Show ContentsSteerman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Steerman family

The surname Steerman was first found in Surrey where Styr was a Lord at the Court of Ethelred the II mentioned in Royal Letters Patent and also mentioned in King Hardicanute's reign. Styr was recorded as the ancestor of Steer, the word "Styr" was an Anglo-Saxon word for "battle" and not to be confused with steer, the animal. Steart, also called Stert, is a small village in Somerset, England. Geoffrey Ster was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1209 and later, Robert le Steer was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. [1] The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list Willelmus Stere and Johannes Stere as residing there and holding lands at that time. [2] "The Steers or Steeres were a Newdegate family of gentry of the 17th and 18th centuries; and one of the members was rector of Newdegate from 1610 to 1660. The Steeres of Wootton parish in the 17th century were evidently connected with them, and a hundred years ago, Lee Steere, Esq., of Jayes, Wootton, owned property in Newdegate." [3]

Early History of the Steerman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Steerman research. Another 167 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1620, 1628, 1638, 1643, 1649, 1667, 1672, 1675, 1689, 1721, 1750, 1772 and 1860 are included under the topic Early Steerman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Steerman Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Steer, Steere, Stear, Steare, Steerrs and others.

Early Notables of the Steerman family

Distinguished members of the family include Richard Steere (1643-1721), English-born immigrant to America from Chertsey, Surrey who became a colonial American merchant and poet; and Thomas Steers...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Steerman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Steerman family to Ireland

Some of the Steerman family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Steerman migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Steerman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Steerman, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 [4]
  • William Steerman, who landed in Virginiay in 1657 [4]


The Steerman Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Tu ne cede me
Motto Translation: Yield thou not to me


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  4. 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)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook