Show ContentsStratten History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 added many new elements to an already vibrant culture. Among these were thousands of new names. The Stratten family lived in Wiltshire, at Stratton. However, there are also parishes in Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Norfolk, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, and Somerset also named Stratton.

The reason for the many parishes so named is because of the etymology of the surname as in "one who came from Stratton (homestead on a Roman road.)" 1 However down in Cornwall, in Cornish the name literally means "the hill full of fresh springs." 2

Early Origins of the Stratten family

The surname Stratten was first found in Wiltshire where it is said that the notorious Adam de Stratton derives from Argouges from Manche in the arrondisement of Avranches in Normandy.

Adam de Stratton (died 1292) was a royal moneylender, administrator and clergyman under Edward I of England. He rose to become Chamberlain of the Exchequer and steward of Isabella, Countess of Devon. His father was Thomas de Argoges, or Arwillis, of Stratton St Margaret in Wiltshire. In 1278, he was accused of cutting off the seal of a charter from Quarr Abbey, thereby invalidating its authenticity. This was not the beginning nor the last time he would be associated with dubious activities. On 17 January 1290, he was relieved of his office of chamberlain, along with his temporal possessions. Upon his arrest, he was discovered to have in his possession a vast sum of money and objects associated with witchcraft. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1292 and died by 14 August 1294.

Henry de Stratton (died after 1277) was an English clergyman and Crown official who later served as a judge in Ireland. He is chiefly remembered as the brother of the infamous Adam de Stratton.

Stratton is a parish in Cornwall in the deanery of Trigg-Major, and in the hundred to which this parish imparts its name. "This circumstance denotes its great antiquity, and discovers that in former ages it presented no contemptible figure on the rolls of fame." 3

Robert de Stretton (died 1385), an English divine, born at Stretton Magna, Leicestershire was Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield and son of Robert Eyryk or de Stretton. "He and his elder brother, Sir William Eyryk, knight (ancestor of the Heyricks of Leicestershire), derived their surnames from Stretton Magna. " 4

Early History of the Stratten family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stratten research. Another 175 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1285, 1320 and 1364 are included under the topic Early Stratten History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stratten Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Stratton, Straton, Straiton and others.

Early Notables of the Stratten family

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


Stratten migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Stratten Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Edward Chandler Stratten, English convict from Hertford, who was transported aboard the "Andromeda" on October 16, 1826, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 5
  • Thomas Stratten, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Constitution" in 1851 6

Stratten migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Stratten Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • W. H. Stratten, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "St. Leonards" in 1877
  • Mr. John Stratten, (b. 1857), aged 21, Cornish farm labourer departing on 20th July 1878 aboard the ship "May Queen" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 19th October 1878 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Stratten (post 1700) +

  • Ron Stratten (b. 1943), former American head football coach at Portland State University team from 1972 to 1974
  • Mitch Stratten, English director, sculptor, composer and writer based in the United Kingdom
  • Thomas Price Stratten (b. 1904), South African Rhodes Scholarship engineer, founding member of the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust
  • Merrily Stratten (b. 1951), Canadian swimmer in the women's 200 metre freestyle at the 1972 Summer Olympics
  • Dorothy Stratten (1960-1980), born Dorothy Ruth Hoogstraten, Canadian model, actor and Playboy Playmate who was murdered by her ex-husband Paul Leslie Snider
  • Frederick Stratten Russell (1897-1984), English marine biologist


The Stratten 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: Resurgere tento
Motto Translation: I strive to rise again.


  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  3. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  5. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Andromeda voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1826 with 147 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/andromeda/1826
  6. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CONSTITUTION 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Constitution.htm
  7. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Auckland 1872-80 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf


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