Strickland (surname)

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

 * Agnes Strickland (1796–1874), English historical writer and poet
 * Alice Harrell Strickland (1859–1947), American politician and activist, Georgia's first woman mayor
 * Amzie Strickland (1919–2006), American TV and radio actress
 * Audra Strickland (born 1974), American politician
 * Bill Strickland (born 1947), American community leader (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
 * Bonnie Strickland (born 1936), American psychologist
 * Brian Strickland (born 1983), American politician
 * Catharine Parr Traill (née Strickland; 1802–1899), early emigrant from England to Canada
 * Charles Strickland (disambiguation), several people
 * Cecily Strickland (born 1959), justice of the Federal Court of Canada
 * Claude Francis Strickland (1881–1962), British colonial administrator
 * David Strickland (1969–1999), American actor
 * Donald Strickland (born 1980), American football cornerback
 * Donna Strickland (born 1959), Canadian physicist, 2018 Nobel laureate
 * Earl Strickland (born 1961), American pool player
 * Edgar Harold Strickland (1889–1962), English entomologist
 * Sir Edward Strickland (1820–1889), British Army officer
 * Erick Strickland (born 1973), American basketball player
 * Gail Strickland (born 1947), American film/television actress
 * Gerald Strickland, 1st Baron Strickland (1861–1940), Maltese and British politician and peer
 * Sir George Strickland, 7th Baronet (1782–1874), aka Sir George Cholmley, Parliamentarian and lawyer
 * Glassie Strickland (1894–1966), Cook Islands missionary, businessman and politician
 * Hugh Edwin Strickland (1811–1853), British naturalist
 * Hunter Strickland (born 1988), American baseball player
 * Joey Strickland (fl. 1960s–2010s), U.S. Army colonel and Veterans Affairs Secretary for the state of Louisiana
 * Jim Strickland (disambiguation), several people
 * John Estmond Strickland (fl. 1970s–2000s), UK-born Chairman of The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
 * Joseph Strickland (born 1958), American prelate of the Catholic Church
 * Josh Strickland (born 1983), American singer/actor
 * KaDee Strickland (born 1975), American actress
 * Keith Strickland (born 1953), American musician
 * Larry C. Strickland (born 1955), American politician
 * Mabel Strickland (1899–1988), Anglo-Maltese journalist and politician
 * Marcus Strickland (born 1979), American jazz saxophonist
 * Margaret Strickland (judge) (born 1980), American judge
 * Margaret Strickland (writer) (c. 1880–1970), English writer for adults and children
 * Marilyn Strickland (born 1962), American politician
 * Mark Strickland (born 1970), American basketball player
 * Martha Strickland Clark (née Strickland; 1853–1935), American lawyer
 * Michael Strickland (disambiguation), several people
 * Obed F. Strickland (1833–1887), justice of the Supreme Court of the Utah Territory
 * Peter Strickland (British Army officer) (1869–1951), commanded the 1st Infantry Division during WWI
 * Peter Strickland (director) (fl. 1990s–2020s), British film director
 * Randolph Strickland (1823–1880), American politician
 * Robert Strickland (1600–1671), English landowner, politician and soldier
 * Rod Strickland (born 1966), American basketball coach and former professional basketball player
 * Roy C. Strickland (1942–2010), American politician/businessman
 * Sean Strickland (born 1991), American mixed martial artist, former UFC middleweight champion
 * Shirley Strickland (1925–2004), Australian athlete
 * Stan Strickland (fl. 1970s–2020s), American musician
 * Stephanie Strickland (born 1942), American poet
 * Swerve Strickland (born 1990), American professional wrestler as Isaiah "Swerve" Scott
 * Susanna Moodie (née Strickland; 1803–1885), UK-born Canadian author
 * Ted Strickland (born 1941), American politician
 * Terry A. D. Strickland (born 1992), American convicted murderer and fugitive
 * Thomas Strickland (Cavalier) (1621–1694), English politician and soldier
 * Tim Strickland (born 1977), Canadian Football League linebacker
 * Tom Strickland (born 1952), American lawyer and politician
 * Tony Strickland (born 1970), American politician
 * Walter Strickland (c. 1598–1671), English politician and diplomat
 * William Strickland (disambiguation), several people