NameCensus.

UK surname

Stairs

An English surname derived from the word "stair" referring to an occupation of building or maintaining stairs.

In the 1881 census there were 87 people recorded with the Stairs surname, ranking it #21,334 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 149, ranked #23,844, down from #21,334 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Winslow, Tilsworth and Grandborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wellingborough, Medway and Aylesbury Vale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stairs is 162 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 71.3%.

1881 census count

87

Ranked #21,334

Modern count

149

2016, ranked #23,844

Peak year

2002

162 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stairs had 87 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,334 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016, ranked #23,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 144 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Stairs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stairs surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stairs 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 66 #21,617
1861 historical 99 #21,294
1881 historical 87 #21,334
1891 historical 121 #21,169
1901 historical 143 #18,570
1911 historical 144 #18,325
1997 modern 132 #22,821
1998 modern 134 #23,202
1999 modern 137 #23,083
2000 modern 152 #21,603
2001 modern 147 #21,756
2002 modern 162 #20,839
2003 modern 160 #20,789
2004 modern 155 #21,352
2005 modern 147 #22,057
2006 modern 140 #22,948
2007 modern 146 #22,596
2008 modern 142 #23,270
2009 modern 149 #23,031
2010 modern 145 #24,031
2011 modern 142 #24,182
2012 modern 148 #23,457
2013 modern 146 #24,107
2014 modern 151 #23,745
2015 modern 149 #23,817
2016 modern 149 #23,844

Geography

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Where Stairs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Winslow, Tilsworth, Grandborough, London parishes and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wellingborough, Medway, Aylesbury Vale, Elmbridge and Rushmoor. 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 Winslow Buckinghamshire
2 Tilsworth Bedfordshire
3 Grandborough Buckinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wellingborough 001 Wellingborough
2 Medway 025 Medway
3 Aylesbury Vale 004 Aylesbury Vale
4 Elmbridge 001 Elmbridge
5 Rushmoor 010 Rushmoor

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stairs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stairs

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Stairs, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Stairs surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Stairs household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Stairs is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Stairs is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Stairs falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Stairs is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Stairs

The surname "STAIRS" is believed to have originated in Scotland, with the earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is likely derived from an old Scottish word or place name related to stairs or a stairway, possibly referring to a person who lived near or worked with stairs.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Scottish Catholic Archives from 1587, which mentions a "John Stairs" from the parish of Leith, near Edinburgh. It's possible that this individual was involved in the construction or maintenance of staircases or worked in a profession related to stairs.

Another historical reference to the surname "STAIRS" comes from the Parish Records of St. Andrews, Fife, from the early 17th century, where a "Margaret Stairs" is mentioned in an entry dated 1612. This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of Scotland by that time.

In the 18th century, the surname appears in various records from the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Renfrewshire. One notable individual from this period was Robert Stairs (1720-1789), a Scottish merchant and landowner who owned estates in Ayrshire and Renfrewshire.

As the centuries progressed, the name began to appear in other parts of the British Isles and beyond, likely due to migration and immigration. One example is William Stairs (1789-1865), an English-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of Nova Scotia.

Another significant figure with the surname "STAIRS" was Sir Charles Stairs (1832-1919), a British diplomat and diplomat who served as the British Minister to Portugal and Brazil. He was born in Oxfordshire, England, but his family's roots can be traced back to Scotland.

In the 20th century, one notable individual with the surname "STAIRS" was Sir Patrick Stairs (1876-1955), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and philanthropist. He founded the Stairs Memorial Trust, which provided educational opportunities for underprivileged children in Nova Scotia.

While the surname "STAIRS" may not be as prevalent as some other Scottish surnames, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been carried by individuals of note in various fields, from business and politics to diplomacy and philanthropy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stairs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stairs 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. Buckinghamshire leads with 31 Stairs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 60.42x.

County Total Index
Buckinghamshire 31 60.42x
Bedfordshire 15 34.14x
Lanarkshire 12 4.37x
Dunbartonshire 8 35.07x
Middlesex 6 0.71x
Midlothian 4 3.52x
Hampshire 2 1.15x
Hertfordshire 2 3.42x
Stirlingshire 2 6.39x
Angus 1 1.27x
Berkshire 1 1.57x
Herefordshire 1 2.87x
Lancashire 1 0.10x
Yorkshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Winslow in Buckinghamshire leads with 15 Stairs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3125.00x.

Place Total Index
Winslow 15 3125.00x
Grandborough 14 15555.56x
Barony 11 15.84x
Tilsworth 11 15714.29x
Cumbernauld 5 400.00x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 8.75x
Old Kilpatrick 3 111.52x
Islington London 2 2.43x
Kilsyth 2 100.00x
Leighton Buzzard 2 105.82x
Little Gaddesden 2 1818.18x
St Marylebone London 2 4.41x
Andover 1 60.98x
Blackburn 1 3.73x
Dunstable 1 74.07x
Govan 1 1.47x
Hoggeston 1 2000.00x
Hughenden 1 192.31x
Kensington London 1 2.12x
Leominster 1 69.44x
Liff Benvie 1 8.38x
Milton 1 833.33x
Portsea 1 2.93x
Shoreditch London 1 2.72x
Thornton In Pocklington 1 2000.00x
Totternhoe 1 476.19x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 5
George 4
James 4
John 4
Albert 2
Charles 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Alfred 1
Amos 1
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Elijah 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Jacob 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Stairs households.

FAQ

Stairs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stairs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 87 people were recorded with the Stairs surname. That placed it at #21,334 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stairs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016. That gives Stairs a modern rank of #23,844.

What does the Stairs surname mean?

An English surname derived from the word "stair" referring to an occupation of building or maintaining stairs.

What does the Stairs map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Stairs 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.