Contents [hide]

Sturgis History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Sturgis History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Sturgis name is said to be derived from an old Anglo Saxon name "Styrgar" which appeared in Mercia in ancient times. "Styrgar" denoted a battle spear.

Early Origins of the Sturgis family

The surname Sturgis was first found in Northhamptonshire where they held a family seat. This Anglo Saxon family name appears to have been undisturbed by the Norman invasion of 1066 A.D., retaining their estates in Northamptonshire. Clipston. Their seat, was not granted to one of the Norman nobles after the victory at Hastings, and remained the 'King's Land' according to the Domesday Book, 1 a survey taken by Duke William of Normandy in 1086 A.D.

Early History of the Sturgis family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sturgis research. Another 66 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1634 is included under the topic Early Sturgis History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sturgis Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Sturgis, Sturges, Sturgiss, Sturgess, Sturge, Sturch, Sturk and many more.

Early Notables of the Sturgis family

Distinguished members of the family include

Sturgis of Clipston, Northamptonshire

Sturgis Ranking

In the United States, the name Sturgis is the 4,542^nd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 2

Sturgis migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sturgis Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Edward Sturgis, who arrived in Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1634 3
Edith Sturgis, who settled in Virginia in 1670
Abram Sturgis, who landed in North America in 1673
Anthony Sturgis, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1683 3

Sturgis Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

David Sturgis, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1716

Sturgis Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

George Sturgis, who settled in New York State in 1823
Wilhelm Sturgis, who landed in Iowa in 1845 3
Dr. F.D. Sturgis, aged 7, who settled in America, in 1894
Carsner S. Sturgis, aged 30, who settled in America, in 1895
Arthur H. Sturgis, aged 36, who settled in America, in 1896

Sturgis Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

D. L. Sturgis, who immigrated to the United States, in 1904
Edw. B. Sturgis, aged 33, who immigrated to the United States, in 1906
Edna Sturgis, who landed in America, in 1907
Charles Sturgis, aged 65, who landed in America, in 1907
Dolly Sturgis, aged 25, who landed in America, in 1908
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sturgis 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. 4

Sturgis Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

William Sturgis, aged 18, who settled in Barbados in 1635 aboard the ship "Falcon" 3
John Sturgis, who settled in Jamaica in 1684

Contemporary Notables of the name Sturgis (post 1700) +

Richard Clipston Sturgis (1860-1951), American architect based in Boston, Massachusetts
Lieutenant General ant Samuel Sturgis Jr. (1897-1964), American soldier, recipient of two Distinguished Service Medal and many other honors
Nathan Sturgis (b. 1987), American soccer player
John Hubbard Sturgis (1834-1888), American architect
Russell Sturgis (1836-1909), American architect and writer
Samuel Davis Sturgis (1822-1889), American military officer, Union general in the American Civil War
Edward Sturgis Ingraham (1852-1926), American first superintendent of the Seattle Public Schools, a noted mountaineer who climbed to the summit of Mount Rainier 13 times
Warren Sturgis McCulloch (1899-1969), American neurophysiologist and cybernetician
Captain Alastair Sturgis Aird (b. 1931), British royal courtier, Comptroller to the Queen Mother (1974-2002)

The Sturgis 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: Esse quam videri
Motto Translation: To be, rather than to seem.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
"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)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies