Show ContentsStefan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Stefan surname comes from the personal name Stefano, which is the Italian form of the Latin name Stephanus.

Early Origins of the Stefan family

The surname Stefan was first found in Bolgna (Latin: Bononia), the largest city and the capital of Emilia-Romagna Region. The famous University of Bolgna was founded in the 11th century, by the 13th century the student body was nearly 10,000. Dante and Petrarch studied there. Tisso was tried there for 1564 for writing satirical poems. Bologna naturally, is famous for its sausages. But many noted scholars were born there. In those ancient times only persons of rank, the podesta, clergy, city officials, army officers, artists, landowners were entered into the records. To be recorded at this time was in itself a family honor.

Early History of the Stefan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stefan research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1375, 1417, 1460, 1645 and 1710 are included under the topic Early Stefan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stefan Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Steffani, Stefano, Stefan, Stifano, Stevani, Stiévano, Stiévan, Schhivani, Stépan, Stéfanis, Stefanich, Stepanich and many more.

Early Notables of the Stefan family

Prominent among members of the family was

  • Andrea Stefani (1375-1460), Italian Monk and composer from Florence


United States Stefan migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Stefan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Johan Jacob Stefan, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1738
Stefan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Bernard Stefan, who settled in New York, NY in 1833
  • Martin Stefan, who arrived in America in 1856 1
  • Catharin Stefan, who settled in New York, NY in 1867
  • Christine Stefan, who arrived in America in 1869
Stefan Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Eleanora Stefan, who settled in New York in 1903

Canada Stefan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Stefan Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Stefan (post 1700) +

  • Karl Stefan (1884-1951), American Republican politician, U.S. Representative from Nebraska 3rd District, 1935-51 3
  • Josepf Stefan (1835-1893), Austrian physicist, professor of physics at Vienna University; he discovered the fundamental law of radiation, known as Stefan's Law
  • Verena Stefan (1947-2017), Swiss-born, Canadian feminist and writer
  • Legein Stefan (b. 1988), Canadian professional ice hockey right winger
  • Arndt Stefan (b. 1961), German film producer
  • Ulm Stefan (b. 1975), German sprint canoer
  • Gregory Steven Stefan (b. 1961), Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender
  • Patrik Štefan (b. 1980), Czech retired professional ice hockey player
  • Joseph Stefan, American banking executive, who served with distinction in World War II and was awarded the Decorated Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster and valor device, the Purple Heart and the Croix de Guerre (France)
  • Piers Stefan Pughe -Morgan (b. 1965), known as Piers Morgan, an English broadcaster, journalist, writer, and television personality, known for Piers Morgan's Life Stories (2009–2020), Piers Morgan Live (2011–2014) and Piers Morgan Uncensored


  1. 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)
  2. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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