Endeacott with an “a”?

Variations

By William "Bill" Endicott Date 19 January 2019

Does anyone know anything about the name Endeacott, with an “a” in the middle? We’re trying to determine whether it is indeed a variation of Endacott and Endicott.

As is known, there are many spellings of the name—Endacott (most common spelling in Britain today), Endecott, Entecott, Enticott, Endicott (most common in the U.S. today), and even Handycott among many others. But they all trace back to Devon, England.

Not so Endeacott. It is found only in Yorkshire, practically at the other end of the country from Devon, and it is found there as early as 1747.

There have been and are still today, Endacotts and Endicotts in Yorkshire coexisting with Endeacotts. In fact, during the 19th century it seems that Endacott, Endicott, and Endeacott all appeared in about equal numbers in Yorkshire. It’s only with the 20th century that Endeacott predominates.

So, could it be that an Endicott, with whatever spelling, moved from Devon to Yorkshire, maybe to find work during the Industrial Revolution that was centered in Yorkshire? And once in Yorkshire because of local pronunciation, changed the spelling to Endeacott?

Or does Endeacott have a totally different derivation and is not related to the Devon Endicotts at all?

So far, there is no proof either way and that proof is what we’re looking for.

I’ve been in touch with several Endeacotts in Yorkshire but none of them knows the derivation of their name and whether it’s connected to the Devon Endicotts.

 Here are some comments to this post:
    All you have to do to understand that the English don’t speak English or write English is to go to England.  When I was there you could identify differences in the language over a mere twenty to thirty miles.  I believe that is doubly true with the Endecott name which sounds different all over the country.  For that reason, when I research on a subject, I assume the linkage regardless of the spelling. The fact that Endeacott was not found in Yorkshire prior to 1747 leads me to believe that they are a branch of the Devon family. Bill’s idea of movement during the industrial revolution makes lots of sense to me as my research found no Endecott names outside of Southwest England before the 1700s.  —Teddy Sanford

   Various names have different spellings. Also, names may be spelled phonetically. —  Alvin Collins
   
  This an interesting question and article.  Being a simplistic person, I would think the various spellings came because most people weren’t literate and documents were prepared by scribes or clerks who spelled it as the name sounded.
As I said.  No doubt too simplistic. —Rebecca Wilson

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