All about me
Hi my name is Ian Screen, and I live in Ashton-under-Lyne, near Manchester, England.
I am married with two teenage daughters.
According to the Historical Research Centre, as an English surname, Screen is of toponymic origin, belonging to that category of surnames derived from the place where the original bearer once lived or held land. In this instance the surname Screen is derived from the Old English word 'scrin' meaning 'shrine'. It can be traced from the fact that in Old English the letter "I" was pronounced as an "e" and its spelling became corrupted with the growth of documentation in the later medieval period. Thus the surname Screen signifies one who lived near a pagan or Christian shrine or religious site. With the continuous spread of Christianity in the early Medieval period it was common for people to reside near a religious site or monastery not only for economic purposes bit also in the belief that they would gain a spiritual reward in later life. However, with the introduction of an hereditary system it became more popular to adopt the names of the saints, in order to gain their protection in life and hopefully to assume some of their qualities. Therefore, surnames such as Screen would not have become popularised which is substantiated by the fact that there are very few early references to the name. One Samuel Screen is recorded in Somerset in 1764, who in July of that year sailed to America in order to seek his fortune and avoid oppression at home.
Gules three lions passant guardant in pale or.
[Gules (red) denotes military fortitude and Magnanimity]