NameCensus.

UK surname

Stanier

An occupational surname for someone who worked with tin or as a tinsmith.

In the 1881 census there were 366 people recorded with the Stanier surname, ranking it #8,490 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 633, ranked #8,357, up from #8,490 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Trentham, Wolstanton and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Staffordshire, Cheshire East and Herefordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stanier is 693 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.0%.

1881 census count

366

Ranked #8,490

Modern count

633

2016, ranked #8,357

Peak year

1998

693 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stanier had 366 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,490 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 633 in 2016, ranked #8,357.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 646 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Stanier surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stanier surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stanier 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 146 #13,157
1861 historical 154 #14,963
1881 historical 366 #8,490
1891 historical 356 #9,697
1901 historical 502 #8,032
1911 historical 646 #6,476
1997 modern 524 #8,989
1998 modern 693 #7,538
1999 modern 691 #7,594
2000 modern 688 #7,592
2001 modern 678 #7,544
2002 modern 683 #7,656
2003 modern 663 #7,718
2004 modern 661 #7,739
2005 modern 661 #7,679
2006 modern 660 #7,723
2007 modern 657 #7,798
2008 modern 659 #7,830
2009 modern 655 #8,019
2010 modern 677 #7,983
2011 modern 683 #7,840
2012 modern 644 #8,130
2013 modern 649 #8,230
2014 modern 646 #8,299
2015 modern 637 #8,326
2016 modern 633 #8,357

Geography

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Where Staniers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Trentham, Wolstanton, Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall and Oldswinford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Staffordshire, Cheshire East, Herefordshire and Cannock Chase. 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 Trentham Staffordshire
2 Wolstanton Staffordshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall Staffordshire
5 Oldswinford Worcestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Staffordshire 001 East Staffordshire
2 Cheshire East 024 Cheshire East
3 Cheshire East 012 Cheshire East
4 Herefordshire 018 Herefordshire, County of
5 Cannock Chase 008 Cannock Chase

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stanier

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stanier

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Stanier 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

Stanier 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

Stanier falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Stanier

The surname Stanier originated in England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "stæn", meaning stone or rock, and likely referred to someone who lived near a prominent stone landmark or worked as a stone mason.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Stanier is in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Richard le Staniere in Oxfordshire. The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 as Stanyere.

The Stanier family has a long history in Shropshire, where they were prominent landowners and gentry. The first recorded instance of the name in this area is in the Pipe Rolls of 1176, which mention a Walter Stanier.

In the 15th century, the Staniers were well-established in Whitchurch, Shropshire. Sir Thomas Stanier (c. 1460-1525) was a Member of Parliament for the borough and served as High Sheriff of Shropshire in 1509.

Another notable figure was Sir William Stanier (1508-1558), who was Lord Mayor of London in 1590. He was a wealthy merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers.

The name Stanier can also be found in various place names, such as Stanier Hall in Staffordshire and Stanier Farm in Shropshire, further attesting to its long-standing presence in these regions.

Among the many other individuals with the surname Stanier throughout history are John Stanier (1662-1689), an English churchman and academic who served as Warden of New College, Oxford, and Sir Nicholas Stanier (1632-1686), a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stanier families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stanier 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. Staffordshire leads with 212 Staniers recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.54x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 212 17.54x
Warwickshire 35 3.88x
Cheshire 32 4.05x
Shropshire 23 7.44x
Lancashire 20 0.47x
Kent 11 0.90x
Hampshire 9 1.23x
Middlesex 8 0.22x
Wiltshire 5 1.58x
Derbyshire 3 0.54x
Northumberland 3 0.56x
Worcestershire 2 0.43x
Angus 1 0.30x
Bedfordshire 1 0.54x
Norfolk 1 0.18x
Yorkshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolstanton in Staffordshire leads with 54 Staniers recorded in 1881 and an index of 147.14x.

Place Total Index
Wolstanton 54 147.14x
Birmingham 30 9.97x
Trentham 30 291.83x
Stone 17 109.96x
Dilhorne 16 796.02x
Leigh 11 1375.00x
Stoke Upon Trent 11 8.58x
Folkestone 8 33.77x
Houghton Middleton 8 2666.67x
Uppington 8 6666.67x
Wolstanton Chatterly 8 645.16x
Wolstanton Oldcott 8 182.65x
Handsworth 7 23.51x
Hodnet 7 289.26x
Keele 7 546.88x
Shrewsbury St Julian 7 91.50x
Wolstanton Chesterton 7 113.27x
Christchurch 6 37.71x
Salford 6 4.80x
Swynnerton 6 631.58x
Aston 5 2.01x
Biddulph 5 73.31x
Monks Coppenhall 5 16.77x
Swindon 5 20.36x
Bollin Fee 4 114.29x
Handforth 4 444.44x
Sandbach 4 59.35x
Alverstoke 3 11.30x
Audley 3 25.08x
Audley Talk O Th Hill 3 137.61x
Burslem 3 8.67x
Byker 3 11.39x
Church Lawton 3 297.03x
Derby St Werburgh 3 9.27x
Hackney London 3 1.49x
St George Hanover 3 6.42x
Alsager 2 101.52x
Christ Church Newgate 2 119.76x
Congleton 2 14.65x
Cranage 2 370.37x
Gayton 2 689.66x
Gillingham 2 7.94x
Heaton Norris 2 8.27x
Hopton Coton 2 116.96x
Madeley 2 66.45x
Stourbridge 2 16.63x
Stretford 2 8.56x
Arbroath 1 9.10x
Bushbury 1 46.08x
Caverswall 1 15.92x
Colwich 1 34.84x
Denton 1 10.63x
Draycott In Moors 1 200.00x
Hanbury 1 151.52x
Haworth 1 11.86x
Luton 1 3.12x
Lymm 1 17.42x
Madeley 1 8.82x
Maidstone 1 2.75x
Marthall Cum Warford 1 303.03x
Newcastle Under Lyme 1 4.68x
Newton In Northwich 1 41.49x
Norton In Moors 1 15.63x
Norwich St Augustine 1 45.05x
Old Withington 1 140.85x
Ollerton 1 285.71x
Prestwich 1 9.43x
Sandon 1 158.73x
Seighford 1 104.17x
Shavington Cum Gresty 1 76.34x
Whittington 1 40.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 29
William 20
Joseph 14
George 12
Charles 11
James 10
Thomas 10
Alfred 4
Frederick 4
Arthur 3
Elijah 3
Henry 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Albert 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Jonas 2
Peter 2
Philip 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Beville 1
Ebinezer 1
Eli 1
Emison 1
Enoch 1
Enock 1
Ephriham 1
Ephurim 1
F. 1
Ferdinand 1
H. 1
Herbert 1
Israel 1
Jacob 1
Jonah 1
Jos 1
Martin 1
Morris 1
Moses 1
No 1
Noah 1
Oliver 1
Percy 1
Ralph 1
Randle 1
Reuben 1
Zackheriah 1

FAQ

Stanier surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stanier surname in 1881?

In 1881, 366 people were recorded with the Stanier surname. That placed it at #8,490 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stanier surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 633 in 2016. That gives Stanier a modern rank of #8,357.

What does the Stanier surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who worked with tin or as a tinsmith.

What does the Stanier map show?

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