Show ContentsStretch History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Stretch family

The surname Stretch was first found in Nottingham, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, and were shown in the Domesday Book in 1086 as holding lands in that shire under the name of Strahlei, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Stretch family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stretch research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1290 is included under the topic Early Stretch History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stretch Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Strechley, Strecheley, Streichleigh, Strechly, Streichley, Stretchleigh and many more.

Early Notables of the Stretch family

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


United States Stretch migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Stretch Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Peter Stretch, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1702-1703 [1]
Stretch Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Delia Stretch, aged 19, who immigrated to the United States, in 1897
Stretch Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Margret Stretch, aged 18, who immigrated to America from Ballenespeak, in 1900
  • Mary Stretch, aged 26, who landed in America from Williamston, in 1902
  • Mich'l. Stretch, aged 30, who settled in America from Williamston, in 1902
  • Mary Stretch, aged 18, who landed in America from Glenawaddy, Ireland, in 1905
  • John Stretch, aged 25, who immigrated to the United States from Glenawaddy, Ireland, in 1905
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Stretch migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Stretch Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • John Stretch, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Mary Stretch, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Mr. Samuel Stretch U.E. who settled in Carleton [Saint John City], New Brunswick c. 1784 [2]

Australia Stretch migration to Australia +

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

Stretch Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Stretch, English convict who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in December 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [3]
  • Winnifred Stretch, aged 19, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Telegraph"

New Zealand Stretch 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:

Stretch Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • John Stretch, aged 32, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Warwick" in 1879
  • Margaret Stretch, aged 30, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Warwick" in 1879

Contemporary Notables of the name Stretch (post 1700) +

  • Charles Stretch, American politician, Burgess of Forty Fort, Pennsylvania, 1960 [4]
  • Joe Stretch (b. 1982), English writer, best known for his works Friction (2008) and Wildlife (2009)
  • John Francis "Jack" Stretch (1855-1919), Australian Anglican bishop, Dean of Ballarat (1894) and Bishop of Newcastle (1906)
  • Gary Stretch (b. 1965), British boxer, male model, and an actor from St Helens, Lancashire
  • Steven Stretch (b. 1964), former Australian rules footballer


  1. 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)
  2. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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