Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Scarhou 1086 DB 1271 Cl 1323 Inqaqd

• Scarho 1178,1179 P

• Scarfhou 1177 P 1196 ChancR

• Scarfho 1191,1192,1193,1194etpassimto1214 P

• Scarfou 1195 ib

• Scartho 1190,1206 P 1208,1211 ChancR 1212 P 1218 Ass 1231 Welles 1240 FF 1254 ValNor 1256 BC 1278 Misc 1535 VEiv 1554,1558 InstBen 1576 LER 1576 Saxton 1610 Speed 1634 VisitN 1652 Rad

• Scarthoo 1499 Pat 1526 Sub 1552 Pat

• Scarthoe 1699,1720,1738 Td'E 1726 Yarb 1751 NW

• Skartho 1240 FF 1601 Terrier

• Scarthou 1219 FF 1271 Cl 1275 RH 1289 RSu 1294,1308 Pat 1322 Misc 1325,1327 Pat 1328 Banco 1331 DuLaCh 1352 MM

• Scarthoue 1424 Pap

• Scarthou 1286 Ass

• Scarthow 1256 FF 1323 Misc 1325 Cl 1331 Ch 1331 Pat 1335 Ipm 1388 Peace 1428 FA 1695 NW

• Scarthowe 1292 Tax 1323 Cl 1331 Pat 1375 Peace 1377,1383 Pat 1383 Peace 1389 Cl 1406 Pat 1584 MiscDon

• Skarthou 1316 FA 1377 Pat

• Skarthou 1322 Cl 1322 Ch

• Skarthowe 1380 Gaunt 1384,1388,1391,1402 Pat 1405 Cl 1539–40 Dugdiv 1587 MiscDep

• Skarthoe 1545 Td'E

• Scardho 1209 P 1210 1210–12 RBE 1212 Fees 1219 Ass

• Scardhowe 1327 SR

• Schartho 1231 Pat 1256 Ch 1318

• Scharthou 1276 RH

• Scharthowe 1431 FA 1626,1628 Td'E

• Scharthow 1548 ib

• Scratho 1268 Cl

• Scrathou 1328 Banco

Etymology

The second el. of Scartho is clearly ON  haugr 'a hill, a mound'. The first, however, has been the subject of considerable discussion. Ekwall, DEPN s.n., suggests that it may be the ON  pers.n. Skarði or ON  skarð 'a gap, a notch'. Fellows-Jensen, SSNEM 160, notes Ekwall's suggestions and rejects skarð on the grounds that it is not topographically appropriate. On the other hand, since the area is now built up it is well-nigh impossible to determine the exact topography of the place. It may be pointed out that here there are patches of Glacial Sand and Gravel and of Alluvium lying on top of the Till. Fellows-Jensen on the evidence of forms in Scarf - suggests that the first el. is perhaps ON  skarfr 'a cormorant', drawing attention to the common interchange of -f - and -th - in p.ns. The problem of these spellings is that they all occur in one official source, Pipe Rolls, at times notoriously erratic. It is strange, to say the least, that they are unsupported by spellings from elsewhere and it should be noted that, even in P, spellings in -th - and -d - are also found. The question must, therefore, be posed as to whether these forms in -f - are trustworthy, and the evidence clearly speaks against their having any significance for the etymology of the name. On balance, as Dr Insley points out, skarð provides an acceptable first el. for Scartho, but 20th century development makes certainty impossible.