Streader

Recorded in several spellings including Stredder, Streader, and Streder, this is an English surname. It is of topographical origin, and derives from the Old English pre 7th Century word "stredd" a form of the Roman Latin straet, and describing one who lived by a Roman road. Toponymics formed by the addition of "er" to some topographical term, for instance Bridger or Brooker, or indeed Stredder, are particularly popular in the county of Sussex and the neighbouring counties of Kent, Surrey, and Hampshire, but are less common elsewhere in the country. The meaning being "dweller by the bridge or brook, or possibly in some instances describing one who worked at such a place. The surname is well recorded in the early surviving church registers of the diocese of Greater London and examples from this source include; Gabriell Streder, who was christened on August 6th 1615, at St. Dunstan's in the East, Stepney; John and Elizabeth Streader, who were witnesses St. Andrew's church, Holborn, on February 17th 1699; whilst Thomas and Mary Stredder were witnesses on March 22nd 1747, at St. Olave church, Southwark. The first recording of the family in the church registers may be that of Thomas Streder, a christening witness, at South Bersted, in the county of Sussex, on December 18th 1606. This was during the reign of King James 1st of England and V1 of Scotland, 1603 - 1625. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.