NameCensus.

UK surname

Stealey

A locative surname originating in England, derived from a place name.

In the 1881 census there were 61 people recorded with the Stealey surname, ranking it #24,992 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 80, ranked #33,030, down from #24,992 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, The Vale of Glamorgan and Flintshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stealey is 110 in 2003. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.1%.

1881 census count

61

Ranked #24,992

Modern count

80

2016, ranked #33,030

Peak year

2003

110 bearers

Map years

2

1891 to 2006

Key insights

  • Stealey had 61 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,992 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 80 in 2016, ranked #33,030.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 103 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Stealey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stealey surname density by area, 2006 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stealey 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 67 #21,440
1861 historical 75 #24,238
1881 historical 61 #24,992
1891 historical 103 #23,558
1901 historical 76 #25,734
1911 historical 98 #22,959
1997 modern 91 #28,215
1998 modern 92 #28,680
1999 modern 101 #27,617
2000 modern 99 #27,845
2001 modern 95 #28,101
2002 modern 100 #27,944
2003 modern 110 #26,220
2004 modern 107 #26,899
2005 modern 97 #28,485
2006 modern 100 #28,283
2007 modern 96 #29,339
2008 modern 96 #29,654
2009 modern 102 #29,286
2010 modern 100 #30,225
2011 modern 94 #31,016
2012 modern 98 #30,612
2013 modern 90 #32,146
2014 modern 90 #32,309
2015 modern 84 #32,782
2016 modern 80 #33,030

Geography

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Where Stealeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington, London parishes, Manchester, Cardiff St John and St Mary and Holywell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, The Vale of Glamorgan and Flintshire. 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 Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington Shropshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
5 Holywell Flintshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 026 Shropshire
2 The Vale of Glamorgan 005 Vale of Glamorgan
3 Flintshire 004 Flintshire
4 Shropshire 030 Shropshire
5 Flintshire 005 Flintshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stealey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stealey

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Stealey is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Stealey is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Stealey falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Stealey

The surname Stealey is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from a place name, possibly from a town or village called "Stealey" or a similar spelling.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where a John de Stayley is mentioned. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place called "Stayley" or a similar variation.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various historical records with different spellings, such as "Steyley," "Staylie," and "Stayly." These variations likely reflect the inconsistencies in spelling during that time period.

The Stealey surname is also linked to the Old English word "stæl," meaning "steel," indicating that the name may have been associated with someone who worked with steel or lived near a steel-producing area.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir William Stealey, a knight who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War. He was recognized for his bravery and was granted land in Staffordshire.

In the 16th century, a Richard Stealey (1525-1587) was a prominent merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire. He is recorded as having donated funds to establish a grammar school in his hometown.

Another historical figure with the surname was John Stealey (1642-1712), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious texts and sermons.

In the 18th century, a William Stealey (1723-1793) was a noted architect and master builder in Yorkshire. He was responsible for designing and constructing several churches and notable buildings in the region.

The surname Stealey also has connections to various place names, such as Stayley in Cheshire, Staylittle in Powys, Wales, and Stayleybridge in Greater Manchester, all of which may have influenced the evolution of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stealey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stealey 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. Flintshire leads with 37 Stealeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 231.39x.

County Total Index
Flintshire 37 231.39x
Hertfordshire 10 24.39x
Lancashire 7 0.99x
Merionethshire 5 45.96x
Gloucestershire 2 1.71x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Halkin in Flintshire leads with 21 Stealeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7500.00x.

Place Total Index
Halkin 21 7500.00x
Holywell 14 696.52x
Hitchin 10 540.54x
Salford 5 24.08x
Towyn 5 735.29x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 18.21x
Holywell Bagillt Fawr 2 20000.00x
Hulme 1 6.78x
Newton In Makerfield 1 46.30x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 4
Mary 3
Ann 2
Anne 2
Eleanor 2
Elizabeth 2
Pheobe 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Blanche 1
Catherine 1
Ellen 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Miriam 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Stealey households.

FAQ

Stealey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stealey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 61 people were recorded with the Stealey surname. That placed it at #24,992 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stealey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 80 in 2016. That gives Stealey a modern rank of #33,030.

What does the Stealey surname mean?

A locative surname originating in England, derived from a place name.

What does the Stealey map show?

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