NameCensus.

UK surname

Starling

A surname referring to someone who kept or resembled the bird of the same name.

In the 1881 census there were 2,194 people recorded with the Starling surname, ranking it #2,025 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,399, ranked #2,738, down from #2,025 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Isleham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk, South Cambridgeshire and East Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Starling is 2,930 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.3%.

1881 census count

2,194

Ranked #2,025

Modern count

2,399

2016, ranked #2,738

Peak year

1911

2,930 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Starling had 2,194 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,025 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,399 in 2016, ranked #2,738.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,930 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Starling surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Starling surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Starling 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 1,481 #1,935
1861 historical 1,094 #2,569
1881 historical 2,194 #2,025
1891 historical 2,340 #2,008
1901 historical 2,707 #2,052
1911 historical 2,930 #1,776
1997 modern 2,573 #2,467
1998 modern 2,621 #2,499
1999 modern 2,625 #2,512
2000 modern 2,588 #2,532
2001 modern 2,542 #2,525
2002 modern 2,575 #2,547
2003 modern 2,515 #2,553
2004 modern 2,479 #2,587
2005 modern 2,385 #2,644
2006 modern 2,381 #2,649
2007 modern 2,380 #2,674
2008 modern 2,396 #2,674
2009 modern 2,446 #2,690
2010 modern 2,505 #2,693
2011 modern 2,491 #2,676
2012 modern 2,437 #2,679
2013 modern 2,477 #2,690
2014 modern 2,484 #2,698
2015 modern 2,441 #2,710
2016 modern 2,399 #2,738

Geography

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Where Starlings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Isleham and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk, South Cambridgeshire, East Cambridgeshire, Wealden and North Norfolk. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Isleham Cambridgeshire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 007 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 South Cambridgeshire 015 South Cambridgeshire
3 East Cambridgeshire 006 East Cambridgeshire
4 Wealden 002 Wealden
5 North Norfolk 013 North Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Starling

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Starling

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Starling, 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 Starling surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Starling 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Starling is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Starling 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

Starling 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 Starling 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 Starling, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Starling

The surname Starling is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "starling" or "staerling," which refers to the small songbird known as the starling. This name likely originated as a nickname or descriptive name for someone who resembled the bird in some way, perhaps due to their appearance, behavior, or fondness for the bird.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Starling can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it is written as "Starling." This suggests that the name was already established by the 13th century in England.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various records, including the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, where it is written as "Starlynge." This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames during that time period.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Starling include William Starling (c. 1589-1628), an English clergyman and author who wrote a treatise on the Book of Revelation. Another early figure was Thomas Starling (c. 1617-1667), an English merchant and benefactor who founded a school in Bromley, Kent.

During the 17th century, the name Starling can be found in various parish records and historical documents. One notable example is Robert Starling (1630-1698), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Malmesbury.

In the 18th century, the surname gained prominence with individuals like Samuel Starling (1740-1805), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Freemasons' Hall.

Another noteworthy figure was Thomas Starling (1767-1826), an English agriculturist and author who wrote extensively on farming practices and was a proponent of the use of modern agricultural machinery.

As the centuries progressed, the Starling surname continued to be found throughout England, with various families and individuals contributing to various fields, including literature, science, and politics.

