NameCensus.

UK surname

Stclair

A locational surname referring to someone from Saint-Clair in France or England, or a place with a similar name.

In the 1881 census there were 165 people recorded with the Stclair surname, ranking it #14,559 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 578, ranked #8,965, up from #14,559 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cardiff, Brighton and Hove and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stclair is 593 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 250.3%.

1881 census count

165

Ranked #14,559

Modern count

578

2016, ranked #8,965

Peak year

2014

593 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stclair had 165 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,559 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 578 in 2016, ranked #8,965.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 225 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Stclair surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stclair surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stclair 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 44 #25,328
1861 historical 79 #23,702
1881 historical 165 #14,559
1891 historical 174 #16,520
1901 historical 216 #14,426
1911 historical 225 #13,874
1997 modern 499 #9,315
1998 modern 517 #9,357
1999 modern 528 #9,260
2000 modern 523 #9,304
2001 modern 501 #9,448
2002 modern 530 #9,242
2003 modern 506 #9,404
2004 modern 506 #9,437
2005 modern 499 #9,457
2006 modern 505 #9,415
2007 modern 520 #9,284
2008 modern 539 #9,098
2009 modern 567 #8,959
2010 modern 590 #8,902
2011 modern 581 #8,908
2012 modern 579 #8,830
2013 modern 584 #8,911
2014 modern 593 #8,884
2015 modern 577 #8,985
2016 modern 578 #8,965

Geography

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Where Stclairs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch, Edinburgh and Lingfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cardiff, Brighton and Hove, Sheffield, Lewes and Oxford. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Lingfield Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cardiff 009 Cardiff
2 Brighton and Hove 014 Brighton and Hove
3 Sheffield 069 Sheffield
4 Lewes 002 Lewes
5 Oxford 017 Oxford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stclair

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stclair

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Stclair surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Stclair household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Stclair 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

Stclair is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Stclair falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Stclair is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Stclair

The surname STCLAIR is of Anglo-Norman origin, derived from the Old French "seint cler" meaning "holy brightness". It is believed to have originated as a locational name for someone who lived near a place dedicated to St. Clair, a 7th-century abbot of Normandy.

The earliest recorded instances of the name STCLAIR date back to the 11th century in Normandy, France. The name was later introduced to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066, and is found in various early records and manuscripts, including the Domesday Book of 1086.

In the 12th century, the STCLAIR family gained prominence in Scotland, where they held lands in Haddingtonshire (now East Lothian). One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir William STCLAIR, who accompanied King David I of Scotland on his crusade to the Holy Land in 1138.

Another notable figure was Sir Henry STCLAIR (c. 1270-1347), a Scottish nobleman and crusader who fought in the Crusades and was later appointed Chamberlain of the Royal Household by King Robert the Bruce. The STCLAIR family later became one of the most influential families in Scotland during the Middle Ages.

In England, the STCLAIR surname was also associated with several places, including St. Clere in Oxfordshire (from which the variant spelling "SINCLAIR" is derived) and St. Clair in Somerset. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name in England was Sir John STCLAIR (c. 1350-1419), a prominent military commander who served under King Henry IV and King Henry V during the Hundred Years' War.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the STCLAIR surname spread to other parts of Europe, including France and the Netherlands. Notable figures from this period include Desiderius Erasmus STCLAIR (1466-1536), a Dutch Renaissance humanist and scholar, and René STCLAIR (1598-1677), a French Jesuit missionary and explorer who was one of the first Europeans to map the Great Lakes region of North America.

