Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Robinson Eliot S
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
03/15/2007		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
STERLING BANCORP [STL]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
650 FIFTH AVENUE, 4TH FLOOR		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Exec VP Sterling National Bank
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
03/19/2007
(Street)

NEW YORK, NY 10019		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 2,942
D
 
Common Stock 8,836
I
By 401(k)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Incentive Stock Option (right to buy) 02/12/2000(1) 02/12/2009 Common Stock 12,003 $ 8.69 D  
Incentive Stock Options (right to buy) 02/11/2001 02/11/2010 Common Stock 11,434 $ 6.94 D  
Incentive Stock Options (right to buy) 02/06/2003(2) 02/06/2012 Common Stock 14,175 $ 14.6 D  
Non-qualified Stock Options (right to buy) 12/19/2005(3) 03/22/2011 Common Stock 10,500 $ 26.94 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Robinson Eliot S
650 FIFTH AVENUE
4TH FLOOR
NEW YORK, NY 10019		       Exec VP Sterling National Bank  

Signatures

/s/ Robinson, Eliot S 03/19/2007
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Options became exercisable in two installments on the first anniversary of the grant, for a term of 10 years from date of grant (first exercisable date listed).
(2) Options became exercisable in three installments on the first anniversary of the grant, for a term of 10 years from date of grant (first exercisable date listed).
(3) On December 15, 2005 the Board of Directors voted to accelerate the vesting and exercisability of any outstanding unvested and unexercisable non-qualified stock options granted to officers on March 22, 2005 effective as of December 19, 2005; provided, however, that transfer of shares acquired by such exercise is restricted until the date that the option would have been exercisable prior to such change. Such restrictions on transfer will expire as to 10% of the grant on the first anniversary of the date of grant, an additional 15% of the grant on the second anniversary of the date of grant, an additional 25% of the grant on the third anniversary of the date of grant and the remaining 50% of the grant on the fourth anniversary of the grant.

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