This interesting and unusual name has two possible origins, related but slightly different in meaning. The first is derived from the Old English pre 7th Century word "sticol", meaning "steep, rough, difficult" and would have been used as a topographical surname to distinguish someone who lived at or by such a locality. Later (1615), the word "stickle" was used to mean rough, bristly, stickle-haired and would have been used as a nickname for a person with such a head of hair or beard. The second, related source is from the Old English "stigol", a derivative of "stigan", to climb which would produce a topographical surname for someone who lived near a steep ascent or near a stile, Old English "stigel", from the same verb. Jasper Stickles married Margaret Moore at St. Giles Cripplegate, London on May 23rd 1585, and had a daughter Kathren christened there also on October 31st 1602. Thomas son of Thomas and Elizabeth Stickells was christened on March 22nd 1868, at St. Mary Whitechapel, Stepney, London. Stephen Stickell was christened on the December 3rd 1824 in Aldington, Kent. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Stikel, which was dated 1194, Curia Rolls of Suffolk, during the reign of King Richard 1, "The Lionheart", 1189 - 1199. 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.

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