Throughout history, the STCLAIR surname has been associated with numerous notable individuals across various fields, including literature, politics, and the arts. Some other prominent bearers of the name include Arthur STCLAIR (1737-1818), an American patriot and statesman who served as the third President of the Continental Congress, and Arthur STCLAIR (1884-1961), a British author and playwright best known for his mystery and crime novels.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stclair families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stclair 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. Middlesex leads with 48 Stclairs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.13x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 48 3.13x
Lancashire 15 0.83x
Surrey 14 1.88x
Cheshire 11 3.25x
Warwickshire 9 2.33x
Kent 8 1.53x
Fife 6 6.62x
Aberdeenshire 5 3.53x
Hampshire 4 1.27x
Lanarkshire 4 0.81x
Yorkshire 4 0.26x
Inverness-shire 3 6.56x
Sussex 3 1.16x
Channel Islands 2 4.41x
Derbyshire 2 0.83x
Essex 2 0.66x
Lincolnshire 2 0.82x
Midlothian 2 0.97x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.97x
Somerset 2 0.81x
Suffolk 2 1.07x
West Lothian 2 8.67x
Denbighshire 1 1.73x
Devon 1 0.31x
Dunbartonshire 1 2.43x
Leicestershire 1 0.59x
Royal Navy 1 5.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shoreditch London in Middlesex leads with 11 Stclairs recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.57x.

Place Total Index
Shoreditch London 11 16.57x
Edgbaston 8 66.83x
Birkenhead 7 25.97x
Kensington London 7 8.22x
Lingfield 7 482.76x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 5 18.84x
Forgan 5 287.36x
Layton With Warbreck 5 74.96x
Norwood 5 142.86x
St Pancras London 5 4.06x
Herne 4 173.16x
Hoole 4 312.50x
Plumstead 4 22.96x
St George Hanover Square 4 14.83x
Islington London 3 2.02x
Limehouse London 3 17.85x
Liverpool 3 2.72x
Portsea 3 4.88x
Shettleston 3 67.72x
Abercorn 2 434.78x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 13.86x
Cheam 2 250.00x
Chesterfield 2 22.25x
Everton 2 3.45x
Great Grimsby 2 12.87x
Hailsham 2 128.21x
Ipswich St Mathew 2 38.24x
Lambeth 2 1.50x
Mile End New Town London 2 66.01x
St Helier 2 13.54x
Strath 2 143.88x
Toxteth Park 2 3.25x
West Ham 2 3.00x
Ardwick 1 6.10x
Aston 1 0.94x
Barnsley 1 6.39x
Bedminster 1 4.32x
Bermondsey 1 2.19x
Bersham 1 40.49x
Branston 1 769.23x
Burnham 1 53.19x
Camberwell 1 1.02x
Chelsea London 1 2.17x
Chichester St Martin 1 769.23x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.77x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 23.47x
Exminster 1 86.96x
Govan 1 0.82x
Grays Inn Staple Inn 1 500.00x
Holdenhurst 1 12.15x
Holy Trinity 1 2.74x
Hornsey 1 5.16x
Horton In Bradford 1 4.22x
Lasswade 1 21.32x
New Kilpatrick 1 25.58x
Newington 1 1.77x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.87x
Royal Navy 1 6.41x
Seamer In Scarborough 1 204.08x
Sleat 1 91.74x
St Andrews 1 24.27x
St Marylebone London 1 1.22x
Westminster St John 1 5.36x
Westminster St Margaret 1 13.53x
Whitechapel London 1 6.63x
Wilford 1 172.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 6
Margaret 6
Ada 4
Mary 4
Annie 3
Agnes 2
Constance 2
Elizabeth 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Louisa 2
Sophia 2
(NK) 1
Alice 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
B.E. 1
Bella 1
Blanche 1
Cathe. 1
Catherine 1
Celenie 1
Charlotte 1
Chars. 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Elmira 1
Florence 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Helena 1
Ida 1
Jane 1
Juliet 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lena 1
Leonie 1
Leslie 1
Lilly 1
M. 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Rosabel 1
Ruth 1
Sophie 1
Susannah 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 7
James 5
John 4
Henry 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Archibald 2
Martin 2
William 2
(NK) 1
Adolphus 1
Arthur 1
Cassy 1
David 1
Edmond 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
F.B. 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
George 1
H.J. 1
Harry 1
Hubert 1
Jackson 1
Joseph 1
Louis 1
Michael 1
Norman 1
Oswald 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Sidney 1
Stuart 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Stclair surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stclair surname in 1881?

In 1881, 165 people were recorded with the Stclair surname. That placed it at #14,559 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stclair surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 578 in 2016. That gives Stclair a modern rank of #8,965.

What does the Stclair surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Saint-Clair in France or England, or a place with a similar name.

What does the Stclair map show?

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