Surname Straywham - Meaning and Origin
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Straywham: What does the surname Straywham mean?
The last name Straywham is of English origin. It is a topographic surname, which means that it was typically given to a person who lived near a physical feature such as a body of water, which could have been a stream or a pond.
The original Old English form of the word "Straywham" was "Streaweham", and it is thought to derive from a combination of two words, “streaw", meaning “straw” or “hay”, and “ham”, meaning “homestead” or “village”. Therefore it is likely that the first person to bear the Straywham surname was someone who lived near an area where straw or hay was grown.
The Straywham surname is found in various parts of England, most notably Yorkshire and Lancashire. The earliest known record of the name dates back to 1272 in the Pipe Rolls of Kent, where a Robert de Straweham is mentioned.
Today, the Straywham surname is still common in England, and it has spread to other countries such as the United States. It is likely that the Straywham name has been retained thanks to its strong association with agriculture and farm-like residence in the region.
Order DNA origin analysisStraywham: Where does the name Straywham come from?
The last name Straywham is most likely of British origin and is thought to have come from a single family in the county of Kent during the Middle Ages. Today, the name is not unheard of but is rather uncommon. Straywham is not present in the top 1000 surnames in the United Kingdom, the United States or Australia and only appears on some minor education and health websites.
At the very least, it appears that the surname is not very widespread outside of its homeland of Kent, with the last name being practically unheard of Down Under. According to the 1881 census, at the time Straywham was one of the least common names in England, with only 40 households bearing the surname.
Moreover, Straywham was almost unheard of in Scotland and Wales in 1881. Likely this means that it has remained regionalised in its homeland, with the exception of one or two families emigrating abroad. DNA traces appear to suggest that there is a single common ancestor, with the present day descendants of Straywham having a remarkable amount of genetic similarities.
Unfortunately, the region of Kent is not particularly well known for exporting its surnames, and as such the surname Straywham seems to be rare virtually everywhere it is found today. That being said, as technology advances and genealogy becomes more mainstream, there may yet be a quirk of fate that sees the name become more widespread.
Variations of the surname Straywham
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Straywham are: Strayham, Strayam, Strowham, Strowhom and Strowam.
Straywham is believed to be derived from the Old English strow meaning ‘toss’ or ‘throw’, combined with ham which is an area of land around a settlement. The surname could therefore have been given to someone who lived near or on a scattered piece of land.
Today the surnames and variants are most commonly found in Scotland, but can also be found in other English-speaking countries, including the United States and Canada.
Alternative spellings for the surname Straywham could include Stratham or Stretham. Surnames of similar origin could include Strohm, Strawam, Straham, and Strawham. These surnames are also believed to originate from Old English words combined with ham.
The surname might also have some connections to religious names such as Strayer, derived from the Latin ‘Strayatus’ meaning ‘to draw away’. The surname Strayer could also have been derived from the Middle English ‘Strayer’ meaning ‘one who strays from the path’.
In Scotland, the name Straywham could have also derived from the Strathern family, from the old Gaelic Strath Ernan, meaning ‘valley of the Erne’. The stem of the name could have changed from Strath to Strathe and then to Stray, thus leading to the present surname Straywham.
All of the variants of the surname Straywham have been linked back to similar Old English roots. Though it is impossible to be certain about the exact origin of the name, it is clear that the surname has an interesting history.
Famous people with the name Straywham
- John Stracham (1778-1867): British Bishop of Norwich.
- Jim Strachan (born 1966): Scottish football manager and former player.
- Herbert Strayhorn (1904-1929): American drummer, pianist and composer.
- Nat Strayham (1871-1938): British-Australian industrialist and philanthropist.
- Bill Strathon (1897-1973): American actor, singer and radio personality.
- Douglas Strayhorn (1884-1937): American architect active in the Victor Valley of California.
- Leonard Strachan (1867-1939): English cricketer.
- Reginald Strachan (1873-1936): English-Australian cricketer.
- Arthur Strayham (1856-1930): American painter from Huntley, Montana.
- Chris Strachan (born 1952): Canadian hockey player.