NameCensus.

UK surname

Steen

A Dutch and Scandinavian surname derived from the word "stein," meaning "stone" or "rock."

In the 1881 census there were 585 people recorded with the Steen surname, ranking it #5,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,183, ranked #5,024, up from #5,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wrexham, Govan Combination and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wrexham, Isle of Wight and Wirral.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Steen is 1,211 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 102.2%.

1881 census count

585

Ranked #5,965

Modern count

1,183

2016, ranked #5,024

Peak year

1999

1,211 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Steen had 585 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,183 in 2016, ranked #5,024.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 873 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Steen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Steen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Steen 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 403 #6,004
1861 historical 405 #6,337
1881 historical 585 #5,965
1891 historical 765 #5,218
1901 historical 873 #5,251
1911 historical 629 #6,594
1997 modern 1,153 #4,876
1998 modern 1,159 #5,023
1999 modern 1,211 #4,890
2000 modern 1,182 #4,972
2001 modern 1,149 #4,993
2002 modern 1,164 #5,037
2003 modern 1,135 #5,044
2004 modern 1,111 #5,142
2005 modern 1,098 #5,132
2006 modern 1,100 #5,145
2007 modern 1,115 #5,125
2008 modern 1,129 #5,112
2009 modern 1,172 #5,043
2010 modern 1,207 #5,018
2011 modern 1,166 #5,108
2012 modern 1,141 #5,122
2013 modern 1,165 #5,119
2014 modern 1,189 #5,065
2015 modern 1,185 #5,026
2016 modern 1,183 #5,024

Geography

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Where Steens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wrexham, Govan Combination, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wrexham, Isle of Wight, Wirral, Bristol and Sandwell. 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 Wrexham Denbighshire
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wrexham 014 Wrexham
2 Isle of Wight 001 Isle of Wight
3 Wirral 007 Wirral
4 Bristol 022 Bristol, City of
5 Sandwell 005 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Steen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Steen

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Steen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Steen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Steen 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

Steen 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

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

Meaning and origin of Steen

The surname Steen originated in the Netherlands and northern Germany during the medieval period. It is derived from the Dutch and Low German words steen or sten, meaning "stone." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a prominent stone landmark or worked as a stonemason or quarryman.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Steen appears in the 13th-century Dutch manuscript "Codex Diplomaticus Neerlandicus," which mentions a person named Henricus Steen in 1275. The name is also found in various medieval records from the German states of Lower Saxony and Westphalia, often spelled as Sten or Stene.

In the 16th century, the Steen surname was well-established in the Netherlands, particularly in the provinces of North Holland and South Holland. Notable individuals from this time include Jan Steen (1626-1679), a renowned Dutch Golden Age painter known for his genre scenes depicting everyday life.

The name also gained a foothold in England, likely through Dutch immigrants or trade connections. One of the earliest recorded examples is Thomas Steen, who was born in England in 1548 and served as a member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Steen surname spread to other parts of Europe and the Americas, often associated with Dutch or German settlers. One notable figure was Englebert Steen (1768-1825), a Dutch-born American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Representative from New York.

Other historical figures bearing the Steen surname include:

1. Margrieta Steen (1567-1638), a Dutch businesswoman and one of the first female entrepreneurs in the Dutch East Indies. 2. Jan Willemsz Steen (1599-1672), a Dutch Golden Age painter and one of the leading genre painters of the Dutch Republic. 3. Frederick Steen (1789-1856), a Norwegian-American pioneer and one of the first settlers in the area now known as Stoughton, Wisconsin. 4. Ida Marie Steen (1867-1951), a Norwegian actress and theater director who was a prominent figure in the early years of the National Theatre in Oslo. 5. Willem Steen (1873-1935), a Dutch architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings in Amsterdam and The Hague.

The surname Steen has a rich history rooted in the medieval Netherlands and northern Germany, with connections to the Dutch Golden Age and the early settlement of the Americas. Its meaning is closely tied to the concept of stone, reflecting the diverse occupations and backgrounds of those who bore this name throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Steen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Steen 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. Lancashire leads with 117 Steens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.73x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 117 1.73x
Cheshire 80 6.36x
Renfrewshire 47 10.65x
Lanarkshire 42 2.28x
Ayrshire 33 7.74x
Staffordshire 29 1.51x
Denbighshire 24 11.15x
Warwickshire 22 1.53x
Angus 18 3.41x
Kent 18 0.93x
Midlothian 17 2.23x
Shropshire 14 2.84x
Middlesex 13 0.23x
Yorkshire 12 0.21x
Buteshire 10 28.97x
Derbyshire 8 0.90x
Surrey 8 0.29x
Caernarfonshire 7 3.04x
Flintshire 7 4.57x
Northumberland 6 0.71x
Argyllshire 5 3.15x
Essex 5 0.44x
Monmouthshire 5 1.21x
Channel Islands 4 2.37x
Lincolnshire 4 0.44x
Glamorgan 3 0.30x
Worcestershire 3 0.40x
Clackmannanshire 2 4.25x
Cumberland 2 0.41x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 2.43x
Leicestershire 2 0.32x
West Lothian 2 2.33x
Wigtownshire 2 2.64x
Brecknockshire 1 0.88x
Cornwall 1 0.16x
Devon 1 0.08x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.65x
Durham 1 0.06x
Isle of Man 1 0.95x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.13x
Perthshire 1 0.39x
Ross-shire 1 0.64x
Stirlingshire 1 0.48x
Sussex 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Abbey in Renfrewshire leads with 26 Steens recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.60x.

