Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Starling Sterling Stirling
Contents |
Starling Meaning and Origin
This page is a companion to the Starling Name Study and Starling Category List
View the current Starling categories. (If you need further categories and you're familiar with Wikitree, please feel free to add them on the Starling Category List, optionally you can contact Barry Sweetman to have them added).
View the currently categorized Starling profiles
The Starling surname is found most often in Britain, where 56 people per million have the surname, followed by other countries where people of British descent live: Australia (50/m), the United States (34/m) and New Zealand (14/m).[1] Within Britain, the highest frequency is found in East Anglia, at 362/m. This points to an origin in East Anglia.
Hereditary surnames were first introduced in England in baronial families following the Norman Conquest in 1066. The knightly class began to adopt hereditary names in the 1100s, filtering down to most English families by 1400, although their form was still evolving.[2] Around half of English surnames were derived from a location, with one in five derived from a nickname. [3] The Starling surname is a nickname based on the Common Starling bird, which has been present throughout Britain for thousands of years. [4][5] The starling has featured in literature such as the Mabinogion - which dates from about the 11th century - where the Starling was noted for its ability to mimic sounds - rather like the parrot has entered into the modern day English language;[6] it is possible that this is the origin of the nickname.
A separate surname, Sterling or Stirling, is found in Scotland and northern England, in particular near the city of Stirling. The geographical distribution etymology indicates a separate origin, but there has been some cross-over between the families as spellings have changed.
The Starlings of East Anglia
The first recorded use of the name in East Anglia is for a Starling who held land in three nearby places in Suffolk before the Norman Conquest.[7] In 1166, Jordon Starling was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Cambridgeshire.[5]
A Nicholas Starlyng was listed as a foreigner living in Essex in 1440.[8]
Hearth Tax records from 1662-1689 listed 42 Starlings in East Anglia - see Starling family in the East Anglia Hearth Tax
The earliest person on WikiTree is Robert Sterling of Brandeston, Suffolk, who was born about 1490. After his family the earliest are Joan Starlyng, born about 1520 in Dedham on the Essex/Suffolk border, followed by Edward Starling, born 1550 in Balsham, Cambridgeshire. The earliest record on FreeREG is of the burial of Ciceley Starling in Norwich in 1543.[9] and the earliest on FamilySearch is Annis [Agnes?] Sterling, christened 1540 in Fulbourne, Cambridgeshire.[10] The descendants of John Starling, born ca. 1515 in Briston, Norfolk, is given here.
The "Sterling Genealogy" asserts that the Starling family of England were a branch of the "Sterling" families of Scotland, citing as evidence that the coats of arms of some English families was the same or similar to those recorded for the Scottish families. However, it notes that the Suffolk family did not use this coat of arms.[11]. It mentions the marriage of Susan Starling of Colchester to William Welbeck of Higham, Suffolk, in 1577.
United States
An early settler in the New World Colonies was 18 year old William Starling who sailed from the Port of London in July 1635 on-board the "Primrose" heading to Virginia.
Coat of Arms
The devices (known as charges) and colors on the Coat of Arms and Crest described the nature of bearers heraldic insignia. In this case:
- Blazon: Argent, on a bend azure, three square buckles or.
![]() |
Starling Shield of Arms |
- Crest: A starling with wings addorsed sable, resting the dexter claw on an etoile of eight points.
- Argent - (Ar'-jent) White or silver: represents purity, innocence, beauty and gentleness.
- Azure - A bright blue color which represents truth and loyalty.
- Bend - A diagonal bar on the shield which signifies the scarf or shield suspender of a knight commander and stands for defense or protection.
- Buckle - This charge signifies victorious fidelity in authority.
- Or - The color gold. It denotes the qualities of generosity and elevation of mind.
External Links
- Baker County, FL Historical Society
- Florida Memory - State Library and Archives of Florida
- FLGenWeb Project
- I Dream of Genealogy
- Archives.com Starling Archives (Requires paid subscription)
References
- ↑ World Names Public Profiler, accessed 2018-09-08
- ↑ D. Hey, Family Names and Family History (2000), pp. 31, 51-53
- ↑ Most common surnames in Britain and Ireland revealed, BBC, 17 November 2016
- ↑ A Dictionary of English Surnames, P. H. Reaney & R. M. Wilson, Oxford University Press, 1995
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Surnamedb
- ↑ Common starling, Wikipedia, accessed 2018-09-08
- ↑ Open Domesday - Starling
- ↑ Nicholas Starlyng, England’s Immigrants 1330 – 1550 Resident Aliens in the Late Middle Ages
- ↑ FreeREG
- ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch: 11 February 2018, Annis Sterling, 13 Jul 1540); citing , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 990,375
- ↑ The Sterling Genealogy, Albert & Edward Sterling, 1909
- Login to edit this profile and add images.
- Private Messages: Send a private message to the Profile Manager. (Best when privacy is an issue.)
- Public Comments: Login to post. (Best for messages specifically directed to those editing this profile. Limit 20 per day.)