(origin: Local) From the city of Stirling, the Gaelic name of which is Strila, by some supposed to signify "the place of strife," from Stri-thralla. A Mr. Stirling, who was minister of the barony church of Glasgow, during the war maintained against the insatiable ambition of Louis XIV., in that part of his prayer which related to public affairs, used to beseech the Lord that he would take the haughty tyrant of France, and shake him over the mouth of hell, "but good Lord," added the worthy man, "dinna let him fa' in." This curious prayer having been mentioned to Louis, he laughed heartily at this new and ingenious method of punishing ambition, and frequently afterward gave as a toast, "The good Scotch parson."

Arthur, William (1857) An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. New York: Sheldon, Blakeman. Public Domain.

STIRLING. From the town of Stirling, which gives name to the Scottish shire, anciently written Stryvelin. The family are of great antiquity, being deduced from Walter de Stryvelin, who appears as witness to a charter of Prince Henry, son of King David I., in the XII. century. Courthope's Debrett. Four baronetcies have been accorded to this family.

Lower, Mark A (1860) Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom. London: J.R. Smith. Public Domain.