Show ContentsStanert History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Stanert arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Stanert comes from the Old English personal name Stanehard, meaning stone hard.

Early Origins of the Stanert family

The surname Stanert was first found in Suffolk where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, Stanard, Stannard, Stanhard, Stanhert all appear in the Domesday Book as tenants of properties in Bury St Edmunds. 34 Knights were registered to the town.

Early History of the Stanert family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stanert research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1222, 1327 and 1450 are included under the topic Early Stanert History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stanert Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Stannard, Stanard, Stanhert, Stanart, Stanhart, Stonhard, Stonnard, Stonard, Stonerd, Stannert and many more.

Early Notables of the Stanert family

More information is included under the topic Early Stanert Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Stanert family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Stanert or a variant listed above: William Stannerd settled in Virginia in 1652; Joseph Stannard settled in Virginia in 1695; Thomas Stannard settled in Nova Scotia in 1750; Lewis Stannert settled in Pennsylvania in 1771.



  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)


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