Due to the phonetic spelling adopted by all scribes before general education in the 1870s, many variations of the surname have been found, a full list of which can be found below.

In the majority of cases, spellings with an "x" are usually pre 16th Century.These are variations like FOXCOT, FOXCOTT, FOXCOTE.The only exception to this is a 1610 Rentals list for Great Horwood, Buckinghamshire, when a Richard Foxcote, living in the 15th Century, was cited as a previous tenant of a parcel of land held by Foscotts.

The variations like FOSCOTT, FOSCOT, FOSCOTE are found from the 15th Century in Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire.Although the latest known version of this variation is in the early 19th Century, it is predominantly used during the 16th and 17th Century.

Variations including an "r" like FORSCUTT, FORSKETT, FORESCOT, are due to local dialect and are found in the 18th and 19th century.The only known modern day survivals of these versions is FORSCUTT and FORSKITT and it tends to relate to two distinct group of families who originated in Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire.

The variant FOSGATE or FORSGATE appears to derive from a small area of eastern Essex near Colchester and FOSGATE and FOSGET are common variations in the USA

The modern-day spelling of FOSKETT is found from the 16th century onwards in all counties where the family existed from mediaeval times.

The name FASKETT has been found on a number of occasions throughout the 17th to 19th Century, normally as a temporary variation of the name FOSKETT.However the name survived as a distinct version until at least the mid 19th Century in Northamptonshire.

Of the other spelling variations, many are obvious with either the undoubling of the "T" or the addition of an "E" at the end of the name. e.g. FOSKET, FOSKETTE.Occasionally the second vowel has been changed as in the case of FOSKITT, which has been found right into the 20th Century in Bedfordshire.The latter name is also quite common in the USA

Some of the more obscure spellings may not be seen as a possible variation without further evidence.However, in many cases, the distinct christian names of parents in baptismal entries, can usually confirm that the variation is acceptable as in the case of FOSCOUGH in Lincolnshire and FOSQUE or FOSKEW in Hertfordshire.The latter has developed into a modern-day version of the name.

List of name variations

To be added