire area and in the northwest of England.
Famous people with the name Huscroft
- Merv Huscroft: Canadian professional basketball coach and former player in the Canadian National Basketball League.
- Steven Huscroft: Canadian historian, Professor of History and author of books such as The Arctic Island Environment and The Making of Modern Canada.
- Robert Huscroft: Canadian politician and former member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.
- John Huscroft: British actor and film director.
- Richard Huscroft: British historian and author of books such as The Norman Conquest: A New Introduction and England in the Middle Ages.
- Graeme Huscroft: Australian professional squash player.
- James Huscroft: American art professor and curator of the El Paso Museum of Art.
- Gary Huscroft: Canadian politician and former member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.
- Mark Huscroft: Canadian singer-songwriter and producer.
- Ann Huscroft: British historian and author of books such as Women in English Society, 1500-1800 and Marriage and Society: Studies in the Social History of Marriage.