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| Origins Available: |
| | England |
The evidence is not conclusive, "but the name (found also as Startivant) is apparently a nickname—‘Start Away’ !—for a messenger or pursuivant [from Middle English sterten, to start, and Anglo-French ava(u)nt, forward, away, Old French avant, Latin ab ante]" 1
Bardsley agrees with this origin of the name and negates the idea that "this sobriquet would seem to be a compound of sturdy, rash, inconsiderate; and avaunt, a boast, a vaunt, and also an old French sobriquet for some reckless boaster. " (Bardlsey)
The surname Stivers was first found in Yorkshire, where the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 include a few early spellings: Willeimus Styrtauant; Willeimus Stirciuant; and Robertas Stircyuant. All held lands there at that time. 2
Later John Stirtava(u)nt was listed in the Yorkshire in 1404; Richard and Thomas Stirtava(u)nt were listed as Freemen of York in 1413 and 1447. Alan Stertevaunt was listed in Yorkshire in 1445. 3
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stivers research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1570, 1604, 1685, 1780, 1782, 1812, 1830 and 1868 are included under the topic Early Stivers History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Spelling variations of this family name include: Sturtevant, Sturdivantt, Sturtivantt, Sturtivant, Sturdevant, Sturdivant, Sturtifant, Sturdifant, Sturdyvant, Sturdyfant, Sturtevant, Sturdavent and many more.
Distinguished members of the family include Willelmus Styrtauant, a prominent landholder during the 14th century. The Sturdivant Gang was a multi-generational, American family of counterfeiters, whose criminal activities took place over a fifty-year period, from the 1780s, in...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Stivers Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In the United States, the name Stivers is the 9,080th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4
Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Roger Sturdevant to Virginia in 1634; Edward Sturdivantt to Barbados in 1680; Isaac Sturdavent to Boston, Massachusetts in 1764; Joseph Sturdivant to Philadelphia in 1832.