Strasse Surname HistoryIreland already had an established system of hereditary surnames when the Anglo-Normans arrived. Often the two traditions blended together quite well due to some of their basic similarities, but the incoming Anglo-Norman system brought in some forms that were uncommon amongst the Irish. One of these Anglo-Norman anomalies was the prevalence of local surnames, such as Strasse. Local names were taken from the names of a place or a geographical feature where the person lived, held land, or was born. Originally, the place names were prefixed by de, which means from in French. This type of prefix was eventually either made a part of the surname if the place name began with a vowel or it was eliminated entirely. The local surnames of these Anglo-Norman invaders referred to places in Normandy, or more typically England, but eventually for those Anglo-Normans that remained in Ireland, the nicknames referred to places or geographical features of the island; therefore they became true local names. The Strasse family appears to have originally lived in Tipperary, where their origin is rather recent in comparison to many other names. Early Origins of the Strasse familyThe surname Strasse was first found in Tipperary (Irish: Thiobraid Árann), established in the 13th century in South-central Ireland, in the province of Munster, where they held a family seat, and were descended from the O'Mearas or O'Maras of Toomevara in that county. Early History of the Strasse familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Strasse research. Another 97 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1640, 1798, 1866 and 1952 are included under the topic Early Strasse History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Strasse Spelling VariationsScribes and church officials generally spelled a name as it sounded; as a result a person's name could be spelt innumerable ways in his lifetime. Different spelling variations of the Anglo-Norman surname Strasse were found in the many archives researched. These included Strappe, Strasse, Strapp, Strass and others. Early Notables of the Strasse familyMore information is included under the topic Early Strasse Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Strasse familyA great number of Irish families left their homeland in the late 18th and 19th centuries, migrating to such far away lands as Australia and North America. The early settlers left after much planning and deliberation. They were generally well off and but they desired a tract of land that they could farm solely for themselves. The great mass of immigrants to arrive on North American shores in the 1840s differed greatly from their predecessors because many of them were utterly destitute, selling all they had to gain a passage on a ship, or having their way paid by a philanthropic society. These Irish people were trying to escape the aftermath of the Great Potato Famine: poverty, starvation, disease, and, for many, ultimately death. Those that arrived on North American shores were not warmly welcomed by the established population, but they were vital to the rapid development of the industry, agriculture, and infrastructure of the infant nations of the United States and what would become Canada. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Irish settlers bearing the name Strasse: Nicolas Strass who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1732; In Newfoundland, Patrick Strappe settled in Harbour Grace in 1812; Kitty Strap was married in St. John's in 1837.
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