The earliest use of Stonehewer as a surname appears in Cheshire
in the 14th century. It is recorded that several Stonehewer families
moved from Cheshire into Biddulph Staffordshire in the late 1400s. From
here they spread outwards, reaching Shropshire by 1570, Durham by 1655,
and Warwickshire around 1750. By the 19th century they had spread
throughout the central counties, with pockets in the West Country, London,
Norfolk, and elsewhere.
Wales
The registers of St Peter Carmarthen have a number of references to
Stonehewer, the earliest being to Hugh Stonehewer of Castlemartin
PEM, who married 28 October 1756. One Mary Stonehewer married there
on 29 March 1786, and a second on 16 October 1806.
Australia and New Zealand
Trevor Reeves, of Dunedin NZ has researched several Stonehewer families
who emigrated to the Antipodes.
Several members of a Stonyer family from Shropshire emigrated to New Zealand
in about 1863. John Richard Stonyer, born 1881 in Eastbourne, took his
family to Australia in the early 20th century. The earliest known reference in
Australia is in 1856, when Joseph Stanyer is listed in the Electoral Roll of Talbot, Victoria.
Canada
on 22 August 1832, Thomas Stanyer petitioned the governor of Upper Canada
for a grant of land. Thomas's eldest son, William Paul Stanyer was granted lands
in the district of Parry Sound, while another, Frederick, remained in Southern
Ontario, as did two daughters, Mary Jane and Inez. Three other daughters moved
on into the United States, but all married and lost the Stanyer name.
United States
The Stonehewer name is well-represented in the States, but we have no information
as to when the family moved there. The earliest known reference is to a Fred Stonehewer,
in the 1840 census of Ohio.
Malta
Alfred Stanyer was born 27 Nov 1891 in Smallthorne STS, but christened in
Vittoriosa, Malta. He married Giuseppa Deguara on 8 May 1916 in Porto Salvo Church,
Valetta. Their descendants still live in Malta.
