Stringfellow
An English surname that likely began as a nickname or descriptive form, with a possible link to “strong fellow” rather than to string-making.
The #7,078 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 65,274 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is usually treated as an English nickname-style name built from Middle English elements meaning “strong” and “fellow,” giving the sense of “strong man” or “powerful companion.” Some older writers also wondered whether the first element could reflect a northern form related to “strung” or “strong,” but the overall idea is the same: a descriptive label for a person. The spelling has settled in the form Stringfellow, though early records may show variants such as Strengfellow.
History
The name is found in English records, especially in Yorkshire, and later appears in London and other places. Nineteenth- and early twentieth-century surname writers often grouped it with other nickname surnames like Goodfellow and Longfellow. One well-known bearer was the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Yorkshire family connection is noted by older sources, while the name was also carried by the American abolitionist and pro-slavery agitator John H. Stringfellow in the 19th century.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname books sometimes file Stringfellow alongside playful descriptive names like Goodfellow and Longfellow, even though its exact first element is a little uncertain.
From the historical record
“+ QX.fMaga = O.H.Magi] Cp. Stringfellow. STRONG ITHARM (Eng.)for Strong-in-thb- Arm : cp. Armstrong.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)