NameCensus.

UK surname

Stead

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a landing place, wharf, or bank of a river.

In the 1881 census there were 6,126 people recorded with the Stead surname, ranking it #713 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,064, ranked #948, down from #713 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkheaton, Bradford and Leeds. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ryedale, Wakefield and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stead is 8,025 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.3%.

1881 census count

6,126

Ranked #713

Modern count

7,064

2016, ranked #948

Peak year

1911

8,025 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stead had 6,126 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #713 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,064 in 2016, ranked #948.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,025 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Stead surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stead surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stead 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 4,152 #689
1861 historical 4,376 #651
1881 historical 6,126 #713
1891 historical 6,895 #654
1901 historical 7,639 #705
1911 historical 8,025 #631
1997 modern 7,309 #881
1998 modern 7,416 #910
1999 modern 7,468 #911
2000 modern 7,409 #913
2001 modern 7,198 #917
2002 modern 7,285 #924
2003 modern 7,085 #928
2004 modern 7,103 #924
2005 modern 6,994 #926
2006 modern 7,013 #929
2007 modern 7,009 #933
2008 modern 7,094 #929
2009 modern 7,241 #932
2010 modern 7,372 #932
2011 modern 7,281 #931
2012 modern 7,112 #930
2013 modern 7,246 #931
2014 modern 7,263 #935
2015 modern 7,120 #943
2016 modern 7,064 #948

Geography

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Where Steads are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkheaton, Bradford and Leeds. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ryedale, Wakefield, Leeds and Hambleton. 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 Kirkheaton Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ryedale 002 Ryedale
2 Ryedale 008 Ryedale
3 Wakefield 021 Wakefield
4 Leeds 102 Leeds
5 Hambleton 004 Hambleton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stead

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stead

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Stead 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

Stead is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Stead 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 Stead is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Stead

The surname Stead originated in England, tracing its roots back to the Old English words "stede" and "stydd," which referred to a place or location. It was initially used as a topographic name, given to individuals who lived near a prominent landmark or geographical feature, such as a farm, village, or homestead.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Stede," indicating that it was derived from a place name. This entry suggests that the surname was already well-established by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name was commonly spelled as "Stede" or "Sted," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time. It was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire, where many of the earliest recorded bearers of the name resided.

Notable individuals with the surname Stead include Geoffrey Stead (1497-1573), a prominent English merchant and landowner who served as Lord Mayor of York in 1557. Another noteworthy figure was Christopher Stead (1701-1786), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Foundling Hospital.

In the literary world, William Thomas Stead (1849-1912) was a pioneering English journalist and editor who played a significant role in the development of investigative journalism. He is best remembered for his exposé of child prostitution in London, which led to the raising of the age of consent.

The name Stead has also been associated with places such as Stead in Lincolnshire and Stead in Lancashire, both of which likely contributed to the surname's origins and spread.

Other notable individuals with the surname Stead include Sir Richard Stead (1869-1943), a British businessman and philanthropist, and Christina Stead (1902-1983), an Australian novelist and writer known for her works exploring social and political themes.