Place Total Index
Abbey 26 38.60x
Barony 18 3.86x
Liff Benvie 18 22.47x
Tranmere 17 36.78x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 15 103.73x
Govan 14 3.07x
West Bromwich 14 12.72x
Barrow In Furness 13 14.14x
Ellesmere 13 153.85x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 11 60.94x
Widnes 11 22.56x
Everton 10 4.64x
Glasgow 10 3.06x
Kilmory 10 198.81x
Salford 10 5.03x
Dalry 9 44.87x
Esclusham Below 9 452.26x
Kirkdale 9 7.91x
Middle Greenock 9 74.69x
Paisley Middle Church 9 35.02x
Coylton 8 132.23x
Deptford St Paul 8 5.34x
Gresford 8 390.24x
Liverpool 8 1.95x
Acton 7 20.96x
Aston 7 1.77x
Ayr 7 34.79x
Bangor 7 31.50x
Hoole 7 147.37x
Kilmarnock 7 13.80x
Nuneaton 7 42.07x
Ruabon 7 23.66x
Aldford 6 606.06x
Chatham 6 11.22x
Garston 6 30.08x
North Shields 6 35.48x
Worthenbury 6 689.66x
Altrincham 5 22.76x
Birkdale 5 29.24x
Birmingham 5 1.04x
Chowley 5 6250.00x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 1.63x
Kilmore Kilbride 5 49.65x
Llantillio Pertholey 5 207.47x
Manchester 5 1.64x
Monks Coppenhall 5 10.54x
Parr 5 20.68x
Stayley 5 34.79x
Toxteth Park 5 2.18x
Walsall Foreign 5 5.03x
Brightside Bierlow 4 3.61x
Chadderton 4 12.10x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 3.72x
Great Grimsby 4 6.92x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 3.49x
West Derby 4 2.02x
Wolverhampton 4 2.71x
Burnley 3 5.27x
Chester St John Baptist 3 13.27x
Chester St Oswald 3 13.18x
Clapham 3 4.21x
Holy Trinity 3 2.21x
Leyton Low 3 13.12x
Newbold Dunston 3 35.38x
Ripley 3 27.20x
St Owen 3 67.72x
Swansea Town 3 3.69x
Yardley 3 15.76x
Bromley 2 6.75x
Bushbury 2 57.97x
Clackmannan 2 22.50x
Kirkmabreck 2 55.40x
Newton 2 3.84x
North Meols 2 3.02x
Shocklach Church 2 377.36x
Sowerby In Halifax 2 10.83x
Stretford 2 5.38x
Thurlaston 2 192.31x
West Ham 2 0.81x
Westminster St John 2 2.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 31
Sarah 22
Elizabeth 21
Jane 11
Ann 9
Martha 9
Annie 7
Ellen 7
Eliza 6
Margaret 6
Alice 5
Florence 4
Fanny 3
Jessie 3
Kate 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Eleanor 2
Elisabeth 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Louisa 2
Naomi 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Agnus 1
Charlotte 1
Constance 1
Edith 1
Eline 1
Elizb. 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Ellin 1
Esther 1
Euphemin 1
Florance 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
Maggie 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 29
William 23
Thomas 17
James 15
Charles 12
George 10
Joseph 10
Samuel 6
Job 5
Thos. 4
David 3
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
Alexander 2
Alfred 2
Bernard 2
Isaac 2
K.V.De 2
Louis 2
Paul 2
Ralph 2
Saml. 2
Walter 2
Abraham 1
Benjamin 1
Chas.Robert 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Elizabeth 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Henrich 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
I. 1
J.V.D. 1
Jacob 1
Jesse 1
Michael 1
P.V.De 1
Peter 1
Pollie 1
Ralf 1
Robert 1
Tho. 1

FAQ

Steen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Steen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 585 people were recorded with the Steen surname. That placed it at #5,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Steen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,183 in 2016. That gives Steen a modern rank of #5,024.

What does the Steen surname mean?

A Dutch and Scandinavian surname derived from the word "stein," meaning "stone" or "rock."

What does the Steen map show?

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