culture. It was a name for someone who was a man of mettle, or someone noted for his high spirits. In this case, this surname is derived from the Old English word
from very early times.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Steadey research.
Another 249 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1376, 1588, 1417, 1581, 1619, 1796, 1701 and 1735 are included under the topic Early Steadey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.Steadey has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few
hundred years,
spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Steadey have been found, including Stead, Steed and others.
In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in
England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Steadeys to arrive on North American shores: Thomas Stead who settled in Virginia in 1649; Elizabeth Stead settled in Nevis in 1660; another Elizabeth settled in New York State in 1774; Thomas Stead settled in Cape Fear N.C. in 1774.