NameCensus.

UK surname

Stables

A surname derived from the term for a stable or barn, likely denoting one's occupation or residence near stables.

In the 1881 census there were 1,148 people recorded with the Stables surname, ranking it #3,485 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,718, ranked #3,633, down from #3,485 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Edinburgh and Aberdeen and Old Machar. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley and Keith and Fife Keith.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stables is 1,823 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.7%.

1881 census count

1,148

Ranked #3,485

Modern count

1,718

2016, ranked #3,633

Peak year

2010

1,823 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stables had 1,148 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,485 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,718 in 2016, ranked #3,633.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,524 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Stables surname distribution map

The map shows where the Stables surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Stables surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Stables over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 722 #3,629
1861 historical 935 #2,963
1881 historical 1,148 #3,485
1891 historical 1,328 #3,276
1901 historical 1,524 #3,378
1911 historical 1,297 #3,676
1997 modern 1,724 #3,456
1998 modern 1,787 #3,468
1999 modern 1,764 #3,540
2000 modern 1,780 #3,495
2001 modern 1,746 #3,480
2002 modern 1,780 #3,499
2003 modern 1,750 #3,486
2004 modern 1,752 #3,482
2005 modern 1,776 #3,407
2006 modern 1,754 #3,451
2007 modern 1,776 #3,451
2008 modern 1,795 #3,445
2009 modern 1,817 #3,474
2010 modern 1,823 #3,527
2011 modern 1,800 #3,533
2012 modern 1,728 #3,595
2013 modern 1,774 #3,571
2014 modern 1,763 #3,600
2015 modern 1,734 #3,619
2016 modern 1,718 #3,633

Geography

Back to top

Where Stables' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Old Machar, Batley and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley and Keith and Fife Keith. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 3
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen
4 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 014 Barnsley
2 Barnsley 025 Barnsley
3 Keith and Fife Keith Moray
4 Barnsley 020 Barnsley
5 Barnsley 022 Barnsley

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Stables

These lists show first names that appear often with the Stables surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Stables

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Stables, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Stables surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Stables household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Stables is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Stables is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Stables falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Stables is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Stables, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Stables

The surname "STABLES" is an English habitational name derived from the Old English words "stal" meaning a place or area, and "byr" meaning a dwelling or shelter. It is believed to have originated in the early medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century, in areas of England where there were stables or outbuildings used for housing horses and livestock.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Stalebi" and "Stalebie", referring to settlements in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. These place names likely evolved into the modern surname over time.

In the 13th century, records show a Richard de Stabulis in Lincolnshire (1230-1285), suggesting the name's association with individuals who worked or resided near stables. The "de" prefix indicates a place of origin or residence.

During the 14th century, the surname appears in various forms such as "Stabbul", "Stabulle", and "Stabyll", reflecting the evolution of spelling and pronunciation. One notable figure from this period was John Stabyll (1320-1382), a prominent landowner in Hertfordshire.

By the 15th century, the spelling had largely standardized to "Stables". In 1487, a Richard Stables was recorded in the Court Rolls of Wakefield, Yorkshire. Another notable individual was Sir William Stables (1445-1504), a knight and landowner in Northumberland.

In the 16th century, the surname continued to be well-established in various parts of England. One example is Thomas Stables (1505-1567), a merchant and alderman in the City of London.

As the surname spread and evolved, it also gave rise to various place names such as Stables Green in Kent and Stables Farm in Warwickshire, further reinforcing its connection to rural areas and agricultural settings.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Stables families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stables surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 400 Stables' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.60x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 400 3.60x
Lancashire 195 1.47x
Aberdeenshire 95 9.16x
Banffshire 89 38.31x
Westmorland 69 28.04x
Middlesex 59 0.53x
Cumberland 53 5.50x
Surrey 28 0.51x
Midlothian 24 1.60x
Derbyshire 21 1.20x
Durham 20 0.60x
Lanarkshire 17 0.47x
Fife 7 1.06x
Berkshire 6 0.71x
Dunbartonshire 6 1.99x
Essex 6 0.27x
Morayshire 6 3.45x
Staffordshire 6 0.16x
Suffolk 5 0.37x
Monmouthshire 4 0.49x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.27x
Renfrewshire 4 0.46x
Warwickshire 4 0.14x
Worcestershire 4 0.27x
Hampshire 2 0.09x
Kent 2 0.05x
Nairnshire 2 5.85x
Norfolk 2 0.12x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.14x
Gloucestershire 1 0.05x
Inverness-shire 1 0.30x
Lincolnshire 1 0.06x
Ross-shire 1 0.33x
Shropshire 1 0.10x
Sussex 1 0.05x
Wiltshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keith in Banffshire leads with 47 Stables' recorded in 1881 and an index of 189.82x.

