NameCensus.

UK surname

Stay

From the Anglo-Norman French word estai, meaning a prop or support.

In the 1881 census there were 160 people recorded with the Stay surname, ranking it #14,860 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 182, ranked #20,890, down from #14,860 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newchurch, Salisbury St Edmund and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Wight, Cotswold and Southwark.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stay is 262 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.8%.

1881 census count

160

Ranked #14,860

Modern count

182

2016, ranked #20,890

Peak year

1891

262 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stay had 160 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,860 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 182 in 2016, ranked #20,890.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 262 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Stay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stay surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stay 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 181 #11,256
1861 historical 252 #9,804
1881 historical 160 #14,860
1891 historical 262 #12,297
1901 historical 239 #13,489
1911 historical 259 #12,585
1997 modern 188 #18,324
1998 modern 196 #18,342
1999 modern 205 #17,960
2000 modern 198 #18,330
2001 modern 202 #17,834
2002 modern 213 #17,603
2003 modern 194 #18,463
2004 modern 197 #18,368
2005 modern 191 #18,707
2006 modern 188 #19,023
2007 modern 185 #19,402
2008 modern 185 #19,589
2009 modern 183 #20,135
2010 modern 190 #20,087
2011 modern 189 #19,997
2012 modern 185 #20,223
2013 modern 188 #20,352
2014 modern 190 #20,374
2015 modern 186 #20,576
2016 modern 182 #20,890

Geography

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Where Stays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newchurch, Salisbury St Edmund, London parishes, Brading and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Wight, Cotswold and Southwark. 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 Newchurch Hampshire
2 Salisbury St Edmund Wiltshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Brading Hampshire
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Wight 008 Isle of Wight
2 Isle of Wight 005 Isle of Wight
3 Isle of Wight 014 Isle of Wight
4 Cotswold 001 Cotswold
5 Southwark 003 Southwark

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stay

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stay

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Stay is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Stay is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Stay

The surname STAY is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "stæge," which referred to a path or steep ascent, suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a steep path or incline.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name STAY can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from the year 1195, where a person named William de la Staye is mentioned. This spelling variation, "de la Staye," likely indicates that the name was originally a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near a particular place.

In the 13th century, the name STAY appeared in various records across different regions of England. For example, in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, a person named Ralph de la Staye is listed. Similarly, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275 include a reference to a William de la Staye.

The name STAY may also have connections to certain place names in England. For instance, there is a village called Stayley in Cheshire, and it is possible that the surname STAY could have originated from this or a similar place name.

One notable individual with the surname STAY was Sir John Stay (c. 1490-1548), who served as the Speaker of the House of Commons during the reign of King Henry VIII. Another prominent figure was Sir John Stay (1654-1725), a British politician and member of Parliament for Canterbury during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

Other individuals with the STAY surname include:

1. William Stay (c. 1550-1620), an English Member of Parliament and landowner from Wiltshire. 2. Richard Stay (c. 1570-1635), a British clergyman and theologian who served as the Rector of Halstead in Essex. 3. Thomas Stay (1663-1737), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious treatises and sermons. 4. John Stay (1726-1801), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the 18th century. 5. Mary Stay (1790-1865), an English artist and painter known for her landscape and portrait works.

While the surname STAY has its roots in medieval England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, with bearers of the name found in various countries and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stay 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. Hampshire leads with 73 Stays recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.82x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 73 22.82x
Sussex 21 7.98x
Dorset 18 17.57x
Surrey 18 2.37x
Somerset 11 4.38x
Middlesex 6 0.38x
Wiltshire 5 3.62x
Kent 3 0.56x
Berwickshire 1 5.29x
Cheshire 1 0.29x
Derbyshire 1 0.41x
Durham 1 0.22x
Gloucestershire 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brading in Hampshire leads with 17 Stays recorded in 1881 and an index of 400.00x.

Place Total Index
Brading 17 400.00x
Portsea 13 20.74x
Christchurch 10 144.09x
Camberwell 9 9.03x
Stoughton 8 2424.24x
Carisbrooke 7 157.66x
Millbrook 7 86.85x
Whippingham 7 289.26x
Berkley 6 3529.41x
Sutton 6 109.09x
Up Marden 6 3333.33x
Binderton 5 10000.00x
Crewkerne 5 187.27x
Winterborne Houghton 5 3846.15x
East Orchard 4 3333.33x
Mile End Old Town 4 16.24x
Milton 4 500.00x
Salisbury St Edmund 4 180.18x
Woolland 4 6666.67x
Newport 3 172.41x
Gillingham 2 113.64x
Kinson 2 100.00x
Milford 2 215.05x
Newington 2 3.47x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 9.79x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.71x
Coldstream 1 72.99x
Derby All Sts 1 49.02x
Fontmell Magna 1 256.41x
Freshwater 1 68.49x
Grange Gillingham 1 416.67x
Hambledon 1 123.46x
Holdenhurst 1 11.92x
Little Sutton 1 217.39x
Petworth 1 63.69x
Plumstead 1 5.63x
Ryhope 1 31.06x
Sevenoaks 1 23.15x
South Malling 1 256.41x
St Helens 1 42.92x
St Pancras London 1 0.80x
Wilton 1 102.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Ellen 6
Emily 5
Sarah 5
Elizabeth 4
Emma 4
Ada 3
Alice 3
Florence 3
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Fanny 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Susan 2
Alberta 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Carrie 1
Catherine 1
Dora 1
Ethel 1
Ettie 1
Eva 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Jane 1
Janey 1
Jurlia 1
Kitty 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
Lydia 1
Mahalah 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Rose 1
Winefred 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Stay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 160 people were recorded with the Stay surname. That placed it at #14,860 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 182 in 2016. That gives Stay a modern rank of #20,890.

What does the Stay surname mean?

From the Anglo-Norman French word estai, meaning a prop or support.

What does the Stay map show?

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