NameCensus.

UK surname

Steels

An occupational surname for someone who worked with steel or iron.

In the 1881 census there were 355 people recorded with the Steels surname, ranking it #8,679 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 627, ranked #8,409, up from #8,679 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Doncaster and Peterborough St John the Baptist. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Peterborough, Hartlepool and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Steels is 721 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.6%.

1881 census count

355

Ranked #8,679

Modern count

627

2016, ranked #8,409

Peak year

1999

721 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Steels had 355 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,679 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 627 in 2016, ranked #8,409.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 643 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Steels surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Steels surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Steels 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 235 #9,206
1861 historical 259 #9,561
1881 historical 355 #8,679
1891 historical 597 #6,413
1901 historical 552 #7,515
1911 historical 643 #6,497
1997 modern 662 #7,571
1998 modern 709 #7,398
1999 modern 721 #7,354
2000 modern 671 #7,742
2001 modern 647 #7,824
2002 modern 674 #7,736
2003 modern 676 #7,608
2004 modern 676 #7,616
2005 modern 644 #7,827
2006 modern 643 #7,868
2007 modern 646 #7,901
2008 modern 661 #7,805
2009 modern 675 #7,861
2010 modern 675 #7,995
2011 modern 641 #8,241
2012 modern 646 #8,114
2013 modern 654 #8,182
2014 modern 643 #8,337
2015 modern 636 #8,338
2016 modern 627 #8,409

Geography

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Where Steels' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Doncaster, Peterborough St John the Baptist, Pocklington and Whittlesey St Mary and St Andrew, Standground (Stilton & Peterborough, Northamptonshire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Peterborough, Hartlepool and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Doncaster Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire
4 Pocklington Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Whittlesey St Mary and St Andrew, Standground (Stilton & Peterborough, Northamptonshire) Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Peterborough 019 Peterborough
2 Peterborough 013 Peterborough
3 Peterborough 017 Peterborough
4 Hartlepool 011 Hartlepool
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 018 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Steels

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Steels

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Steels 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

Steels 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

Steels falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Steels

The surname Steels has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "stæl," meaning "steel" or "made of steel." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who worked with steel or had a connection to the steel trade.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Steels can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Stelesworthe" or "Steel's farm." This indicates that the name was already in use as a surname or a place name by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the Steels family was likely based in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Northumberland, where the steel industry flourished due to the availability of iron ore and coal. Some notable individuals from this period include William Steels (c. 1280-1345), a landowner in Yorkshire, and Robert Steels (c. 1320-1390), a merchant in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Steels began to spread across other parts of England, with records showing variations such as Steele, Stele, and Steill. One prominent figure was Sir Richard Steele (1672-1729), an Irish writer, playwright, and co-founder of the Spectator magazine.

By the 18th and 19th centuries, the Steels surname had become well-established in various regions of the United Kingdom. Notable individuals from this period include Eliza Steele (1760-1838), a Scottish novelist, and John Henry Steele (1825-1890), a British painter and illustrator.

Other famous individuals with the Steels surname include Thomas Steele (1788-1848), an American politician and judge; Wilbur Daniel Steele (1886-1970), an American author and poet; and George Steele (1937-2017), an American professional wrestler known as "The Animal."

Throughout its history, the surname Steels has maintained its association with the steel industry, metalworking, and manufacturing. While the spelling may have varied over time, the name's origins can be traced back to the medieval period in northern England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Steels families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Steels 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 144 Steels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.20x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 144 4.20x
Northamptonshire 108 33.16x
Lincolnshire 44 7.95x
Middlesex 21 0.61x
Cambridgeshire 10 4.56x
Lancashire 8 0.19x
Nottinghamshire 8 1.71x
Essex 7 1.02x
Cheshire 2 0.26x
Devon 1 0.14x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.45x
Surrey 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Standground in Northamptonshire leads with 52 Steels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3333.33x.

Place Total Index
Standground 52 3333.33x
Eye 39 2500.00x
Pocklington 29 895.06x
Peterborough 11 46.65x
Selby 11 153.42x
Barlow 10 4000.00x
Hardwick 10 11111.11x
Willingham 10 1818.18x
Bromley London 9 11.81x
Openshaw 8 41.58x
Dogdyke 7 2800.00x
Sandal Magna 7 138.07x
West Ham 7 4.64x
Worksop 7 50.58x
Castleford 6 48.00x
Doncaster 6 23.93x
Laxton 6 2142.86x
Manningham 6 14.19x
St George In East 6 25.47x
Benniworth 5 1111.11x
Cottingham 5 67.57x
Kilpin 5 1250.00x
Wellingborough 5 30.53x
Armley 4 26.42x
Burton Salmon 4 1250.00x
Holy Trinity 4 4.85x
Howden 4 171.67x
March 4 54.50x
Micklefield 4 487.80x
Rossington 4 952.38x
Roundhay 4 416.67x
Barlings 3 545.45x
Bradford 3 3.61x
Cliff Cum Lund 3 394.74x
Limehouse London 3 7.89x
Sheffield 3 2.75x
Sherburn 3 106.38x
Thorney 3 122.95x
Wisbech St Peter 3 27.27x
Beverley St Mary 2 39.92x
Faxfleet 2 666.67x
Mile End New Town 2 42.28x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 2 29.41x
Apley 1 454.55x
Barnstaple 1 8.84x
Blyth 1 136.99x
Bourn 1 22.37x
Brightside Bierlow 1 1.49x
Camberwell 1 0.45x
Deeping St Nicholas 1 61.73x
Great Grimsby 1 2.85x
Hambleton 1 158.73x
Hensall 1 238.10x
Holbeach 1 16.21x
Howden Thorpe In 1 270.27x
Kelfield 1 243.90x
Kippax 1 33.11x
New Malton 1 24.39x
Newborough 1 120.48x
North Duffield 1 222.22x
Ramsey 1 18.18x
Saxelby With Ingleby 1 70.92x
Scothern 1 169.49x
Spitalfields London 1 3.84x
St Peterin Eastgate 1 58.48x
Sutton 1 25.58x
Sutton St Mary 1 19.08x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 30
William 20
George 19
Thomas 13
James 10
Joseph 10
Charles 8
Arthur 7
Robert 7
Alfred 6
Edward 4
Albert 3
Herbert 3
Stephen 3
Walter 3
Wm. 3
David 2
Edwin 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Geo. 2
Henry 2
Absalom 1
Amos 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Emanuel 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fredc. 1
Frederic 1
Harry 1
Hernest 1
Hugh 1
Jacob 1
Leonard 1
Mary 1
Mathew 1
Michael 1
Moses 1
Peter 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Sampson 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Wadkin 1

FAQ

Steels surname: questions and answers

How common was the Steels surname in 1881?

In 1881, 355 people were recorded with the Steels surname. That placed it at #8,679 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Steels surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 627 in 2016. That gives Steels a modern rank of #8,409.

What does the Steels surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who worked with steel or iron.

What does the Steels map show?

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