As a British family name, Stratford refers to the historic Stratford family, and is an Anglo-Saxon territorial name. The Stratford family have spawned numerous religious, cultural and political leaders, multiple Bishops, Arch-Bishops, Viscountcies, Baronies and an Earldom, and either gave their name to or took it from Stratford-upon-Avon in the 12th century. The people listed below do not necessarily belong to this family.
John de Stratford (c.1275 - 1348), Bishop of Winchester, Lord High Treasurer, Lord Chancellor, Archbishop of CanterburyRobert de Stratford (c.1292 – 9 April 1362), Chancellor of the Exchequer, Chancellor of the University of Oxford, Lord Chancellor, Archdeacon of Canterbury, Bishop of ChichesterHenry de Stratford Greater Clerk of the Royal Chancery under Edward IIIRalph de Stratford (c. 1300-1354), also known as Ralph Hatton of Stratford, Bishop of LondonThomas de Stratford (died June 12, 1396) Senior Proctor of Oxford University, Archdeacon of Gloucester, Prior of CaldwellAndrew de Stratford (died 1399), Bishop and landownerJohn Stratford (c.1582-c.1634) Merchant and entrepreneur, a significant grower of tobacco in the CotswoldsNicholas Stratford (1633–1707), Bishop of ChesterJohn Stratford, 1st Earl of Aldborough (c. 1691–1777)Edward Stratford, 2nd Earl of Aldborough (d. 1801)John Stratford, 3rd Earl of Aldborough (c. 1740–1823)Benjamin O'Neale Stratford, 4th Earl of Aldborough (d. 1833)Henry Stratford Persse (d. 1833), Irish writerStratford Canning, 1st Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe KG GCB PC (1786–1880), a diplomat and politician, best known as the longtime British Ambassador to the Ottoman EmpireWilliam Samuel Stratford (22 May 1789 – 29 March 1853), English astronomerAlfred Stratford (5 September 1853 – 2 May 1914), English national footballer and cricketerBrigadier-General Cecil Wingfield-Stratford CB, CMG (1853–1939) a British Army officer in the Royal Engineers and an English international footballerEsmé Cecil Wingfield-Stratford (1882–1971) an English historian, writer, mind-trainer, outdoorsman, patriot and ruralistSir William Stratford Dugdale, 2nd Baronet (born 1922), Aston Villa chairmanStratford Johns (22 September 1925 – 29 January 2002), English stage, film and television actorTony Banks, Baron Stratford (8 April 1942 – 8 January 2006), British Labour Party politicianThomas Joshua Stratford Dugdale FRSA (born 1974), British documentary film-makerBrice Stratford (born 1987), Shakespearean actor-managerBob Stratford (born 1950), Australian cricket player