Stearn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Anglo-Saxon name Stearn comes from its first bearer, who was a stern person. The surname Stearn is derived from the Old English word styrne, which means severe, strict, uncompromising, and austere.
Early Origins of the Stearn family
The surname Stearn was first found in Buckinghamshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the manor of Grendon from early times.
Early History of the Stearn family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stearn research. Another 57 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1592, 1596, 1607, 1624, 1642, 1660, 1664, 1669, 1683, 1700, 1713, 1745, 1759 and 1768 are included under the topic Early Stearn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Stearn Spelling Variations
The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Stearn has been spelled many different ways, including Sterne, Stern, Stearn, Stearns and others.
Early Notables of the Stearn family
Notables of the family at this time include John Sterne, Bishop of Colchester in 1592 and held the post until his death in 1607; and Richard Sterne (c. 1596-1683), English Church of England priest, Bishop of Carlisle in 1660, Archbishop of York from 1664 to 1683. He was the alleged author of the 'Whole Duty of Man.' 1 "On the outbreak of the civil war, Sterne zealously adopted the royalist cause, and in August 1642 he arranged for the despatch of large quantities of college plate to the king. Cromwell, however, who, as one of the burgesses of Cambridge, was engaged...
Another 146 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Stearn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Stearn Ranking
In the United States, the name Stearn is the 17,537th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2
Migration of the Stearn family to Ireland
Some of the Stearn family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 173 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Stearn migration to the United States +
Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Stearns to arrive in North America:
Stearn Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Joseph Stearn, who settled in America in 1748
Stearn Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- W Stearn, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 3
Stearn migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Stearn Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Mr. Edward Stearn, (b. 1814), aged 25, English farm labourer who was convicted in Suffolk, England for 7 years for Felony, transported aboard the "Canton" on 20th September 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1889 4
- Mr. John Stearn, English convict who was convicted in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Canton" on 20th September 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4
- William Stearn, English convict from Suffolk, who was transported aboard the "Adelaide" on August 08, 1849, settling in Van Diemen's Land and Port Phillip, Australia 5
- Jessie Stearn, aged 28, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Epaminondas" 6
- William Stearn, aged 53, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Standard" 7
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Stearn (post 1700) +
- Jess Stearn (1914-2002), American journalist and author of more than thirty books
- Sue Stearn, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1964, 1972
- William Thomas Stearn CBE (1911-2001), British botanist, recipient of the Asa Gray Award in 2000
Historic Events for the Stearn family +
Arrow Air Flight 1285
- Mr. Alexander W Stearn (1964-1985), American Private 1st Class from Lutherville, Maryland, USA who died in the Arrow Air Flight 1285 crash 8
Suggested Readings for the name Stearn +
- From the Puritan Migration to the Ohio River and Indiana by Frances Kutchback Eisan.
Citations +
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- 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)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/canton
- State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 17) Adelaide voyage to Van Diemen's Land and Port Phillip, Australia in 1849 with 303 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adelaide/1849
- South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) EPAMINONDAS 1852. Retrieved www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/epaminondas1852.shtml
- South Australian Register Friday 14 October 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Standard 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/standard1853.shtml
- American War Memorials - Flight 1285. (Retrieved 2016, August 24) . Retrieved from http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=317&MemID=550