This interesting locational surname of English origin is a dialectal variant of a number of places called Stretton or Stratton in England, deriving from the old English pre 7th Century "stroet" meaning "street" plus "tun" an "enclosure" or "settlement". The surname dates back to the mid 12th Century, (see below). Further recordings include one robert de Stretton (1230), "the Curia Regis Rolls", Nottinghamshire", and Hugh de Stretton (1327), "The Subsidy Rolls of Leicestershire", Variations in the idiom of the spelling include Stroton, Strotone, etc.. One Robert, son of Richard and Susan Stroton, was christened at St. Botolph, Bishopsgate, on February 4th 1638. Maria, daughter of Nicolai and Annae Stroton, was christened at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster, on November 15th 1674, and Edward, son of John and Sarah Strotton was christened at St. mary, Whitechapel, Stepney, on December 1st 1725. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Hervey de Strettona, which was dated 1165, "The County Pipe Rolls of Cheshire", during the reign of King Henry 11, "The Church Builder", 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.