Show ContentsStonier History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Stonier family

The surname Stonier was first found in Oxfordshire at Stonor, a Saxon village that dates back to the late 10th century when it was named Stanora. Literally the place name means "stony hill-slope," from the Old English words "stan" + "ora" 1

Stonor Park is an historic country house and private deer park situated nearby and has been the home of the Stonor family for more than eight centuries. It is generally thought that the house was probably begun after 1280 when Sir Richard Stoner (1250-1314) married his second wife, Margaret Harnhull.

The following quote is a particular interest and reflects the family's ancient heritage. We provide the quote as it was recorded in the language of the times: "Stonor is a 3 miles out of Henley. Ther is a fayre parke and a warren of connies and fayre woods. The mansion place standithe clyminge on a hille, and hathe 2 courtes buyldyd withe tymbar, brike, and flynte; Sir Walter Stoner, now possessor of it, hathe augmentyd and strengthed the howse. The Stoners hathe longe had it in possessyn syns one Fortescue invadyd it by marriage of an heire generall of the Sonors, but after dispocessed." 2

John de Stoner (died 1354), was an early English jurist, "probably born at Stonor, near Sandwich, Kent, for in 1316 he took a release of the lands of Robert de Dumbleton in that county. He was, however, also connected with the manor of Stonor, near Dorchester, Oxfordshire, in the church of which place there is the effigy of a judge bearing his arms. " 3

Early History of the Stonier family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stonier research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1334 and 1492 are included under the topic Early Stonier History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stonier Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Stonor, Stoner, Stonore and others.

Early Notables of the Stonier family

More information is included under the topic Early Stonier Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Stonier migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Stonier Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Stonier, who arrived in New Jersey in 1685 4

Australia Stonier migration to Australia +

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

Stonier Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Stonier, English convict who was convicted in Stafford, Staffordshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bangalore" on 1st January 1850, arriving in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Stonier (post 1700) +

  • Monica J. Stonier, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Washington, 2008 6
  • Russel Stonier Ph.D., Associate Professor of Computer Science at the Central Queensland University, Australia


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  4. 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)
  5. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/australasia
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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