NameCensus.

UK surname

Stanger

An occupational surname for someone who lived near or worked with poles or rods, likely a surveyor or builder.

In the 1881 census there were 753 people recorded with the Stanger surname, ranking it #4,900 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,031, ranked #5,666, down from #4,900 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Stromness. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Kirkwall, West Mainland and Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stanger is 1,084 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.9%.

1881 census count

753

Ranked #4,900

Modern count

1,031

2016, ranked #5,666

Peak year

2010

1,084 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stanger had 753 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,900 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,031 in 2016, ranked #5,666.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,079 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Stanger surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stanger surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stanger 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 521 #4,814
1861 historical 589 #4,487
1881 historical 753 #4,900
1891 historical 894 #4,606
1901 historical 1,079 #4,477
1911 historical 994 #4,564
1997 modern 983 #5,579
1998 modern 1,026 #5,561
1999 modern 1,030 #5,581
2000 modern 999 #5,693
2001 modern 985 #5,641
2002 modern 1,009 #5,650
2003 modern 955 #5,813
2004 modern 979 #5,697
2005 modern 988 #5,606
2006 modern 984 #5,626
2007 modern 1,012 #5,548
2008 modern 1,027 #5,527
2009 modern 1,048 #5,559
2010 modern 1,084 #5,508
2011 modern 1,033 #5,668
2012 modern 1,036 #5,572
2013 modern 1,054 #5,581
2014 modern 1,063 #5,577
2015 modern 1,039 #5,626
2016 modern 1,031 #5,666

Geography

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Where Stangers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Stromness, Birsay and Harray and Maidstone, Linton, Loddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Kirkwall, West Mainland, Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness, County Durham and Allerdale. 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 Gateshead Durham
3 Stromness Orkney
4 Birsay and Harray Orkney
5 Maidstone, Linton, Loddington Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Kirkwall Orkney Islands
2 West Mainland Orkney Islands
3 Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness Orkney Islands
4 County Durham 028 County Durham
5 Allerdale 012 Allerdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stanger

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stanger

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Stanger surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Stanger household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Stanger 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

Stanger is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Stanger falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Stanger 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 Stanger, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Stanger

The surname Stanger has its origins in the Middle English words 'strang' and 'strangere', derived from the Old French 'estrange' meaning foreign or alien. It is believed to have originated in England in the 13th century and was likely given as a descriptive name to someone who was perceived as a stranger or from a foreign land.

The earliest recorded example of the surname Stanger can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, where it is listed as 'Strangere'. This suggests that the name was already in use and established by this time. The Hundred Rolls were a series of administrative records compiled in England during the reign of King Edward I.

In the late 13th century, the surname Stanger appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297, where it was recorded as 'Strangere'. These rolls were tax records used to collect subsidies for the king's military campaigns.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Stanger was William Stanger, who was mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire in 1332. These rolls were tax records used to raise funds for the king's wars against France and Scotland.

In the 15th century, the surname Stanger appeared in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence between members of the Paston family in Norfolk, England. In a letter dated 1454, a John Stanger is mentioned as being involved in a legal dispute over land ownership.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Sir Nicholas Stanger, a Member of Parliament for Salisbury in the mid-16th century. He was born around 1520 and served as an MP during the reigns of Edward VI and Mary I.

During the 17th century, the surname Stanger was found in various parish records across England, including in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Somerset. One such record from 1635 in Gloucestershire mentions the baptism of a child named Thomas Stanger.

In the 18th century, the surname Stanger was also found in Scotland, where it is believed to have been introduced by English immigrants. One notable bearer was James Stanger, a Scottish philosopher and author born in 1720, who published works on moral philosophy and natural theology.

Throughout its history, the surname Stanger has been associated with various place names and locations, such as Stanger in Derbyshire, Stanger Hill in Oxfordshire, and Stanger Farm in Somerset. These places may have derived their names from early bearers of the Stanger surname who settled or owned land in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stanger families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stanger 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 110 Stangers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.51x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 110 1.51x
Orkney 101 124.81x
Kent 82 3.27x
Lincolnshire 62 5.27x
Northamptonshire 62 8.96x
Durham 54 2.47x
Middlesex 44 0.60x
Leicestershire 39 4.78x
Cumberland 26 4.11x
Northumberland 26 2.38x
Nottinghamshire 26 2.62x
Rutland 23 42.59x
Surrey 16 0.45x
Sussex 16 1.29x
Essex 11 0.76x
Lancashire 9 0.10x
Midlothian 7 0.71x
Staffordshire 7 0.28x
Norfolk 6 0.53x
Derbyshire 5 0.43x
Hertfordshire 5 0.99x
Lanarkshire 4 0.17x
Caithness 3 2.98x
Huntingdonshire 2 1.37x
Ayrshire 1 0.18x
Bedfordshire 1 0.26x
Dorset 1 0.21x
Gloucestershire 1 0.07x
Hampshire 1 0.07x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.43x
Ross-shire 1 0.50x
Warwickshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birsay Harray in Orkney leads with 60 Stangers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1022.15x.

