Stuart History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland-Alt
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Stuart

What does the name Stuart mean?

The origins the old family name Stuart can be found within medieval Scotland. While the patronymic and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the name of the father and mother respectively, are the most common form of a hereditary surname in Scotland, occupational surnames also emerged during the late Middle Ages. Many people, such as the Stuart family, adopted the name of their occupation as their surname. However, an occupational name did not become a hereditary surname until the office or type of employment became hereditary. The surname Stuart was an occupational name for a steward, the official in charge of a noble household and its treasury. One common alternate spelling of the name is a result of the influence of Mary, Queen of Scots, who was educated in France, and consequently spelled the name Steuart or Stuart.

Early Origins of the Stuart family

The surname Stuart was first found in Oswestry, Shropshire, where they had been granted lands by William the Conqueror, their liege Lord.

Early History of the Stuart family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stuart research. Another 464 words (33 lines of text) covering the years 1230, 1316, 1371, 1390, 1591, 1608, 1634, 1643, 1645, 1676, 1681, 1683, 1688, 1701, 1714, 1726, 1735 and 1745 are included under the topic Early Stuart History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stuart Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Stuart, Steuart, Stuard, Sturt and others.

Early Notables of the Stuart family

Notable among the family at this time was

Adam Steuart (Stuart, Stewart) (1591-1645) was a Scottish philosopher and controversialist
Isabel Stuart (1676-1681), daughter of King James II of England
Sir Alexander Stuart, 5th Earl of Moray KT (1634-1701), was a Scottish nobleman

Stuart World Ranking

In the United States, the name Stuart is the 917^th most popular surname with an estimated 32,331 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Stuart is ranked the 777^th most popular surname with an estimated 6,917 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name Stuart is the 342^nd popular surname with an estimated 10,569 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks Stuart as 213^rd with 2,678 people. 4 The United Kingdom ranks Stuart as 515^th with 12,697 people. 5

Migration of the Stuart family to Ireland

Some of the Stuart family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stuart migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Stuart Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Charles Steward Stuart, who settled in Virginia in 1635
Austin Stewart Stuart, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1651
Robert Stuart, who settled in Virginia in 1652
Oneale Stuart, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 6
Robert Stuart, who landed in Virginia in 1652 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Stuart Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Sarah Stuart, who landed in Virginia in 1701 6
Alexander Stuart, who arrived in New England in 1734 6
Elizabeth Stuart, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1738 6
John Stuart, who landed in America in 1748 6
Margaret Stuart, who arrived in New England in 1751 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Stuart Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Elizth Stuart, who arrived in America in 1805 6
Adam Stuart, aged 40, who arrived in New York, NY in 1805 6
Sarah Ann Stuart, aged 32, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1805 6
Kinloch Stuart, who arrived in America in 1806 6
Thomas Stuart, who landed in America in 1809 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Stuart migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Stuart Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Gilbert Stuart, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1760
Mr. Robert Stuart U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway, [Shelbourne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 278 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 28, 1783 at Staten Island, New York, USA 7
Mr. Alexanda Stuart U.E. who arrived in Port Roseway, [Shelbourne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 201 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 28, 1783 at Staten Island, New York, USA 7
Mrs. Susannah Stuart U.E. who arrived in Port Roseway, [Shelbourne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 301 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 28, 1783 at Staten Island, New York, USA 7
Mrs. Sarah Stuart U.E. who arrived in Port Roseway, [Shelbourne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 325 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 28, 1783 at Staten Island, New York, USA 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Stuart Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Donald Stuart, aged 4, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1801
Alex Stuart, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1801
Ann Stuart, aged 2, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1801
Mary Stuart, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1801
Elenor Stuart, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1810
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Stuart migration to Australia +

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

Stuart Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. James Stuart, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
John Stuart, a cabinet-maker, who arrived in Van Diemenâ€™s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832
Mr. William Stuart, (Stewart, McKernan), (b. 1810), aged 18, Irish convict who was convicted in Londonderry, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Fergusson" on 16th November 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
Miss Margaret Stuart, English convict who was convicted in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl of Liverpool" in December 1830, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
Mary Stuart, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Amphitrite" on August 21, 1833, settling in New South Wales, Australia 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Stuart 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:

Stuart Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Richard Stuart, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
Alex Stuart, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Lady Nugent
A. Stuart, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Lady Nugent" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 17th March 1841 12
Charles Stuart, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1842 aboard the ship Birman
Samuel Stuart, aged 45, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Inchinnan" in 1852 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Stuart migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 13

Stuart Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Robert Stuart, who settled in Jamaica in 1689
Robert Stuart, who landed in Jamaica in 1689-1690 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Stuart (post 1700) +

Edwin Sydney Stuart (1853-1937), American politician, Governor of Pennsylvania from 1907-1911
James Ewell Brown "J.E.B." Stuart IV (1935-2020), American army colonel, financial planner, museum chairman, and public speaker, awarded the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal with an oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal and the Vietnamese Honor Medal 1st Class (Vietnam)
Jessie Hilton Stuart (1907-1984), American writer named the Poet Laureate of Kentucky in 1954
Gloria Stuart (1910-2010), American actress known for receiving an Oscar nomination at the age of eighty-seven, making her the oldest person to be nominated for an Oscar
Alexander Hugh Holmes Stuart (1807-1891), American politician
James Stuart (1897-1971), 1st Viscount Stuart of Findhorn, Conservative Party politician and Secretary of State for Scotland
Alexander John Mackenzie Stuart (b. 1924), Scottish judge
Imogen Stuart (1927-2024), (née Werner), German-Irish sculptor
Mohammed "Dino" Stuart (1945-1946), Namibian politician, Member of the National Assembly of Namibia
Christopher Elliot "Chris" Stuart (1949-2022), British journalist, songwriter and radio and television presenter and executive producer of the BBC Two quiz series Only Connect
... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Stuart family +

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. William Fancourt Stuart (1919-1941), Australian Writer from Tarra Valley, Victoria, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 14
Mr. James Richard Keith Stuart (1902-1941), Australian Stoker from Redfern, New South Wales, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 14

HMS Repulse

Mr. Alex Stuart, British Supply assistant, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 15

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Alexander Stuart, Scottish 1st Class Passenger from Glasgow, Scotland, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 16

USS Arizona

Mr. Jean M. Stuart, American Seaman First Class working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he survived the sinking 17

The Stuart Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Noblis est ira leonis
Motto Translation: The wrath of the lion is noble.

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fergusson
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-of-liverpool
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Amphitrite voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1833 with 99 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/amphitrite/1833
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html