Scamp

Scamp
The famous Victorian etymologist Canon Charles Bardsley writing in the year 1880 suggested that this quite rare English surname, actually meant what it said. If so it is pre-medieval in origin, was possibly introduced into England at the time of the Norman Conquest of 1066, and a derivation of the French word "descampen." This meant literally a person who had no fixed abode, however in the British Isles it was generally accepted as being a nickname for a male, probably a young man, who was "a bit of a lad"! Nicknames form one of the largest of the surname groupings, and it is generally estimated that 15% of all surnames, were originally nicknames. These were given for many reasons, and are unique in often being the opposite of what would seem to be suggested. As a good example Little John or John Little, was the largest of the outlaws in the famous group lead by the legendary Robin Hood. This surname recorded as Scamp, Scampe, Skam, Skamp, Skaimes, Scemp, and possibly others, is well recorded in the surviving early registers of the city of London from at least Elizabethan times. The earliest of these recordings is probably that of the exotically named Taulbutt Scamp, at St Andrews Holborn, on March 27th 1586.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • Scamp — may refer to: * Scamp (Lady and the Tramp), a Disney cartoon puppy * Scamp, a type of lesser Daedra in The Elder Scrolls , appearing in several games of the series * SS 14 Scamp, the NATO reporting name for the RT 15 theatre ballistic missile of… …   Wikipedia

  • Scamp — Scamp, v. t. [Cf. {Scamp},n., or {Scant}, a., and {Skimp}.] To perform in a hasty, neglectful, or imperfect manner; to do superficially. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster] A workman is said to scamp his work when he does it in a superficial, dishonest… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Scamp — est à la fois le nom d un chiot, personnage de Disney, issu du film La Belle et le Clochard (1955) et une bande dessinée narrant son histoire. Le personnage Scamp Personnage Disney Espèce chien Sexe masculin 1re apparition dans …   Wikipédia en Français

  • scamp — scamp·ish; scamp; scamp·ish·ness; …   English syllables

  • Scamp — (sk[a^]mp), n. [OF. escamper to run away, to make one s escape. Originally, one who runs away, a fugitive, a vagabond. See {Scamper}.] A rascal; a swindler; a rogue. De Quincey. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • scamp — [skæmp] n old fashioned [Date: 1700 1800; Origin: scamp to wander around (18 19 centuries), perhaps from scamper] a child who has fun by tricking people …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • scamp — ► NOUN informal ▪ a mischievous person, especially a child. DERIVATIVES scampish adjective. ORIGIN originally denoting a highwayman: from obsolete scamp «rob on the highway», probably from Dutch schampen slip away …   English terms dictionary

  • scamp — scamp1 [skamp] n. [< obs. scamp, to roam; akin to SCAMPER] a mischievous fellow; rascal scampish adj. scamp2 [skamp] vt. [akin to or < ON skammr, short < IE base * (s)k̑em , stunted > OE hamola, man with cropped hair] to make, do, or… …   English World dictionary

  • scamp — index degenerate, derelict, malefactor Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • scamp — [ skæmp ] noun count INFORMAL OLD FASHIONED someone, especially a child, who behaves badly but is difficult to dislike …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • scamp — *villain, scoundrel, blackguard, knave, rascal, rogue, rapscallion, miscreant Analogous words: malefactor, culprit, delinquent, *criminal …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

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