This name is derived from Old French via the Middle English "skrymsher" or "skirmisour" meaning a fencer.  The family traces its lineage back to Aodh O'Neill, King of the North of Ireland in the 11th century.  The first recording of the name in Scottish records occurs in 1293 when "Alexander called Schyrmeshur" was granted a track of lands.  In 1298 two documents issued on behalf of the crown by Sir William Wallace, Guardian of the Kingdom, confirmed on the same Alexander Schyrmeschur the honourable, but highly dangerous, privilege of bearing the King's banner in war, along with the hereditary office of Constable of the Castle of Dundee, and certain lands in the Dundee area named Upper Dudhope.  Sir Alexander Scrymseor bore the Royal Standard under Sir William Wallace at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298 when the Scots were defeated by the English armies of Edward I.  He was also one of the first Scottish landowners to declare in favour of Robert the Bruce and carried the Royal Standard at Bannockburn in 1314 where the Scots were victorious.  Sir Alexander's son, Sir Nicholas, was granted by Royal Charter, the office of hereditary Standard Bearer.  In 1370 he married Agnes of Glassary, heiress to the Glassary lands, bringing the lands into Scrymgeour ownership.  It is also through this marriage that the Scrymgeours can trace their ancestry back to the Irish Kings, through Agnes's ancestors Gillascop MacGilchrist of Glassary and the dynastic family of Cowall and Knapdale, descendants of Aodh O'Neill.  After Bannockburn the Scrymgeours built Dudhope Castle as a replacement for Dundee Castle. John Scrymgeour, the 11th Constable of Dundee, was created Viscount Dudhope by James VI in 1641; his grandson, also John, received the title of Earl of Dundee in 1660.  On his death without heirs in 1668 he was succeeded by his kinsman, John Scrymgeour of Kirkton, who was to be deprived of his lands and title by the 1st Duke of Lauderdale.  In 1683 James Graham of Claverhouse acquired Dudhope Castle.  However, in 1953 Henry, 11th Earl of Dundee established his claim to the reinstatement of the title before the House of Lords.

The Scrymgeours have long been an important family around Dundee and in the Kingdom of Fife, and in the late fourteenth century they inherited a vast territory in Glassary in Argyle from the MacGilchrist lords of Glassary.  The Scrymgeours descend from Alexander Schyrmeschur, son of Colyn, son of Carin of Cupar, who obtained in 1293 a tack or lease of the land of Torr, or Torer, in the parish of Cupar, Fife from Thomas de Kylmaron (also in Cupar).  He held the office of Royal Bannerman, and in 1298 was made Constable of the Royal castle of Dundee by charter from the great Lowland war leader and Guardian of Scotland, Sir William Wallace.  He was later executed by the English for carrying the Royal Banner for Bruce at the Battle of Methven.  His ancestors appear in Coupar at least as early as the first half of the thirteenth century, and held the hereditary office of standard-bearer, or bannerman, of Scotland since the days of Alexander III (1249—1286).

In earlier times the leadership of the van of battle, which the Bannerman represented, was held by the King’s royal Cineal Conaill cousins, the earls of Fife, chiefs of Clan MacDuff (as descendants of the last abbot of Dunkeld, also first earl of Fife).  Taking into account the fact that the Scrymgeours arose in Cupar, the original demesne of the House of Fife, and also that they long held land in the barony of Dunkeld, it seems likely that the Scrymgeours inherited the sacred office of bannerman as a younger branch of the House of Fife.  This would be consistent with the common practice of delegating hereditary duties to younger branches of the parent clan.  This is supported by the arms of the family, which has the Royal "Lyon" of the House of Fife with the colors reversed (a common early method of marking cadetship or "cadency" in heraldry) and with the addition of a bent or "used" sword, as per the name.  The name Scrymgeour is from the Old French "eskermisor"—"sword fighter" —a descriptive name which indicates that the original bearer was a skirmisher, that is, one who fights in the preliminary encounters of two opposing forces.

The task of the Bannerman was to carry the vexillum regi urn — the Royal lion-banner of Scotland — in the van of battle.  This was an ancient function, for before heraldry came into general use in the latter part of the twelfth century, the armies of the kings of Albany had been led into battle by an abbot carrying a sacred reliquary, or vexillum.

Our Scrimmager Scottish ancestors lived very near the border of Scotland and England.  The story has it that on one special occasion the King of England was visiting the area where our relatives lived and spotted a young man fighting with another on the grounds.  The King called him over and asked his name.  Our relative said Alexander was his name.  When the King asked for his full name, he said he was known only as Alexander.  The King was so impressed with the young man he said he would name him Alexander Scrimgeour, which means 'fighter'.  Then the King asked him to join him and be the Flag Bearer (for Orange Day 8th(?) July) and from that time on apparently only the Scrimgeours were to have that position.  This was definitely so when they immigrated to Ireland.  It's believed to this day to still be our family.

There are two origins for the surname Scrimgeour: the French scrymgeour, meaning 'skirmisher', and the old English skrymsher, meaning 'swordsman'.  Both interpretations fit in with our ancestor being given the name Scrimgeour meaning 'fighter'.

Just thirteen miles away by sea, County Antrim occupies the northeast corner of Ireland and is the island's nearest point to Scotland.  It would've been a simple matter, even in ancient times, to travel by sea between the two countries.  In ancient times the area was known as Endruim or Andruim meaning 'habitation upon the waters'.  The southern and southwestern portions were called Ulidia, while the northern part was Dalrieda or Dalrada.  The occupants, in the years before surnames were adopted, were known as the Ulidians and Dalradians, though Ptolemy refers to them as Darnii or Darini.  In later times, Ulidia was controlled by the O'Neill of Clanaboy clan, and Dalrada by the McDonnell clan.  Some of the smaller clans or septs in the area included McQuillan, O'Quinn, O'Hara, McCleary, McNeill, McKeown, O'Hood, McAlister, O'Lynn, O'Linchy and O'Lavery.

The twenty-five most common names in Antrim are: Thompson, Wilson, Stewart, Johnston, Campbell, Moore, Boyd, O'Neill, Smith, Bell, McMullen, Robinson, Kennedy, Graham, Kelly, Hamilton, Hunter, Martin, McNeill, Montgomery, Browne, McAuley, Craig, Anderson and Reid.

It's believed the Scriminger family home is now a tourist attraction in Ireland.  Apparently there is a 'village' where tourists can visit and this house is one you can view to see how they lived in those days.  It has a plaque out the front with the history of the Scrimingers.