Show ContentsStark History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Stark is a Westphalian-German nickname. Such surnames were very common in Westphalia. They were adapted from traditional eke-names, or added names, that described physical characteristics of their bearers. Stark is a hereditary surname for a person who was noted for being strong and powerful. The name Stark was originally derived from the German word "starc," which means "strong."

Early Origins of the Stark family

The surname Stark was first found in Westphalia, where the name was associated with the noble family whose seat was in the area around Bochum. They gained a significant reputation for contributions to the emerging mediaeval society. It later became more prominent as many branches of the same house acquired distant estates and branches, some in foreign countries, always elevating their social status by their great contributions to society.

Early History of the Stark family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stark research. Another 161 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1742, 1811 and 1874 are included under the topic Early Stark History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stark Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Stark include Starck, Starcke, Stark, Starke (Lausitz), Staerk, Staerkel, Staerkle and many more.

Early Notables of the Stark family

Notables of the period with the name Stark were

  • Johannes Stark (b.1874), who was a prominent atomic physicist from Bavaria

Stark Ranking

In the United States, the name Stark is the 858th most popular surname with an estimated 34,818 people with that name. 1 However, in New Zealand, the name Stark is ranked the 999th most popular surname with an estimated 757 people with that name. 2


United States Stark migration to the United States +

Many Germans emigrated across the Atlantic to seek better lives in North America. This great migration began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century. Resettlement was particularly attractive to those from Westphalia as a means of escape from poverty and religious persecution. For many Westphalian farmers, the chance to own one's own land was also a major incentive. The process of the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlements centered around Ontario and the Prairie provinces. Among them:

Stark Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Stark, who arrived in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1641 3
  • Matts Stark, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1693 3
  • Israel Stark, who landed in Delaware in 1693 3
Stark Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Kath Stark, who arrived in Virginia in 1705 3
  • Mary Stark, who arrived in Virginia in 1715 3
  • Archibald Stark, who landed in New England in 1720 3
  • Jacob Stark, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1750 3
  • George Stark, who sailed to Philadelphia in 1753
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Stark Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Robert Stark, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1803 3
  • Michael Stark, aged 19, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1805 3
  • Jacob Friederick Stark, aged 15, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1805 3
  • Jung Michael Stark, aged 52, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1805 3
  • Margretha Stark, aged 12, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1805 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Stark Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • August William Stark, who landed in Wisconsin in 1917 3
  • Ernst Max Stark, who arrived in Chile in 1920 3

Canada Stark migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Stark Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • John Stark, who sailed to Quebec in 1825

Australia Stark migration to Australia +

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

Stark Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Richard Stark, a baker, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
  • Alexander Stark, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lady Bute" in 1839 4
  • Jane Grace Stark, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Hooghly" in 1848 5
  • E. Stark, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Caroline" in 1849 6
  • James Stark, aged 17, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Marion" 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Stark 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:

Stark Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Stark (Starkes, Slarke), (b. 1814), aged 27, British agricultural labourer travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Lord William Bentinck" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 24th May 1841 8
  • Mrs. Lucy Stark Starkes, Slarke), (b. 1817), aged 24, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Lord William Bentinck" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 24th May 1841 8
  • Mr. John Stark Starkes, Slarke), (b. 1839), aged 2, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Lord William Bentinck" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 24th May 1841 8
  • Miss Stark(Starkes, Slarke), (b. 1835), aged 6, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Lord William Bentinck" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 24th May 1841 8
  • Mr. Stark(Starkes, Slarke), (b. 1841), aged Infant, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Lord William Bentinck" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 24th May 1841 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Stark (post 1700) +

  • Peter G. "Pat" Stark (1930-2020), American college football player and coach
  • Fortney Hillman "Pete" Stark Jr. (1931-2020), American businessman and politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California (1973-2013)
  • Ray Stark (1915-2004), American film producer
  • Lloyd C. Stark (1886-1972), American former governor of Missouri
  • Harold Stark (b. 1939), American mathematician elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1983 and to the United States National Academy of Sciences in 2007
  • Etilmon J. Stark (1868-1962), prolific American ragtime composer and arranger
  • Charles Stark, American politician, Member of New Hampshire State Senate 3rd District, 1853-54 9
  • Carroll J. Stark, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Jersey, 1956, 1964 9
  • Caleb Stark, American politician, Member of New Hampshire State Senate 4th District, 1818-19 9
  • Benjamin Stark (1820-1898), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Oregon territorial House of Representatives, 1852; Member of Oregon State House of Representatives, 1860; U.S. Senator from Oregon, 1861-62 9
  • ... (Another 69 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. Robert Lucas Stark, English 2nd Class Cabin Bed Steward from Seaforth, Liverpool, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 10
SS Alcoa Puritan
  • W.W. Stark, American from Norfolk, New York, who was working aboard the SS Alcoa Puritan (1942) traveling from Port of Spain, Trinidad to Mobile, Alabama when it was torpedoed by U-boat U-507; he survived the sinking 11
SS Caribou
  • Mr. Ivan Stark, Newfoundland passenger from Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador was travelling aboard the railway ferry "SS Caribou" when it was struck by a German submarine torpedo on 14th October 1942, the most significant sinking in Canadian waters at that time, he survived the sinking


Suggested Readings for the name Stark +

  • James Stark of Stafford County, Virginia by Mary Kathryn Harris.
  • John Stark of Wurttemberg and Long Island by Thomas M/ Stark.

  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  3. 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)
  4. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) LADY BUTE 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839LadyBute.gif
  5. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HOOGHLY 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Hooghly.htm
  6. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The CAROLINE 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Caroline.htm
  7. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The MARION 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Marion.htm
  8. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  9. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  10. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Alcoa_Puritan_(1941) - (Retrieved 2018, February 8th)


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