Place Total Index
Keith 47 189.82x
Dalton In Furness 30 58.49x
Barmbrough 29 714.29x
Wath On Dearne 28 126.47x
Aberdeen Old Machar 25 11.55x
Barrow In Furness 25 13.83x
Morley 25 43.34x
Urswick 25 507.10x
Brampton Bierlow 22 154.82x
Leeds 21 3.35x
Horsforth 19 78.09x
Ulverston 18 46.51x
Marnoch 17 136.33x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 16 2.65x
Kendal 16 35.52x
Cairney 15 248.34x
Camberwell 15 2.10x
Scalthwaiterigg 15 1200.00x
Troutbeck 15 877.19x
Barnsley 13 11.36x
Pudsey 13 21.92x
Tickhill 13 183.62x
Hackney London 12 1.91x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 11 5.67x
Huddersfield 11 6.80x
Hunslet 11 6.36x
Whitehaven 11 21.40x
Beighton 10 125.94x
Doncaster 10 12.34x
Gamrie 10 38.57x
Horton In Bradford 10 5.77x
Islington London 10 0.92x
Lancaster 10 12.65x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 9 22.33x
Bingley 9 12.74x
Kirkby Ireleth 9 135.75x
Langdale 9 320.28x
Pennington In Ulverston 9 136.16x
Bow London 8 5.61x
Brightside Bierlow 8 3.68x
Darfield 8 79.21x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 5.54x
Hooton Pagnell 8 714.29x
Arlecdon 7 27.30x
Armley 7 14.30x
Clapham 7 5.00x
Drumblade 7 190.74x
Keighley 7 5.92x
Little Bolton 7 4.10x
North Leith 7 10.08x
Sharples 7 48.58x
Sheffield 7 1.98x
West Broughton 7 155.90x
Barony 6 0.65x
Bootle 6 192.31x
Dalby Cum Skewsby 6 1176.47x
Hurst 6 54.55x
Insch 6 101.69x
Kirkcaldy 6 18.25x
Liverpool 6 0.74x
Martindale 6 1111.11x
St Andrews Lhanbryd 6 111.73x
St Benet Fink London 6 1224.49x
Ulpha 6 530.97x
West Ham 6 1.23x
Wolverhampton 6 2.06x
Wombwell 6 18.54x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 5 19.53x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 2.37x
Duffield 5 36.18x
Greencroft Langley 5 340.14x
Headingley Cum Burley 5 7.00x
Inverurie 5 42.63x
Millom 5 16.92x
Nether Hallam 5 3.33x
Newbottle 5 27.49x
Sandal Magna 5 30.47x
St Mary Le Strand 5 140.45x
Wakefield 5 5.87x
Wentworth 5 72.78x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Stables surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 62
Elizabeth 35
Sarah 31
Margaret 21
Annie 19
Hannah 18
Jane 18
Martha 14
Ann 13
Eliza 12
Agnes 10
Alice 9
Ellen 9
Emma 8
Harriet 8
Frances 7
Ada 5
Edith 5
Eleanor 5
Matilda 5
Betsy 4
Charlotte 4
Elizth. 4
Esther 4
Louisa 4
Lucy 4
Phoebe 4
Caroline 3
Emily 3
Florence 3
Isabella 3
Maria 3
A.E. 2
Amy 2
Beatrice 2
Bridget 2
Clara 2
Dora 2
Ethel 2
Harriett 2
Henrietta 2
Laura 2
Lilly 2
Lydia 2
Maggie 2
Millicent 2
Rachel 2
Tamer 2
Betty 1
E. 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Stables surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 72
John 60
James 30
George 27
Thomas 25
Henry 19
Joseph 19
Charles 13
Walter 11
Alfred 10
Edward 10
Matthew 9
Richard 9
Robert 9
David 7
Arthur 6
Benjamin 6
Samuel 6
Albert 5
Wm. 5
Frederick 4
Geo. 4
Isaac 4
Thos. 4
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Jackson 3
Sam 3
Daniel 2
Jno. 2
Jonathan 2
Kirk 2
Mary 2
Robt. 2
Seth 2
Tom 2
Wilson 2
Ashley 1
Barker 1
Donald 1
Earnest 1
Gibson 1
Gorvan 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Hebson 1
Lovat 1
Luke 1
Marshall 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Stables surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stables surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,148 people were recorded with the Stables surname. That placed it at #3,485 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stables surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,718 in 2016. That gives Stables a modern rank of #3,633.

What does the Stables surname mean?

A surname derived from the term for a stable or barn, likely denoting one's occupation or residence near stables.

What does the Stables map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Stables bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.