Contents [hide]

Sturgeon History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Sturgeon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The Sturgeon family's name is derived from the ancient Norman culture that was established in Britain following the Norman Conquest of island in 1066. Their name originated with an early member who was a person who resembles a sturgeon having derived from the Old French word esturgeon, or Lesturgeon, and indicates that the original bearer bore some fanciful resemblance to the Northern European fish of the same name. 1 2

Eluding to the Norman-French ancestry, we note that "King John granted to N. Sturgon, of Normandy, Stoteville, the estate of Hugh de Gornai, 1203. He was Viscount of Fescamp." 3

Early Origins of the Sturgeon family

The surname Sturgeon was first found in Suffolk where they were Lords of the manor of Whepstead from very early times, where they were conjecturally descended from Ralph of Whepstead who held that Lordship after the Norman Conquest in 1066 A.D. from the Abbott of St. Edmund's. According to the Domesday Book survey, Whepstead consisted of a church, eighteen beasts, thirty pigs, and one hundred sheep, and their descendants later erected Manston Hall. 4

Another source claims the family held "an estate in Essex called Sturgeons, formerly Turges Cassus. Turges may be the same name as Turgesius, a celebrated Norwegian king, called by Irish writers Tuirghes, who established his power in Ireland for thirty years. Hence probably the names Sturch, Sturge, Sturges, Sturgess, Sturgis." 5

"The old Suffolk family of Sturgeon held the manor of Manston, Whepstead, from the beginning of the 16th to the close of the last century (G.). "Maister John Sturgeon" was governor of the company of Merchant Adventurers, when they gave a princely reception to Philip of Spain on the occasion of his taking possession of the Low Countries in 1540 (Allen's "Lincolnshire"). At present the name is best represented in and around Bury St. Edmunds. An estate in Writtle parish, Essex, is called Sturgeons or Turges Cassus (Wright's "Essex"). John Sturgeon, or Strogeon, of Hitchin, Herts, was twice sheriff of Hertfordshire and Essex in the reign of Edward IV. " 6

Early feudal rolls provided the king of the time a method of cataloguing holdings for taxation, but today they provide a glimpse into the wide surname spellings in use at that time. Early Cumberland records show William Sturjon in 1281, while down in Essex, Richard Sturioun was listed in the there in the Subsidy Rolls for 1327. A few years later, William Sturgeon was listed in London in 1380. 7 In Yorkshire, Willelmus Sturgeon was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 8

In Scotland, the "surname [is] confined mainly to the shires of Dumfries and Kirkcudbright. Andrew Sturgioun and John Sturgioun were witnesses in Dumfries in 1544. Charles Strugeoun, sheathmaker in Edinburgh in 1608, appears again in 1610 as Strudgeon." 9

Early History of the Sturgeon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sturgeon research. Another 208 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1544, 1559, 1574, 1611, 1636, 1647, 1655, 1657, 1659, 1661, 1677, 1685, 1705 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Sturgeon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sturgeon Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of forenames and surnames were common. Originally all records were in Latin and translating a record, whether it was a surname or village name was dependent on a verbal translation into the language of the times. Languages evolved too and that complicated entries. Spellings often changed in a person’s lifetime in various rolls (censuses) of the time. Many variations of the name Sturgeon have been found, including Sturgen, Sturgeon, Stergeon, Sturgion, Sturgione, Strugeon, Strugen, Strugeone and many more.

Early Notables of the Sturgeon family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Sturgion (fl. 1661), English pamphleteer who was at one time a private in Cromwell's lifeguards. "On 27 Aug. 1655 he was arrested as the author of a pamphlet against the Protector, called 'A Short Discovery of his Highness the Lord Protector's Intentions touching the Anabaptists in the Army'. He was...
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sturgeon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sturgeon Ranking

In the United States, the name Sturgeon is the 3,763^rd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 10

Migration of the Sturgeon family to Ireland

Some of the Sturgeon family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sturgeon migration to the United States +

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Sturgeon were among those contributors:

Sturgeon Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Phillis Sturgeon, who arrived in Virginia in 1703 11
Robert Sturgeon, who settled in Maine in 1726
John Sturgeon, who settled in New England in 1740
John Sturgeon, who landed in America in 1740 11

Sturgeon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Edward Sturgeon, aged 27, who arrived in Delaware in 1812 11
William Sturgeon, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1817 11
William Sturgeon, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1832

Sturgeon migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sturgeon Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Janet Sturgeon and her husband, who settled in St. John Island in 1775
Thomas Sturgeon was a fisherman of Quidi Vidi, Newfoundland in 1785 12

Sturgeon Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

John Sturgeon, aged 18, who landed in Quebec in 1834
Mr. Cumberland Sturgeon, aged 5 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Lord Seaton" departing from the port of Belfast, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle on 28th May 1847 13

Sturgeon migration to Australia +

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

Sturgeon Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Charles Sturgeon, aged 38, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "China" 14
Martha Sturgeon, aged 25, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Fitzjames"

Sturgeon 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:

Sturgeon Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr Sturgeon, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Harrington 15
R Sturgeon, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Lady Nugent
Robert Sturgeon, aged 30, a jeweller, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Lady Nugent" in 1841
Mr. Sturgeon, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Harrington" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 15th June 1841 16
R. Sturgeon, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Lady Nugent" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 17th March 1841 16
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Sturgeon (post 1700) +

Rollin Summers Sturgeon (1877-1961), American film director of 101 silent films from 1910 to 1924
Peter Assheton Sturgeon (1916-2005), American founder of the American branch of Mensa
Daniel Sturgeon (1789-1878), American physician, banker and Democratic Party politician from Uniontown, Pennsylvania, United States Senator from Pennsylvania (1840-1851)
Robert Harwood "Bobby" Sturgeon (b. 1919), American Major League Baseball player who played from 1940 to 1948
Theodore Sturgeon (1918-1985), American writer
Barbara Sturgeon, English two-time Sony Radio Award wining radio presenter
William Sturgeon (1783-1785), English physicist and inventor who made the first electromagnets, inventor of the first practical electric motor
Nicola Sturgeon (b. 1970), Scottish politician, Leader of the Scottish National Party (2007-2014), First Minister of Scotland (2014-2023)
Peter Sturgeon (b. 1954), Canadian former professional NHL ice hockey player for the Colorado Rockies
Isaac Sturgeon, 19th century president and general superintendent of the North Missouri, eponym of the town of Sturgeon, Missouri

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 56)
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CHINA 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/china1852.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th December 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html