Sture

Recorded in many spellings including Storr, Storre, Storres, Storrs, Storey, Stuer, Sture, Sturr, Sturre, and others, this is an English medieval surname. It derives however from the pre 9th century Olde Norse personal or nickname Stori, meaning big or large. The forenames as Stori and Estori (without a surname) are recorded in the famous Domesday Book of 1086. The surname from these personal names are first recorded at the beginning of the 13th century (see below). Other early examples include Thomas Storre in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, the marriage of Judith Stuer and Hieronim Hauley at St Martins in the Field, Westminster on July 4th 1617, Elizabeth Storrs and Holland Cooksey on November 16th 1751 at St. George's chapel, Mayfair, Westminster, Jane Sturr who married Robert Gibson at St Clement Danes, Westminster, on November 2nd 1757, and James Sture who married Ann Harrow at St Andrews Enfield, on June 19th 1765. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Geoffrey Stor. This was dated 1200, in the Pipe Rolls of the county of Norfolk during the reign of King John, 1199 - 1216. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as the Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.