Starling

Starling
This interesting surname, of Anglo-Saxon origin, derives from the Olde English pre 7th Century "staerling", Middle English "starling" meaning starling, the bird. This is an example of that sizeable group of early European surnames that were gradually created from the habitual use of nicknames. The nicknames were given in the first instance with reference to a variety of characteristics, such as physical attributes or peculiarities, mental and moral characteristics, supposed resemblance to an animal and bird's appearance or disposition, habits of dress, or to occupation. It was also used occasionally as a personal name: "Starlingus" and "Starlinc" appear in the Domesday Book of Suffolk (1086). The surname first appears in the latter half of the 12th Century (see below), and Richard Sterling was noted in the Pipe Rolls of Hertfordshire (1230). The surname is also found in the variant form Sterling. One of the earliest settlers in the New World Colonies was William Starling, aged 18 yrs., who departed from the Port of London aboard the "Primrose" bound for Virginia in July 1635. A Coat of Arms granted to the family is silver and on a blue bend three gold square buckles. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Jordon Starling, which was dated 1166, in the "Pipe Rolls of Cambridgeshire", during the reign of King Henry 11, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • Starling — (engl. Bezeichnung für die Vogelfamilie der Stare) ist der Name von Boris Starling (* 1970), englischer Schriftsteller Ernest Starling (1866–1927), englischer Physiologe Hannah Starling (* 1995), britische Wasserspringerin Simon Starling (* 1967) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Starling — Star ling ( l[i^]ng), n. [OE. sterlyng, a dim. of OE. stare, AS. st[ae]r; akin to AS. stearn, G. star, staar, OHG. stara, Icel. starri, stari, Sw. stare, Dan. st[ae]r, L. sturnus. Cf. {Stare} a starling.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) Any passerine bird… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • starling — O.E. stærlinc, with dim. suffix linc, from stær starling, from P.Gmc. *staraz (Cf. O.E. stearn, O.N. stari, Norw. stare, O.H.G. stara, Ger. star starling ), from PIE *storo (Cf. L. sturnus starling, O.Pruss …   Etymology dictionary

  • starling — [stär′liŋ] n. [ME < OE stærlinc, dim. of stær, starling < IE * stor(n)os, starling, bird with similar cry > L sturnus] any of an Old World family (Sturnidae) of dark colored passerine birds with a short tail, long wings, and a sharp,… …   English World dictionary

  • starling — ► NOUN ▪ a gregarious songbird with dark lustrous or iridescent plumage. ORIGIN Old English …   English terms dictionary

  • Starling — Taxobox name = Starlings image width = 250px image caption = European Starling, Sturnus vulgaris regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Aves ordo = Passeriformes subordo = Passeri familia = Sturnidae familia authority = Rafinesque, 1815… …   Wikipedia

  • starling — starling1 /stahr ling/, n. 1. a chunky, medium sized European passerine bird, Sturnus vulgaris, of iridescent black plumage with seasonal speckles, that nests in colonies: introduced into North America. 2. any of various similar Old World birds… …   Universalium

  • Starling — Loi de Starling (cardiologie) La loi de Starling décrit le fonctionnement du ventricule cardiaque. Le cœur s adapte à la précharge en changeant sa force de contractilité. Dans les limites physiologiques, le coeur éjecte tout le sang qui lui… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • starling — I. /ˈstalɪŋ / (say stahling) noun 1. any of numerous birds constituting the family Sturnidae, especially the common starling, Sturnus vulgaris, of Eurasia; widely introduced elsewhere as South Africa, North America, New Zealand and Australia… …  

  • starling — noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English stærlinc, from stær starling + ling, linc ling; akin to Old High German stara starling, Latin sturnus Date: before 12th century any of a family (Sturnidae, especially genus Sturnus) of usually dark …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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