Starrett
A surname most likely from a Scottish or northern English form of Storrie/Stewart-style name development, though the exact origin is not firmly established from these excerpts alone.
The #9,833 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 93,758 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The historical excerpts do not give a direct etymology for Starrett, but they show it alongside forms such as Starratt, Starry, and Stewart-related names, suggesting a name shaped by Scottish or northern English naming patterns. It may be a spelling variant that developed from a pet form, nickname form, or altered pronunciation of an older surname rather than from the word "star" itself. Because the available sources are only incidental mentions, the literal origin remains uncertain.
History
The name appears in the historical onomastic record in Scotland and nearby areas, and modern bearers are especially found in the United States, reflecting later migration. The variant spellings Starratt and Starrett seem to have been used interchangeably in older records. The surname is uncommon, which often points to a localized family line that later spread through emigration.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In the 1901 Scottish surname material, Starrett is listed among a cluster of similarly shaped names, a clue that it was part of a wider family of local spelling and pronunciation variants.
From the historical record
“Smythe. 494. Starrett. 91. Srr [Stewart]. Tagart.”
— Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland