Show ContentsStent History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Stent is an old Anglo-Saxon name. It comes from when a family lived in the parish of Staines in the counties of Middlesex and Surrey. The latter appears in the Domesday Book [1] as "Stanes" derived from the Old English word "stan" and meant "place at the stones". [2]

One of the first records of the name was Sir William Staine who married into the Yarboroughs of Heslington Hall about the year 1100.

Early Origins of the Stent family

The surname Stent was first found in Middlesex at Staines, a market-town and parish, and the head of a union, in the hundred of Spelthorne. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Staines-upon-Thames, commonly referred to simply as Staines, is a town on the River Thames in the borough of Spelthorne in Surrey (in the historic county of Middlesex.)

Early records also revealed Richard of Staines (or Richard de Stanes) (d. 1277), a English clerical judge who acted as an Itinerant Justice, then was appointed justice of the Court of King's Bench in 1209 and finally Lord Chief Justice in 1269.

Later Yorkshire was a place of note to the family. They may have given their name to a number of places in Yorkshire including several Staintons, Stainland, Stainforth or Stainburn.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include: Richard de Stanes in Kent [4] and later William de Staines, Kent, Henry III- Edward I (during the reign from Henry III-Edward I) [7]

Over in Norfolk, William de Stanes, was rector of Welborne, Norfolk in 1328. [8]

Early History of the Stent family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stent research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1613, 1640, 1665, 1725, 1776, 1789, 1792, 1795, 1796, 1798, 1799, 1802, 1803, 1804, 1805 and 1830 are included under the topic Early Stent History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stent Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Stent were recorded, including Stain, Staine, Staines, Stane, Stanes, Stayn and others.

Early Notables of the Stent family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Sir Thomas Staines of Thanet; and Peter Stent (c. 1613-1665), from the early 1640s until his death, he was one of the largest printsellers in London. He died in the Great Plague of London and his busi...


United States Stent migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Stent family emigrate to North America:

Stent Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Stent, who arrived in Maryland in 1636 [9]

Australia Stent migration to Australia +

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

Stent Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. George Stent, English convict who was convicted in Southampton, Hampshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Charles Kerr" on 6th June 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [10]
  • Eliza Stent, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Prince George" in 1838 [11]
  • Sarah Stent, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Duke Of Bronte" in 1849 [12]

New Zealand Stent 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:

Stent Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Charles Stent, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Martha Ridgway
  • Edmd Stent, who landed in Wanganui, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway"
  • Edmund Stent, aged 26, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgeway" in 1840
  • Ann Stent, aged 22, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgeway" in 1840
  • Mr. Edmund Stent, (b. 1814), aged 26, British agricultural labourer travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 [13]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Stent (post 1700) +

  • Angela Stent (b. 1947), American foreign policy expert, Professor of Government at Georgetown University
  • Gunther S. Stent (1924-2008), born Günter Siegmund Stensch, German-born, American Graduate Professor of Molecular Biology
  • Charles Thomas Stent (1807-1885), English dentist who developed the eponymous medical device named stent
  • Peter Stent (1613-1665), seventeenth century London printseller
  • Mark "Spike" Stent (b. 1965), British record producer, and audio engineer
  • Malcolm Stent (b. 1945), British actor, musical performer and playwright


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  6. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  7. Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
  8. Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
  9. 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)
  10. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 1st February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/charles-kerr
  11. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) PRINCE GEORGE 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838PrinceGeorge-London.htm
  12. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The DUKE OF BRONTE 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849DukeOfBronte.htm
  13. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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