STOTESBURY is a family name derived from the name of an Anglo-Saxon Stotberie community mentioned in the 1086 Doomsday Book but presumably considerably more ancient in origin. One supposed derivation of this name is Cattle and Fish Rearing Area from the Anglo-Saxon Stote meaning Young Cow and Berie meaning Egg which does seem to fit the location of the now almost vanished village in Northamptonshire, England (Ordnance Survey co-ordinates 569441).

DOOMSDAY 1086Hugh and Landric hold of Gilo 2 hides in STOTBERIE. There is land for 5 ploughs. In demesne there is 1 (plough) and 2 serfs, and (there are) 5 villeins and 3 borders, and 3 other men with 1 plough. Wood(land) 3 furlongs in lenght and 2 furlongs in breadth. It was worth 30 shillings, now (it is worth) 40 shillings. Lauric and Aloric hold (it).

Over the years the village has changed its name to Stuchbury and in this form has been shown on maps up to recent times (Stuttesbury in 1793) and is the current name of a farm and manor house. Signs of the original village site may still be seen around these buildings in the form of hillocks besides a rough track and ponds which may be the remains of the fish-ponds of the old settlement.

The family name has developed to a wide variety of spellings - Stotesbery, Stotesberry, Stokesbury, and others similar and from Stutchbury there are the variations Stuchbury, Stuchbery and so on. There are not so many people living in the United Kingdom with any variations of the name but considerable numbers in the United States and Australia and a sprinkling in Canada and elsewhere.