Show ContentsStone History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Stone Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Stone

What does the name Stone mean?

The Stone history begins in Cornwall, a rugged coastal region in southwestern England. Quite distinct from Devon, the adjoining county, Cornwall had its own spoken language until the late 18th century. The Stone history began here. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames were derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used local surnames. The Stone family originally lived in Cornwall. Their name, however, is derived from the Old English word stan, meaning stone, and indicates that the original bearer lived near a prominent stone. 1 2

Early Origins of the Stone family

The surname Stone was first found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 which include the following early entries for the family: Warin de la Stane, Devon; Reginald ad Stone, Bedfordshire; and John de la Stone, Sussex, while the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Johannes del Stone; Robertus del Stones; and Elena de Stons. 3

Other early rolls point to the diverse spellings and the many places the family held: Robert Ston was found in the Curia Regis Rolls for Oxfordshire in 1212; Roger del ston found at Ely, Suffolk in 1277; Robert atte Stone in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296; Elias atte Stonis in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327; John in le Stones in the Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire in 1332; William del stones in 1348; and Richard de Stone in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1275. 4

"Excepting its establishment in Derbyshire, this name is mostly restricted to the south of England and is especially at home in Berks and Bucks, and in the south - western counties of Somerset, Dorset, and Devon. It has probably in most cases a local origin, as in Somerset, Bucks, Kent, etc., where there are parishes and villages thus called." 5

Some of the family ventured into Scotland where the name was "probably of English origin. Thomas de Stone of Roxburghshire rendered homage [to King Edward I of England] in 1296. Thomas de Stone was common councillor of Aberdeen, 1435." 6

Early History of the Stone family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stone research. Another 112 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1417, 1586, 1602, 1603, 1630, 1633, 1639, 1642, 1647, 1648, 1651, 1661, 1663, 1743 and 1787 are included under the topic Early Stone History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stone Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Stone, Stoan and others.

Early Notables of the Stone family

  • Gilbert Stone (d. 1417?), English medieval letter-writer, born at Stone in Staffordshire, whence he took his name
  • Nicholas Stone (1586-1647), was an English mason, statuary, and architect, born at Woodbury, near Exeter, in 1586, the son of a quarryman
  • Benjamin Stone (fl. 1630-1642), was an English sword-maker and enterprising cutler of London who about 1630 established on Hounslow Heath, on the site now occupied by Bedfont powder-mills, the earlies...
  • Samuel Stone (1602-1663), was an English Puritan Minister, born in Hertford; he emigrated to Boston aboard the ship named Griffin in 1633. William Stone (1603?-1661?), was an English colonist, born in...
  • Thomas Stone (1743-1787) of Maryland, was one of the signers of the American Declaration of Independence

Stone World Ranking

the United States, the name Stone is the 158th most popular surname with an estimated 146,733 people with that name. 7 However, in Canada, the name Stone is ranked the 427th most popular surname with an estimated 10,982 people with that name. 8 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Stone is the 134th popular surname with an estimated 278 people with that name. 9 Australia ranks Stone as 172nd with 18,088 people. 10 New Zealand ranks Stone as 236th with 2,508 people. 11 The United Kingdom ranks Stone as 175th with 31,295 people. 12

Migration of the Stone family to Ireland

Some of the Stone family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stone migration to the United States +

Discovered in the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Stone:

Stone Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Stone (c. 1603 – c. 1660), English settler to Maryland from Northamptonshire in 1619 aboard the ship "Margaret of Stone", 3rd Proprietary Governor of Maryland from 1649 to 1655
  • Mrs. Sisly Stone, who arrived in Virginia in 1619 aboard the ship "Seaflower" 14
  • Mr. Maximillian Stone, aged 36, who arrived in Virginia in 1620 aboard the ship "Temperance" 14
  • John Stone, a young boy who landed in Virginia in 1621 aboard the ship "George" 14
  • Rev. Samuel Stone, (1602-1663), who arrived in Boston aboard the ship "Griffin" in 1633, co-founder of Hatford 14
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Stone Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Ann Stone, who settled in Maryland in 1743
Stone Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Stone, (b. 1808), aged 24, Cornish mason departing from Plymouth aboard the ship “Andromeda” arriving in the United States on 10th May 1832 15
  • Mrs. A. Stone, (b. 1861), aged 26, Cornish settler departing from Liverpool aboard the ship "Aurania" arriving in Kentucky, USA on 1 February 1887 15

