Weddeburn - Scrimgeour

Double barrelled names, are the Victorian surname equivalent of the original Anglo - Saxon and Olde English compound names, which is to say that individually the elements have a meaning, but not when conjoined. In this case Wedderburn is a locational name which derives from the lands of Wedderburn in Berwick. The name translates as the stream (Burna) of the sheep (Weder) from Olde English pre 7th Century. The first nameholder was Wautier de Wedur of 1296 whose seal is recorded as being Seven Rays of Surnshine! Scrimgeour is job descriptive for a 'Fencing Master' and derives from the Olde French 'escremisseor', it is also a name mainly associated with Scotland. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Alexander le Skrymyrshour (knight), which was dated 1306, hanged at Newcastle upon Tyne whilst a prisoner of war! during the reign of King Edward I, 'The Hammer of the Scots' 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.