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Stedman History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Stedman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

Early Origins of the Stedman family

The surname Stedman was first found in Gloucestershire where in pre 12th century records, the family is shown as branching to Dolgoer in Brecknockshire and into the county of Shropshire, they later branched to Strata Florida in Brecknock. John Stedeman was issued a Parliamentary Writ in 1306.

By the time of the Hundredorum Rolls in 1273, there were scattered listings of the family: Richard Stedeman, Cambridgeshire; and Gilbert de Stedman, Oxfordshire. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included Johannes Stedeman. 1

One source notes that there is much debate about the etymological origin of the name but generally, it is thought the name was Anglo-Saxon and derived from the words "stcade, a stead, station, or place," as in "a farm house and offices." "Steadman was therefore a farmer, or perhaps a farm-bailiff." 2

Early History of the Stedman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stedman research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1321, 1621, 1630, 1640, 1668, 1673, 1677, 1713 and 1739 are included under the topic Early Stedman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stedman Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Stedman are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Stedman include: Stedman, Steadman and others.

Early Notables of the Stedman family

Notables of the family at this time include

Fabian Stedman (1640-1713), English leading figure in campanology and bell-ringing, author of two books: Tintinnalogia (1668) and Campanalogia (1677) are the first two publications on the subject
Rowland Stedman (1630?-1673), was a English nonconformist divine, son of Henry and Mary Stedman, born about 1630 at Corfton, in the parish of Diddlebury in Shropshire. 3

Stedman Ranking

In the United States, the name Stedman is the 9,280^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Stedman migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Stedman or a variant listed above:

Stedman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mrs. Elizabeth Stedman, aged 26,who arrived in New England aboard the ship "Elizabeth" in 1635, bound for Boston 5
Isaac Stedman, aged 30, who arrived in New England in 1635 5
Isack Stedman, aged 1, who arrived in New England aboard the ship "Elizabeth" in 1635 5
Nathaniell Stedman, aged 5, who arrived in New England aboard the ship "Elizabeth" in 1635 5
Robert Stedman, who arrived in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1638 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Stedman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Alexander Stedman, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1746 5
Charles Stedman, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1746 5

Stedman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

F A P Stedman, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1849 5
D P Stedman, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 5

Stedman migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Stedman Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Nathaniel Stedman, who landed in Canada in 1816
William Stedman, who landed in Canada in 1816
John Stedman, who landed in Canada in 1832

Stedman migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Stedman Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

James Stedman, English convict from Surrey, who was transported aboard the "Ann" on August 1809, settling in New South Wales, Australia 6
Mr. Thomas Stedman, (b. 1782), aged 37, English servant who was convicted in Surrey, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 22nd September 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1828 7

Stedman migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Stedman Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Stedman, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Mandarin" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th November 1843 8
Mr. Stedman, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Roman Emperor" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 30th March 1863 9

Stedman Settlers in New Zealand in the 20th Century

Herbert Stedman, aged 18, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "S. S. Waimana" in 1926

Stedman migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 10

Stedman Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Susanna Stedman, who settled in Barbados in 1678

Contemporary Notables of the name Stedman (post 1700) +

Elizabeth Clementine Stedman (1810-1889), American writer
Edmund Clarence Stedman (1833-1908), American poet, critic, and essayist
Horace E. Stedman, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1908
George W. Stedman, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Albany County 4th District, 1898
George Stedman, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1932
Frank H. Stedman, American Republican politician, Chair of Livingston County Republican Party, 1939
Frank H. Stedman, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from North Carolina, 1916, 1924 (member, Committee on Rules and Order of Business), 1928 (alternate)
Charles Manly Stedman (1841-1930), American Democratic Party politician; Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, 1885-89; Candidate for Governor of North Carolina, 1888; U.S. Representative from North Carolina 5th District, 1911-30
Bayard J. Stedman, American politician, Delegate to New York convention to ratify 21st amendment, 1933
Amos C. Stedman, American politician, Mayor of Dixon, Illinois, 1859-60
... (Another 19 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Stedman Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Cuncta mea mecum
Motto Translation: My all is with me.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Ann voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1809 with 200 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/ann/1809
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies