NameCensus.

UK surname

Steere

A surname derived from a Middle English word meaning a guide or steerer.

In the 1881 census there were 238 people recorded with the Steere surname, ranking it #11,476 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 205, ranked #19,250, down from #11,476 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Abinger, Ockley, Wotton with Oakwood, Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst and Richmond. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Havant, Bexley and South Hams.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Steere is 260 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 13.9%.

1881 census count

238

Ranked #11,476

Modern count

205

2016, ranked #19,250

Peak year

2002

260 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Steere had 238 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,476 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 205 in 2016, ranked #19,250.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 245 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Steere surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Steere surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Steere 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 138 #13,745
1861 historical 92 #22,112
1881 historical 238 #11,476
1891 historical 200 #14,913
1901 historical 229 #13,894
1911 historical 245 #13,084
1997 modern 243 #15,556
1998 modern 248 #15,772
1999 modern 241 #16,179
2000 modern 251 #15,692
2001 modern 244 #15,753
2002 modern 260 #15,415
2003 modern 246 #15,769
2004 modern 227 #16,778
2005 modern 231 #16,529
2006 modern 237 #16,334
2007 modern 242 #16,296
2008 modern 238 #16,640
2009 modern 236 #17,103
2010 modern 244 #17,056
2011 modern 234 #17,383
2012 modern 216 #18,251
2013 modern 210 #18,932
2014 modern 212 #18,945
2015 modern 209 #19,018
2016 modern 205 #19,250

Geography

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Where Steeres are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Abinger, Ockley, Wotton with Oakwood, Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, Richmond, London parishes and Malborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Havant, Bexley, South Hams and Worthing. 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 Abinger, Ockley, Wotton with Oakwood Surrey
2 Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst Sussex
3 Richmond Surrey
4 London parishes London 3
5 Malborough Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Havant 008 Havant
2 Havant 007 Havant
3 Bexley 002 Bexley
4 South Hams 012 South Hams
5 Worthing 011 Worthing

Forenames

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First names often paired with Steere

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Steere

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

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Steere is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Steere is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Steere

The surname Steere is of English origin, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "stiora," meaning steersman or helmsman. This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who worked as a pilot or navigator on ships.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various medieval records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mentions a William le Stiere in Oxfordshire. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 also list a John Stiere in Somerset.

The name has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, including Stere, Steer, Steir, and Steyre. In some cases, it may have been derived from place names such as Steer in Northumberland or Steer Point in Somerset.

One notable historical figure bearing this surname was John Steere (c. 1590-1633), an English colonist who co-founded the settlement of Providence, Rhode Island, in 1636, alongside Roger Williams. He served as the town's first town clerk and deputy from Providence to the General Court of Massachusetts.

Another individual of significance was Sir Richard Steere (1672-1753), a British naval officer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Ipswich from 1722 to 1727.

In the realm of literature, Sarah Steere (1805-1858) was an American writer and poet from Rhode Island, known for her works such as "The Philosopher's Stone" and "The Indian Captive."

The name Steere has also been associated with notable figures in academia and science. Robert Steere (1859-1926) was an American ornithologist and zoologist who made significant contributions to the study of birds in the Philippines.

Another prominent individual was James John Steere (1817-1896), a British botanist and naturalist who collected plant specimens in various parts of the world, including South America and the Caribbean.

Throughout its history, the surname Steere has maintained a presence across various regions of England, as well as in parts of the United States, particularly in areas with strong English colonial influences.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Steere families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Steere 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. Surrey leads with 87 Steeres recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.89x.

County Total Index
Surrey 87 7.89x
Devon 44 9.34x
Sussex 44 11.53x
Kent 14 1.81x
Middlesex 9 0.40x
Yorkshire 9 0.40x
Gloucestershire 7 1.58x
Essex 4 0.90x
Glamorgan 3 0.76x
Berkshire 2 1.18x
Buckinghamshire 2 1.46x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.66x
Cornwall 1 0.39x
Hampshire 1 0.22x
Lincolnshire 1 0.28x
Somerset 1 0.27x
Staffordshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Richmond in Surrey leads with 18 Steeres recorded in 1881 and an index of 116.50x.

Place Total Index
Richmond 18 116.50x
Godalming 15 216.14x
Aveton Gifford 11 1617.65x
Churchstow 10 3448.28x
Bridlington 9 175.44x
East Stonehouse 9 96.98x
Bristol St George 7 34.10x
Deptford St Paul 7 11.75x
Malborough 7 374.33x
Nuthurst 7 1111.11x
Albury 6 594.06x
Banstead 6 200.67x
Cuckfield 6 155.84x
Leatherhead 6 217.39x
Pulborough 6 428.57x
Bermondsey 5 7.42x
Bow London 5 17.36x
Greenwich 5 13.88x
Guildford St Mary 5 367.65x
Brighton 4 5.20x
Dorking 4 54.05x
Subdeanery 4 138.41x
West Grinstead 4 347.83x
Worplesdon 4 300.75x
Wotton 4 740.74x
Clapham 3 10.60x
Leominster 3 243.90x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 8.27x
St Hilary 3 2727.27x
Stoke 3 57.69x
Stoke D Abernon 3 937.50x
Greenham 2 235.29x
Guildford Holy Trinity 2 95.24x
Kingsbridge 2 169.49x
Long Crendon 2 217.39x
Snenton 2 16.69x
West Chiltington 2 408.16x
Wisborough Green 2 156.25x
Woodford 2 39.53x
Alton 1 28.57x
Beckenham 1 9.91x
Bigbury 1 285.71x
Bodmin 1 23.58x
Croydon 1 1.63x
Dagenham 1 37.59x
Devonport 1 18.48x
Horley 1 54.05x
Keymer 1 37.17x
Kingsbury 1 169.49x
Kirdford 1 75.76x
Lewes All Sts 1 65.79x
Lewes St Ann 1 76.92x
Lewes St Michael 1 131.58x
Lewisham 1 2.43x
Paddington London 1 1.20x
Spilsby 1 86.96x
St George Hanover 1 3.39x
St Marylebone London 1 0.83x
Wandsworth 1 4.59x
West Ham 1 1.01x
Weston Super Mare 1 10.87x
Wigginton 1 153.85x
Wivelsfield 1 67.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 9
Emily 9
Ellen 7
Sarah 7
Annie 6
Jane 6
Alice 4
Eliza 4
Fanny 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Ann 2
Edith 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Janet 2
Kate 2
Rebecca 2
Ruth 2
Agnes 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Clara 1
Elennor 1
Elenor 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Ella 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Fideene 1
Flora 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Heneretta 1
Julia 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Rosina 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1
Virginia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
George 9
John 9
James 8
Alfred 6
Thomas 6
Albert 4
Charles 4
Harry 4
Henry 4
Walter 4
Eli 3
Lee 3
David 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Frederick 2
Joseph 2
Nehemiah 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Alfrd. 1
Benjamin 1
Christopher 1
Edfward 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredr. 1
Fredrick 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Mark 1
Ralph 1
Regniald 1
Sidney 1
Valentine 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Steere surname: questions and answers

How common was the Steere surname in 1881?

In 1881, 238 people were recorded with the Steere surname. That placed it at #11,476 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Steere surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 205 in 2016. That gives Steere a modern rank of #19,250.

What does the Steere surname mean?

A surname derived from a Middle English word meaning a guide or steerer.

What does the Steere map show?

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