Strickland is an English toponymic surname derived from the manor of Strickland in the historical county of Westmorland, now Cumbria, England, represented geographically by the modern villages of Great Strickland and Little Strickland. The surname dates as far back as the 12th century in Westmorland, and is also found at an early date in the Scottish counties of Ayrshire and Lanarkshire.

Etymology

The surname Strickland (early forms include Stirkeland) is derived from the place-name Stercaland, given to a manor in the former county of Westmorland near Penrith, Cumbria. The place-name is Old English, from stirc, styr(i}c or steorc bullock, and land, a piece of land or pasture.

History

The earliest known Strickland was a late-12th century landholder named Walter of Castlecarrock, who married Christian of Letheringham, an heiress to the landed estate that covered the area where the villages of Great Strickland and Little Strickland are now. After this marriage Walter became known as Walter de Strickland, spelt in various ways. When Sir William de Stirkeland (1242–1305) married Elizabeth Deincourt (or d'Eyncourt), Sizergh Castle became the seat of this Strickland gentry family. A descendant, Thomas Strykeland is said to have carried the banner of St. George at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. They also had a family chapel in the Kendal Parish Church (Holy Trinity), and both Kendal and Penrith have main roads called Stricklandgate (The 'gate' element is from Old Norse gata, street). Other local landmarks include Strickland Wood, Warton near Carnforth. They also gave their name to one of their properties, a settlement that first appeared on the west side of present-day Kendal with a motte-and-bailey fortification on it that became known as Kirkbie Strickland (Kirkbie is from Old Norse Kirkju, church, and by, village. ). A Strickland gentry family seated at Gilsland was granted a coat of arms blazoned: Sable, three escallops argent, meaning "three white scallops on a black field".

List of persons with the surname Strickland