THE STURTIVANT AND STURTEVANT GENEALOGY WEBSITE

The spelling of the surname has varied considerably in the past, (see also the origins of the name) probably primarily when recorded for people who were illiterate, and there are many examples where more than one spelling has been used within the same document! It is important to remember this when researching!

In the UK, the spelling Sturtivant is generally used nowadays by the descendants of Francis Sturtevant/Sturtivant , who died in 1729 at Dunham in north Nottinghamshire and whose gravestone still survives there. The remainder are descended from his brother John who died at Norwell in 1731. Their mutual grandfather was William Sturtivant of Norwell Woodhouse who died in 1629/30 – his exact relationship to the remainder of the Norwell family has not yet been established. All the other Norwell branches are now defunct. These include the Calverton/Arnold branch which eventually used the spelling Stirtevant , and the Lincolnshire branch which often used the spellings Sturdivant and Sturdevant .

In the USA the spelling Sturtevant is the more common, although the US branch of the family is descended from:

Roger Startivant who sailed from England for Virginia in 1634. He was probably later in Barbados, also using the spelling Sturdivant .

Samuel Sturtevant arrived at Plymouth, Mass from England in 1643 (1642?). He signed as Samuell Sturtivant in his will! His family is also recorded with a daughter Ann Sturtivant , and the next generation has a Samuel Sturdevant recorded!