Overall, the surname Starling has a rich history rooted in the English language and culture, with its origins dating back to the 13th century and numerous individuals bearing the name making significant contributions throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Starling families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Starling 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. Norfolk leads with 493 Starlings recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.93x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 493 14.93x
Middlesex 381 1.77x
Essex 296 6.98x
Cambridgeshire 254 18.68x
Suffolk 117 4.47x
Surrey 110 1.05x
Kent 72 0.98x
Yorkshire 69 0.32x
Durham 61 0.96x
Warwickshire 47 0.87x
Worcestershire 43 1.53x
Lincolnshire 25 0.73x
Hertfordshire 19 1.28x
Hampshire 17 0.39x
Devon 16 0.36x
Nottinghamshire 15 0.52x
Sussex 14 0.39x
Berkshire 13 0.81x
Cheshire 13 0.27x
Northumberland 13 0.41x
Staffordshire 13 0.18x
Derbyshire 12 0.36x
Rutland 10 6.34x
Lancashire 9 0.04x
Huntingdonshire 7 1.64x
Cornwall 6 0.25x
Gloucestershire 6 0.14x
Royal Navy 6 2.35x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.39x
Herefordshire 5 0.57x
Northamptonshire 5 0.25x
Leicestershire 4 0.17x
Berwickshire 3 1.15x
Dorset 3 0.21x
Glamorgan 3 0.08x
Bedfordshire 2 0.18x
Cardiganshire 2 0.38x
Channel Islands 2 0.31x
Cumberland 2 0.11x
Somerset 2 0.06x
Ayrshire 1 0.06x
Denbighshire 1 0.12x
Fife 1 0.08x
Midlothian 1 0.03x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.15x
Roxburghshire 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 56 Starlings recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.69x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 56 2.69x
Isleham 42 336.54x
Great Yarmouth 41 14.99x
Heigham 33 18.62x
St Pancras London 33 1.91x
Bromley London 30 6.35x
Aston 28 1.88x
Cowlinge 28 560.00x
Hackney London 27 2.24x
Wood Ditton 27 237.47x
Kensington London 24 2.01x
Nazeing 24 440.37x
Norwich St Clement 24 62.71x
Shoreditch London 24 2.58x
Lambourne 23 365.08x
Plumstead 22 9.01x
Borough Green 20 673.40x
Swaffham 20 74.49x
Dovercourt 19 127.52x
Hampstead London 19 5.68x
Whittlesford 18 288.46x
Lambeth 17 0.91x
St Marylebone London 17 1.48x
Newington 16 2.02x
West Beckham 16 727.27x
West Ham 16 1.71x
Hornsey 15 5.52x
Stockton On Tees 15 4.87x
Tottenham 15 4.39x
Battersea 14 1.77x
Bow London 14 5.12x
Deptford St Paul 14 2.48x
Aylsham 13 66.16x
Birmingham 13 0.72x
Glemsford 13 70.77x
Holt 13 115.25x
Little Clacton 13 288.89x
Rastrick 13 22.00x
Saffron Walden 13 29.03x
Bushley 12 591.13x
Great Bromley 12 225.56x
Great Grimsby 11 5.05x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 11 11.10x
Linton 11 85.07x
Sprowston 11 75.50x
Thursford 11 458.33x
Ashley Cum Silverley 10 280.11x
Exning 10 75.76x
Littlebury 10 170.94x
Sunderland 10 8.86x
Thorpe Next Norwich 10 28.58x
Weasenham St Peter 10 507.61x
Worstead 10 176.68x
Barnsley 9 4.10x
Castle Camps 9 137.83x
Colchester Holy Trinity 9 95.74x
Colchester St Mary At 9 59.92x
Croydon 9 1.55x
Feltwell Feltwell Anchor 9 149.75x
Lewisham 9 2.30x
Paddington London 9 1.14x
West Wratting 9 206.90x
Westoe 9 2.49x
Wiggenhall St German 9 230.77x
Woolwich 9 3.33x
Wymondham 9 26.66x
Bessingham 8 800.00x
Bingham 8 65.04x
Bucklesham 8 338.98x
Burghfield 8 83.95x
Camberwell 8 0.58x
Hundon 8 122.70x
Kelling 8 512.82x
Langham 8 161.94x
Lowestoft 8 6.48x
Middlesbrough 8 2.89x
Oxborough 8 476.19x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 8 14.68x
St Andrewthe Less 8 5.15x
St George Hanover 8 2.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 104
Elizabeth 88
Sarah 83
Eliza 46
Emma 45
Ann 37
Alice 32
Emily 32
Ellen 31
Annie 29
Jane 27
Harriet 24
Hannah 23
Florence 20
Susan 19
Margaret 18
Kate 17
Martha 16
Charlotte 15
Edith 14
Louisa 12
Ada 11
Agnes 11
Fanny 11
Maria 11
Amelia 10
Gertrude 10
Susannah 10
Anna 9
Matilda 9
Sophia 9
Susanna 9
Caroline 8
Clara 8
Frances 8
Lucy 8
Catherine 7
Ethel 7
Helen 7
Julia 7
Rebecca 7
Anne 6
Elizth. 6
Esther 6
Jessie 5
Laura 5
Mabel 5
Minnie 5
Ruth 5
Maryann 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 149
John 125
George 81
James 62
Henry 50
Thomas 43
Robert 40
Charles 38
Joseph 35
Alfred 33
Frederick 31
Arthur 23
Edward 20
Walter 19
Richard 18
Samuel 14
Harry 13
Albert 10
Ernest 10
Stephen 10
Benjamin 9
Frank 9
Herbert 9
Edmund 8
David 7
Edwin 5
Peter 5
Edgar 4
Isaac 4
Percy 4
Sidney 4
Alexander 3
Christopher 3
Francis 3
Fred 3
Frederic 3
Fredk. 3
Harold 3
Michael 3
Philip 3
Wm. 3
Abraham 2
Alborough 2
Elijah 2
Horace 2
Infant 2
Jeremiah 2
Lewis 2
Sam 2
W. 2

FAQ

Starling surname: questions and answers

How common was the Starling surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,194 people were recorded with the Starling surname. That placed it at #2,025 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Starling surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,399 in 2016. That gives Starling a modern rank of #2,738.

What does the Starling surname mean?

A surname referring to someone who kept or resembled the bird of the same name.

What does the Starling map show?

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