Place Total Index
Birsay Harray 60 1022.15x
Stromness 26 428.34x
Leicester St Margaret 24 12.07x
Gateshead 17 10.38x
Wombwell 17 80.00x
Bishopwearmouth 15 7.99x
Peterborough 14 27.95x
Leeds 13 3.16x
Charlton 12 71.99x
Low Worsall 12 2400.00x
Newark Upon Trent 12 33.68x
Maidstone 11 14.72x
Castor 10 340.14x
Folkestone 10 20.54x
Islington London 10 1.40x
Seaton 10 1250.00x
Spalding 10 42.84x
St Michael Lincoln 10 313.48x
Bainton 9 2093.02x
Evie Rendall 9 263.16x
Flimby 9 168.22x
Great Easton 9 661.76x
Redcar 9 155.71x
Battersea 8 2.96x
Faceby 8 1818.18x
Hastings St Clement 8 68.55x
Kirby In Cleveland 8 1311.48x
Plumbland 8 487.80x
St Andrew Holborn 8 32.08x
Stamford St Michael 8 239.52x
Westoe 8 6.45x
Boxley 7 181.82x
Brighton 7 2.80x
Brightside Bierlow 7 4.90x
Byker 7 12.94x
Haydon 7 117.06x
Nottingham St Mary 7 2.73x
Aylesford 6 86.33x
Baston 6 307.69x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 6 17.67x
Stamford Baron St Martin 6 161.73x
Stranton 6 8.14x
Walthamstow 6 11.48x
Willesden 6 8.65x
Bisbrooke 5 746.27x
Bromley London 5 3.09x
Kirby Sigston 5 2000.00x
Market Deeping 5 163.93x
Newchurch 5 7.00x
Normanby In 5 25.67x
Rockingham 5 877.19x
St George In East 5 9.99x
St Mary Cray 5 104.17x
St Pancras London 5 0.84x
Stubton 5 1515.15x
Wateringbury 5 152.44x
Aldenham 4 86.77x
Brampton Bierlow 4 42.87x
Braunston 4 412.37x
Brompton In Scarborough 4 231.21x
Caistor 4 85.47x
Camberwell 4 0.85x
Corbridge 4 99.75x
Cranbrook 4 37.63x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 1.01x
Gretton 4 190.48x
Hawkhurst 4 51.28x
Houghton Le Spring 4 26.44x
Newcastle On Tyne St 4 7.05x
Nottingham St Nicholas 4 29.63x
Preston Under Soar 4 439.56x
Sevenoaks 4 19.66x
Southorpe 4 909.09x
Wakefield 4 7.15x
West Ham 4 1.25x
Whorlton 4 232.56x
Wigton 4 42.15x
Ewell Lydden 3 153.85x
Govan 3 0.51x
St Swithin Lincoln 3 16.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 48
Sarah 29
Jane 26
Elizabeth 19
Annie 17
Ann 13
Alice 12
Eliza 8
Emma 7
Fanny 7
Ellen 6
Emily 6
Catherine 5
Esther 5
Louisa 5
Margaret 5
Eleanor 4
Frances 4
Martha 4
Anne 3
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Florence 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Harriett 3
Jessie 3
Kate 3
Rebecca 3
Ada 2
Caroline 2
Grace 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Milicent 2
Minnie 2
Rose 2
Ruth 2
Susan 2
Bessie 1
Betsey 1
Bridget 1
Elenor 1
Elizbeth 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Hetty 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Thomasine 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 45
John 31
Thomas 29
George 23
James 22
Charles 12
Frederick 11
Joseph 11
Alfred 10
Robert 10
Henry 8
Arthur 7
Walter 6
Harry 5
Herbert 5
Albert 4
Edward 4
Francis 4
Matthew 4
Philip 4
Wm. 4
Ernest 3
David 2
Frank 2
Isaac 2
Tom 2
Alex. 1
Alexander 1
Alfd. 1
Arban 1
Archibald 1
Ashton 1
Daniel 1
Edwd.T. 1
Elionia 1
F.Thomas 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Hermann 1
Hy. 1
Jackson 1
Jas. 1
Josiah 1
Nathaniel 1
Nelson 1
Noel 1
Owen 1
Percy 1

FAQ

Stanger surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stanger surname in 1881?

In 1881, 753 people were recorded with the Stanger surname. That placed it at #4,900 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stanger surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,031 in 2016. That gives Stanger a modern rank of #5,666.

What does the Stanger surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who lived near or worked with poles or rods, likely a surveyor or builder.

What does the Stanger map show?

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