Surname Starrett - Meaning and Origin

Starrett: What does the surname Starrett mean?

The surname Starrett is of Scottish origin, derived from the Old Norse name Styrr, which means "battle" and the Old English term "hard" meaning "brave or hardy." Hence, Starrett would mean "the brave or hardy in battle." It is believed to have originated from a powerful Scottish family in Ayrshire. An individual with the Starrett surname would likely have ancestors who exhibited strength and bravery, particularly in battle, thus earning the surname. This type of surname is known as a patronymic surname, meaning it was often based on the name or characteristics of a male ancestor. Please note that over time the spellings of many surnames have evolved, so there may be variations of the same surname with different meanings.

Starrett: Where does the name Starrett come from?

The last name Starrett is primarily found in the United States, England, and Ireland. In the United States, the highest population of individuals bearing the name Starrett is in the states of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Other states with significant populations include New York, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Vermont, and Kentucky.

The Starrett family originated from the county of Kent in England and it was first found in Cumbria and Northumberland where early records of the name can be found. In Ireland, the last name Starrett is especially popular in the area around Offaly, Sligo, Donegal, Laois, and Cavan.

In England, the name is especially common in Yorkshire, Cumbria, Durham, Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Warwickshire. In recent times, the last name Starrett has spread overseas to countries like Canada, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand.

The earliest recorded members of the Starrett family date back to the 11th century when the name first appeared in Lancashire records. During the 18th century, Starretts also began migrating to North America and many settled in the United States as farmers, craftsmen, or merchants during the colonial period.

Today, the last name Starrett is still quite common in the United States and Ireland and its popularity has slowly spread to other countries around the world, such as Canada, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand.

Variations of the surname Starrett

The surname Starrett is an English variant of the Old French and Middle English surname, Starr. The Starr surname is derived from the Middle English word “Star”, which refers to the English star-shaped mark, typically used to indicate quality.

Alternative variants and spellings of Starrett include: Starret, Starre, Starratt, Starratt, Starritt, Staret, Starette, Starrett, Starrit, Sterret, Sterrett, Strett, Stretton.

The surname Starrett is also found in several other countries. The Italian surname Starretti is found mainly in the northern cities of Italy, such as Milan and Venice. Another Italian variant is Starretto. In Spain, the variant Estarrez is found, while in France, the variant Starr is used.

In Scotland, variants of the surname include Starray, Starr, and Starrach. In Ireland, Starrett is commonly Anglicized to various forms including Sheffield, Sturroch, Sturrock, and Sharrock.

In America, the surname Starrett has been spelled in a variety of ways including Starrett, Starett, Starrett, and Starritt. Other American variants include Starred, Stared, and Stareador.

Famous people with the name Starrett

• Robert Starrett: American actor of the 1930s and 1940s, best known for his role in the 1941 movie The Shepherd of the Hills.
• Stan Starrett:American actor and radio producer, best known for his role in the 1945 drama God Is My Co-Pilot.
• Lynn Starrett: American Olympic diver and later artist, known for her silver medal win at the 1932 Olympic Games.
• Gene Starrett: American actor of westerns and war films, made appearances in films such as Stagecoach, 1939, and Sullivan's Travels, 1941.
• Gil Starrett: American writer known for his WWII era books, including his autobiographical "One Man's War", as well as work for Time-Life Books.
• Matthew Starrett: American television writer and producer, best known for his work on NYPD Blue, House, and Monk.
• John Starrett: Australian actor and television presenter, best known for his role on the soap opera Home and Away.
• Chris Starrett: American actor and stuntman, has appeared on films such as Heat and Catch Me If You Can.
• Anastasia Starrett: American voice actress, known for her role as Giggles in The Happy Tree Friends franchise.
• Iain Starrett: Scottish musician, best known for his post-punk/noise-rock band, The Jesus and Mary Chain.

Other surnames

Starre