The Scarborough surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 12,252 people carried this name — #2,925 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 24,100 people counted. That is up 3% from 11,941 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Scarborough surname

A habitational surname from Old Norse.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Scarborough» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Scarborough’.

An early record he cites: Henry de Scardeburgh, Lincolnshire, 1291–92 (20 Edward I) — Placita de Quo Warranto.

His entry covers Scarborough, Scarbrow and Scarboro.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 670 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Scarborough was found among the farmers of Lincolnshire: 11 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Lincolnshire 11

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

65 families named Scarborough, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 341 people lived in those households, 5.2 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 7 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

North Carolina 31
Maryland 10
Connecticut 6
Virginia 6
South Carolina 6
Pennsylvania 5
Massachusetts 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 260 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Scarborough in American newspapers,
1904–1912.

Newspaper page from The Caucasian carrying the name Scarborough
The Caucasian 1912-11-14
Newspaper page from The St. Louis Republic carrying the name Scarborough
The St. Louis Republic 1904-03-20
Newspaper page from The Bowbells Tribune carrying the name Scarborough
The Bowbells Tribune 1911-03-03

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 2,245 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Scarborough in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

7,633 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Scarborough. The most, 1,336, date from the 1930s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in South Australia, at 1.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 2,010
Queensland 1,663
South Australia 1,507
New South Wales 1,442
Tasmania 566
Western Australia 428
ACT (Canberra) 9
Northern Territory 3

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Scarborough.

Who carried it

People named Scarborough,
with a public archive behind them.

  • George Scarborough
    George Scarborough 1829–1878 · mayor
  • John Scarborough
    John Scarborough 1831–1914 · Anglican priest
  • Edmund Scarborough
    Edmund Scarborough 1840– · politician
  • William Sanders Scarborough
    William Sanders Scarborough 1852–1926 · university teacher
  • J. Gifford Scarborough d. 1969 · politician
  • Mary Scarborough d. 1638

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Scarborough,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States817 records

817 records of the Scarborough name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 501
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 181
  • Other U.S. records 135
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Jack Wade Scarborough

    Born 1948; from Morgantown, West Virginia. U.S. Army, nuclear; killed in action 1968 in Binh Duong, South Vietnam. Buried at Grafton National Cemetery, West Virginia.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Harold B. Scarborough

    Born 1922 in Georgia. Enlisted 1942 at Fort McPherson Atlanta; farm hand from Madison County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1989, buried at Salisbury National Cemetery, North Carolina.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jane Scarborough

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the Servia from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 40; matron. From England.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 817 records for Scarborough in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia233 records

233 records of the Scarborough name in Australia
  • Tasmanian Names Index 82
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 60
  • Other Australian records 91
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record William Scarborough

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Hyderabad, sailing from Downs in 1844. Native of Leytonstone, Essex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1855.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record George Scarborough

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1830. Married 1831 in Launceston, Tasmania.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Henry Scarborough

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Mary Harrison, aged 24; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 233 records for Scarborough in Australia.

Counts: Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

United Kingdom8 records

8 records of the Scarborough name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 6
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 2
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Robert Scarborough

    Died 1917. Named in the roll of honour (1926).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record F. Scarborough

    Lincolnshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Benjamin Scarborough

    Died 1917. Named in the roll of honour (1926).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)

Showing 3 of 8 records for Scarborough in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Canada6 records

6 records of the Scarborough name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 4
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 1
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Joseph Scarborough

    Died 1938 in Springhill, Cumberland, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Joseph William Scarborough

    Died in service in 1917.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Sadie Scarborough

    Married 1901 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 6 records for Scarborough in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Norway5 records

5 records of the Scarborough name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Emilie Scarborough

    Census of 1910: Store - Midtun, Fane; "fabrikeierfrue", born 1862 in Bergen.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Wellim Scarborough

    Census of 1910: Store - Midtun, Fane; born 1858 in England.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Emilie Scarborough

    Census of 1910: Store - Midtun, Fane; born 1905 in Bergen.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Showing 3 of 5 records for Scarborough in Norway.

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Scarborough name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record George Scarborough

    Buried in 1878 at Akaroa Anglican Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury, aged 49.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Charlotte Scarborough

    Buried in 1881 at Akaroa Anglican Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury, aged 54.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Scarborough name in the Netherlands Dutch population registers
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Wynne Lavinir Scarborough

    In the population register of 's-Gravenhage; born 1905 in Londen.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Scarborough.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Scarborough is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Scarborough volume
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