Wescott
A Somerset and southwest English surname meaning “west cottage” or “west farmstead,” from a place name such as Westcott/Westcote.
The #6,516 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 59,317 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Wescott is a shortened or dialectal spelling of Westcott, a habitational surname from a place name built from Old English west and cot, cote, meaning “west cottage,” “west hut,” or more broadly “the western homestead.” The core sense is a dwelling or settlement lying to the west of some reference point. Historical sources also connect it with Westcote/Westcott place names, especially in southwest England.
History
The name appears in medieval records in forms such as de Wescote, and later writers note Wescott as a Somerset form of the surname. It is most closely tied to the many Westcott and Westcote place-names in southern England. In modern usage, Wescott is less common than Westcott, but it has persisted in England and North America.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One 19th-century surname scholar explicitly called Wescott the Somerset form of Westcott, showing how strongly local pronunciation could shape spelling.
From the historical record
“WESCOTT for Westcott, q.v. Richard de Wescote. — Soms. Subsidy-Roll, A.D. 1327. WESLAKE for Westlake, q.v. WESLEY I for Westley, q.v. 2 for Wellesley, q.v. Arthur Wellesley, first Duke of Welling- ton, signed himself 'Wesley' in the early part of his career. He is said to have”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)