Throughout its history, the surname Stead has maintained a strong presence in various parts of England, as well as in other English-speaking countries where its bearers have migrated and settled over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stead families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stead 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 4,367 Steads recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.38x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 4,367 7.38x
Lancashire 452 0.64x
Middlesex 181 0.30x
Kent 157 0.77x
Cheshire 96 0.73x
Surrey 86 0.30x
Durham 75 0.42x
Shropshire 61 1.18x
Herefordshire 58 2.37x
Lincolnshire 49 0.51x
Nottinghamshire 47 0.58x
Monmouthshire 45 1.04x
Derbyshire 37 0.40x
Suffolk 35 0.48x
Staffordshire 34 0.17x
Cambridgeshire 33 0.87x
Worcestershire 30 0.38x
Hampshire 29 0.24x
Northumberland 23 0.26x
Essex 20 0.17x
Somerset 20 0.21x
Lanarkshire 19 0.10x
Sussex 18 0.18x
Norfolk 17 0.19x
Warwickshire 14 0.09x
Cornwall 13 0.19x
Devon 11 0.09x
Northamptonshire 10 0.18x
Berkshire 9 0.20x
Gloucestershire 9 0.08x
Leicestershire 9 0.14x
Cumberland 8 0.16x
Glamorgan 8 0.08x
Bedfordshire 5 0.16x
Brecknockshire 5 0.42x
Fife 5 0.14x
Royal Navy 4 0.56x
Angus 3 0.05x
Channel Islands 3 0.17x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.25x
Denbighshire 2 0.09x
Hertfordshire 2 0.05x
Midlothian 2 0.03x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.11x
Wiltshire 2 0.04x
Ayrshire 1 0.02x
Isle of Man 1 0.09x
Merionethshire 1 0.09x
Radnorshire 1 0.21x
Renfrewshire 1 0.02x
Rutland 1 0.23x
Westmorland 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 409 Steads recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.23x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 409 12.23x
Bradford 159 11.09x
Wortley In Bramley 144 30.71x
Holbeck 133 33.91x
Horton In Bradford 128 13.84x
Cleckheaton 127 58.23x
Hunslet 121 13.11x
Horsforth 109 83.97x
Bramley In Bramley 86 37.94x
Dalton In Huddersfield 83 62.58x
Armley 80 30.64x
Mirfield 79 24.30x
Manningham 74 10.15x
Dewsbury 73 12.02x
Idle 71 25.86x
Huddersfield 64 7.42x
Drighlington 60 69.57x
Bowling 59 10.06x
North Bierley 57 17.83x
Heckmondwike 56 29.41x
Morley 56 18.19x
Liversedge 54 20.49x
Batley 48 8.53x
Gildersome 46 64.63x
Ramsgate 46 13.82x
Wakefield 46 10.12x
Kirkheaton 45 46.87x
Pudsey 44 13.90x
Halifax 42 4.83x
Manchester 41 1.29x
Headingley Cum Burley 37 9.71x
Islington London 36 0.62x
Gomersal 35 12.67x
West Ardsley 35 49.12x
Honley 34 32.81x
Northowram 34 8.19x
Tong 34 29.73x
Deptford St Paul 32 2.04x
Baildon 30 26.91x
Allerton 29 38.43x
Almondbury 29 10.13x
Nether Hallam 29 3.62x
Salford 29 1.39x
Shipley 29 9.44x
Oldham 27 1.18x
Ashton Under Lyne 26 1.68x
St Pancras London 25 0.52x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 24 11.85x
Crofton 24 164.16x
Histon 24 120.97x
Rothwell 24 20.07x
Soothill 24 11.22x
Clifford Cum Boston 23 43.20x
Farnley In Bramley 23 31.12x
Mexborough 23 19.57x
Barnsley 22 3.60x
Holy Trinity 22 1.54x
Pittington 22 44.01x
Shelf 22 38.90x
Stansfield 22 10.10x
Great Driffield 21 17.28x
Oulton Cum Woodlesford 21 43.71x
York St Mary 21 8.56x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 20 9.30x
Castleford 20 9.28x
Castleton 20 2.82x
Eccleshill 20 13.88x
Sharlston 20 51.49x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 20 7.27x
Newington 19 0.86x
North Meols 19 2.74x
Toxteth Park 19 0.79x
Calverley Cum Farsley 18 10.71x
Thorner 18 93.85x
Wistow 18 114.43x
Lambeth 17 0.33x
Keighley 16 2.54x
Rastrick 16 9.73x
Sandal Magna 16 18.27x
York St Lawrence 16 25.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 473
Sarah 257
Elizabeth 206
Ann 146
Hannah 137
Annie 118
Jane 117
Emma 104
Emily 86
Martha 82
Eliza 71
Alice 70
Ellen 59
Harriet 46
Ada 45
Clara 42
Margaret 39
Frances 37
Charlotte 36
Maria 35
Florence 34
Edith 33
Louisa 30
Fanny 27
Anne 25
Caroline 21
Amelia 19
Ruth 19
Susannah 19
Lucy 17
Agnes 16
Kate 16
Rebecca 16
Catherine 15
Amy 14
Isabella 14
Rachel 14
Betty 13
Esther 13
Lydia 13
Rose 11
Susan 11
Eleanor 10
Grace 10
Harriett 10
Lily 10
Matilda 10
Anna 9
Laura 9
Sophia 9

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 358
William 306
George 194
Thomas 177
James 164
Joseph 138
Charles 105
Arthur 84
Henry 79
Walter 76
Samuel 73
Harry 64
Robert 58
Albert 52
Richard 50
Alfred 46
Edwin 36
Edward 33
Herbert 32
Fred 25
Benjamin 23
Frank 23
Frederick 23
Tom 22
Joe 20
David 19
Ernest 18
Abraham 17
Sam 17
Wm. 16
Francis 15
Jonas 12
Matthew 12
Fredrick 11
Joshua 10
Geo. 9
Percy 9
Ben 8
Edmund 8
Isaac 8
Jonathan 8
Daniel 7
Mark 7
Peter 7
Chas. 6
Harold 6
Mathew 6
Thos. 6
Walker 6
Alexander 5

FAQ

Stead surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stead surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,126 people were recorded with the Stead surname. That placed it at #713 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stead surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,064 in 2016. That gives Stead a modern rank of #948.

What does the Stead surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a landing place, wharf, or bank of a river.

What does the Stead map show?

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