Stone migration to Canada +

Stone Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Josiah Stone U.E. who settled in Belle Vue, Beaver Harbour, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 16
  • Mrs. Charity Stone U.E. who settled in Belle Vue, Beaver Harbour, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 16
  • Mr. Ebenezer Stone U.E. (b. 1747) who settled in Queens County, New Brunswick c. 1784 he died in 1836 16
  • Mr. John Stone U.E. who settled in Carleton [Saint John City], New Brunswick c. 1784 16
  • Mr. John Stone U.E. who settled in Home District [York County], Ontario c. 1786 he served in the Kings American Dragoons, who arrived with a wife and 3 children 16
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Stone Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Stone, aged 23 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Sir Henry Pottinger" departing 29th May 1847 from Cork, Ireland; the ship arrived on 7th August 1847 but he died on board 17
  • Mr. James Stone, aged 30 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Sir Henry Pottinger" departing 29th May 1847 from Cork, Ireland; the ship arrived on 7th August 1847 but he died on board 17

Stone migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the First Fleet and Third Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

First Fleet
  • Mr. George Stone, (b. 1740), aged 49, British settler convicted at Middlesex, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 13
  • Mr. James Stone, British settler convicted at Kent, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Neptune, Scarborough or Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 14
  • Mr. William Stone, (d. 1790), British settler convicted at London, England in 1787, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Neptune, Scarborough or Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 14
Third Fleet
  • Mr. Martin Stone, (b. 1763), aged 24, English convicted in Warwick, Warkwickshire on 21st March 1785, sentenced for 7 years for stealing clothing, transported aboard the ship "Alexander" leaving in 1787, died before they set sail 14
  • Mr. Charles Stone, (b. 1767), aged 20, English settler convicted in London on 8th December 1784, sentenced for 7 years for stealing clothing, transported aboard the ship "Alexander" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788, died in 1789 14
Following the First and Third Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Stone Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Stone 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:

Stone Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr Stone, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Earl Stanhope
  • E J Stone, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
  • Mr. Stone, Australian settler travelling from Port Phillip Bay, Victoria aboard the ship "Earl Stanhope" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 23
  • Mrs. Stone, Australian settler travelling from Port Phillip Bay, Victoria aboard the ship "Earl Stanhope" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 23
  • R Stone, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1842
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Stone 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. 24
Stone Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Mr. Richard Stone, (b. 1622), aged 13, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 25
  • Francis Stone, who settled in Barbados in 1670

Contemporary Notables of the name Stone (post 1700) +

  • Sly Stone (1943-2025), born Sylvester Stewart, an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his Sly and the Family Stone, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993
  • Angela Laverne Stone (1961-2025), American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer, member of the R&B trio Vertical Hold (1990s), signed with Arista Records to release her debut solo album Black Diamond (1999), which received a gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America and spawned the single "No More Rain (In This Cloud)"
  • Rob Stone (1968-2024), American music, media and branding executive, founder of the marketing agency Cornerstone and co-founder of music and style publication The Fader
  • Danton Stone, American stage, film and television actor
  • Michael H. Stone (1933-2023), American psychiatrist and Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City
  • Norman R. Stone Jr. (1935-2023), American politician, the longest-serving Senator in the Maryland State Senate (1983-2015)
  • Alan Abraham Stone (1929-2022), American psychiatrist, Touroff-Glueck Professor of Law and Psychiatry (Emeritus) at the Harvard Law School, President of the American Psychiatric Association
  • Gerald Louis Stone AM (1933-2020), American-born, Australian television and radio journalist, television executive, and author
  • Wilmer F. Stone, American politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from New York County 9th District, 1921; Candidate for New York State Senate 15th District, 1922 26
  • ... (Another 280 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Arrow Air Flight 1285
  • Mr. Earl C Stone (1952-1985), American Warrant Officer Class II from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, USA who died in the Arrow Air Flight 1285 crash 27
  • Mrs. Emma Stone (1877-1914), née Impey Canadian Third Class Passenger from Quebec City, Quebec, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 28
  • J Stone (d. 1979), American passenger from USA, who flew aboard American Airlines Flight 191 and died in the crash 29
  • J Stone (d. 1979), American passenger from Los Angeles, California, USA, who flew aboard American Airlines Flight 191 and died in the crash 30
  • Mr. Arthur W Stone (b. 1917), English Petty Officer serving for the Royal Navy from Stretford, Lancashire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 30
  • ... (Another 13 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Stone 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: Vive ut vivas
Motto Translation: Live that you may live for ever

Suggested Readings for the name Stone +

  • The Andrew Hicks and Charles Stone Families by Lucile Kaufman Novak.
  • Descendants of Henry Stone and Tabitha Tuttle by Eva Laughlin LeBalanc.
  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  6. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  7. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  8. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  9. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  10. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  11. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  12. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  13. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  14. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  15. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf
  16. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  17. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 96)
  18. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
  19. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/broxbournebury
  20. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
  21. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/batavia
  22. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  23. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  24. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  25. Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 28th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  26. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  27. American War Memorials - Flight 1285. (Retrieved 2016, August 24) . Retrieved from http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=317&MemID=550
  28. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  29. Flight 191's Victims - latimes. (Retrieved 2014, April 16) . Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/1985-08-04/news/mn-4349_1_fort-lauderdale-area
  30. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm

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