Streatfeild

Recorded in the spellings of Streatfield and Streatfeild, this is an English locational surname of the post medieval period. It originates from the village of "Stretefeld", a lost medieval site in East Sussex, in or near the town and former manor, of Robertsbridge. The name suggests that it is Olde English pre 7th century, and probably translates as the road (straet) which crossed the open area of land cleared for agriculture (feld). As to why the village disappeared is unclear, but Sussex in the Middle Ages around the 14th and 15th centuries was the most industrialised part of England. It is probable that it was "cleared" either because of changes in agricultural practice to aid sheep farming, or the development of the iron industry in the area.The name seems to have been relatively popular more popular in Kent than Sussex, where nameholders retained the original spelling form of Streatfeild. Examples of the surname recording taken from authentic rolls and registers of the period include William Stretefeild of East Barming, Kent, on April 3rd 1587, and Thomas Stretfeild who married Mary Turner, at Fletching, Sussex, on December th 1625. The first recording of the family name may be that Alce Streatfeld, at East Malling, Kent, on August 5th 1571, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st, 1558 - 1603.