Stern History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Stern surname is derived from the Middle High German word "stern," meaning "star."
Early Origins of the Stern family
The surname Stern was first found in the regions of Hannover and Mecklenburg, where the name Stern was anciently associated with the conflicts between rival tribes. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of this early period in history, using their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and their support was sought by many leaders in their search for power.
Early History of the Stern family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stern research. Another 126 words (9 lines of text) covering the year 1645 is included under the topic Early Stern History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Stern Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Stern, Stearn, Sturn, Sterne, Sturne, Stirn, Styrne, Stearne, Stirne and many more.
Early Notables of the Stern family
Notable figures of the time with the name Stern were
- the Stern and Sterne families of Prussia and the neighboring regions
Stern Ranking
In the United States, the name Stern is the 1,643rd most popular surname with an estimated 19,896 people with that name. 1
Stern migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Stern Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Jacob Stern, who landed in New York in 1709 2
- Philip Stern, who landed in New York in 1709 2
- Jean Stern, who settled in Louisiana with two sons and a daughter in 1720
- Jacob Stern, who arrived in Maryland in 1743 2
- Frederick Stern, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1753
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Stern Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Benedix P Stern, who landed in North America in 1832-1849 2
- Hirach Stern, who landed in North America in 1832-1849 2
- Mr. Carl Gustav Stern, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Franziska"
- Mrs. Helene Stern, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Franziska"
- Mr. Carl Stern, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Franziska"
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Stern migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Stern Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
- Mr. David Stern U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 3
Stern migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Stern Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Thomas Stern, English convict from Hertfordshire, who was transported aboard the "Ann" on August 1809, settling in New South Wales, Australia 4
- H.E.F. Stern, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Steinwaerder" 5
- Mr. Thomas Stern, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 27th August 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 6
Contemporary Notables of the name Stern (post 1700) +
- Isaac Stern (1920-2001), Ukrainian-born American violinist and concert master and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
- Charles Baker "Chuck" Stern (1979-2023), American composer, musician, writer, and visual artist known for his work in experimental music
- Guy Stern (1922-2023), German-American decorated member of the secret Ritchie Boys World War II military intelligence interrogation team
- Irving M. Stern (1928-2023), American politician, Member of the Minnesota Senate from 1979 to 1982, Mayor of St. Louis Park, Minnesota from 1977 to 1979
- Gerald Daniel Stern (1925-2022), American poet, essayist, educator and author of twenty collections of poetry and four books of essays; he received the National Book Award for Poetry in 1998 and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry in 1991
- Fritz Richard Stern (1926-2016), German-born American historian of German history, Jewish history and historiography
- Bertram "Bert" Stern (1929-2013), American fashion and celebrity portrait photographer, best known for his work The Last Sitting, a collection of 2,500 photographs taken of Marilyn Monroe
- Howard Allan Stern (b. 1954), American radio personality best known for his controversial commentary
- Robert Arthur Morton Stern (b. 1939), American architect and Dean of the Yale University School of Architecture
- Otto Stern (1888-1969), German-born American physicist, who won the 1943 Nobel Prize in Physics
- ... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Suggested Readings for the name Stern +
- Crossroads in Kansas: A Stearns-Ross Genealogy by Phyllis Ross Kostner.
- Of Them that Left A Name Behind: A History of the Starnes Family's First 125 Years and Beyond America by H. Gerald Starnes.
Citations +
- "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)
- Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
- State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Ann voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1809 with 200 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/ann/1809
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) STEINWARDER 1849 aka STEINWAERDER. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Steinwarder.htm
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian