The name may be represented in our Wambey, though it is perhaps quite as likely to be from some Danish place-name in by, such as Wanby or Wandby. Wampen, however, if there is such a stem, might be placed to it.
STRANG, STRONG, STRANK, STRANGWARD, STRANGWICK, STRINGLE, STRINGFELLOW.
There are two A.S. forms, strang and streng, represented in the above. The only Anglo-Saxon names that I can find are a Stranglic dux in a charter of Ina, and a Streng, found in Strengeshô, "Streng's grave-mound." Stranglic is the A.S. stranglic, strong, and looks like a sobriquet which had superseded his original name. Streng might be the same as far as it is itself concerned, but there is an O.G. Strangulf (ulf, wolf) which, along with our own names Strangward and Strangwick, strongly suggests an ancient baptismal name, and a formation in accordance with the Teutonic system. The last name, Stringfellow, must have been a sobriquet,—it probably represents a mediæval Strengfelaw, and has been rather curiously corrupted, owing to the meaning of streng not being recognised.
STRAY, STRAW, STRETCH, STREEK, STRAIN, STRICKETT, STRAIGHT.
Closely allied to strang and streng are A.S. strac and strec, violent, powerful, brave, whence I take the above. The only ancient names to correspond are an O.G. Strago, ninth century, and Strocgo, eighth century. Strain and Straight represent respectively the forms Stragin and Stragget, formed with the endings in en and in et referred to in Chapter II.
STARK, STARKIE, STARR, STARCH, STURGE, STURGIN, STURGEON, STERICKER.
From the A.S. stearc, sterc, O.H.G. starah, starh, stiff, strong, I take the above. This form starc seems formed by metathesis from the above strac,—indeed, all the three forms, strang, strack, and stark, are etymologically very closely allied. This stem enters distinctly into the Teutonic system, but besides the simple form Stark, corresponding with O.G. Starco and Staracho, we have only Stericker, corresponding with an O.G. Starcher (her, warrior).
EAVESTAFF, LANGSTAFF, WAGSTAFF, HACKSTAFF, SHAKESTAFF, COSTIFF.
These names ending in staff might naturally be taken to have been sobriquets, to be classed along with Shakespear, Breakspear, and other names of the same kind. But as regards two of them at least, Hackstaff and Shakestaff, there may be something more to be said. There is an ending staf in Teutonic names, for which Grimm, referring to Gustaf, thinks of O.H.G. stab, A.S. staf, staff,—in the sense, as I should suppose, of baton, or staff of office. There are only discovered as yet two Old German names with this ending, Chustaff and Sigestab. The former, which seems to be from cunst or cust, science, learning, may be the original of the Swedish Gustaf, and possibly of Costiff, one of the curious names gathered by Mr. Lower. Corresponding with the O.G. Sigestab, we find an A.S. Sigistef, a moneyer of Coenwulf. And there is also a Hehstaf, witness to a charter (Thorpe, p. 69). Shakestaff, then, might be a not very difficult corruption of Sigestef (which in the form of Sicestaf would approach still nearer). And Hackstaff might represent the A.S. Hehstaf, in which the second h was no doubt strongly aspirated, and might be more like a hard c. I, however, only bring this forward as a possible explanation; there is quite as much to be said for the other view, unless other ancient names turn up.
NAGLE, NAIL, HARTNOLL, DARNELL, TUFFNELL, HORSENAIL, HOOFNAIL, ISNELL, BRAZNELL, COPPERNOLL.