Surname Storrs - Meaning and Origin

Storrs: What does the surname Storrs mean?

The surname Storrs is of English origin and is believed to be locational in nature, deriving from a place named Storrs in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. The meaning of Storrs in Old English is "young bulls” or possibly "steers.” It likely was first given to a family living in or near this location or possibly used to identify someone who had moved from Storrs to another area. It has multiple variants including Storr, Sturrs, Sturr, and others. It was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat from ancient times. In terms of famous people with this surname, Charles Storrs was an American businessman, philanthropist, abolitionist, and one of the founders of Oberlin College.

Storrs: Where does the name Storrs come from?

The last name Storrs is currently most prevalent in the United States, where it ranks near the top 6,500 most common surnames within the population. It is most commonly found in states along the east coast such as Connecticut, Maine, and Rhode Island, as these states are known for having higher concentrations of people with English heritage. In addition to this, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia all have significant populations of individuals with the surname Storrs.

Outside of the US, Storrs is a fairly common surname in the UK. Here, Storrs is most commonly found in the region North Yorkshire, as it was traditionally a name associated with English nobility. Additionally, Storrs is somewhat widespread across Australia, albeit rarer than in the US and UK.

The origin of the name Storrs is contested, however it likely derives from the Olde German “Stor,” meaning “large” or “powerful.” Together, this could mean “powerful ruler” or, perhaps more likely, “powerful fortress” - an apt surname for a family that had once built and lived in a castle. Today, the Storrs are known for their mild-mannered nature, valuing self-respect and hard work. Consequently, Storrs is seen as a reliable and trustworthy name, making it an attractive choice for families with English roots.

Variations of the surname Storrs

The surname Storrs is thought to be of English origin, derived from the Old English ‘Storr’ meaning ‘brave man’. Variants of the name include Storr, Store, Storey, Storer, Storre, and Storie. The associated spellings may include Ströhr, Stöhr, Stoehr, and Stöhre.

In the UK, the name is found most commonly in the Eastern and North East regions, particularly in Yorkshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Lancashire. Notable bearers of the surname include Sir Richard Storrs (1537– 1634), an English politician, and Isidor Storrs (or Storr) (1778-1850), an American lawyer, congressman and philanthropist.

In the US, the surname is thought to have been brought over by German settlers in the mid-1700s. Variations of the name include Stower, Stouer, and Stowers. The name was most common in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Maryland and Ohio. Notable people who bear the name in the US include the naturalist Seth Storrs (1796-1860) from New Hampshire, and Major Edmund Storrs (1811-1877) from Connecticut.

There are also numerous variant spellings of this surname found across the world, such as Stohr, stoer, storey, and stoerre in Germany, Stohr in Norway, and Schröer in Sweden.

Famous people with the name Storrs

• George Storrs (1796–1879), early leader of the Seventh Day Adventist movement
• Mike Storrs, American football player
• Doug Storrs, Canadian actor
• Dave Storrs, American basketball coach
• Michael Storrs, English chess grandmaster
• Nathan Storrs, gunmaker in colonial America
• Mary Katharine Storrs, first woman to receive a bachelor's degree in the United States
• Renée Elise Goldsberry, Tony Award-winning American actress, singer, and songwriter
• Alex Storrs, drag queen and pop singer
• Paul Storrs, American painter.

Other surnames

StorrStorreStorrer