Sartain Surname History

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Sartain

What does the name Sartain mean?

The distinguished and ancient surname Sartain comes originally from the Old French "certeyn," meaning "self-assured" or "determined." The name was probably first brought to England in the wake of the Norman invasion of 1066; however, it is also thought that some branches of the Sartain family are descended from the French Huguenots who fled to England and Scotland.

Early Origins of the Sartain family

The surname Sartain was first found in London, where William Certayn is registered in the "Calendar of Letter Books" for the year 1394. The young Sartain family assumed a prominent position in the city at this time, holding lands granted by Duke William after the Conquest of 1066.

Early History of the Sartain family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sartain research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1394, 1664, 1693, 1808 and 1897 are included under the topic Early Sartain History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sartain Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Sartain, Sartin, Sarton, Sattin, Sertin and others.

Early Notables of the Sartain family

Stephen Sartain (c.1664), a British naval commander, and John Sartain (1808-1897), an American engraver born in London known for his printing skill

Sartain Ranking

the United States, the name Sartain is the 8,534^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Sartain migration to Australia +

Sartain Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Sartain, (b. 1825), aged 19, English convict who was convicted in Bath, Somerset, England for 10 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Barossa" on 9th May 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Sartain (post 1700) +

Gailard Sartain (1946-2025), American actor, a regular on the country music variety series Hee Haw and also known for his roles in three of the Ernest movies and the TV series Hey Vern, It's Ernest!
James Peter Sartain (b. 1952), better known as Peter Sartain, an American prelate of the Catholic Church, fifth Archbishop of Seattle from 2010 to 2019
William Sartain (1843-1924), American artist, known for the moody tonalism of his paintings, and interests and influences that spanned Orientalism and the Barbizon plein air approach to art, son of John Sartain and brother to artist Emily Sartain
Emily Sartain (1841-1927), American painter and engraver, the first woman in Europe and the United States to practice the art of mezzotint engraving, and the only woman to win a gold medal at the 1876 World Fair in Philadelphia, daughter of John Sartain
John Sartain (1808-1897), English-born, American artist who pioneered mezzotint engraving in the United States
Daniel Fredrick "Dan" Sartain (1981-2021), American musician, known for his album Dan Sartain vs. the Serpientes, and Join Dan Sartain

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barossa