NameCensus.

UK surname

Steiner

An occupational surname for someone who quarries or works with stone.

In the 1881 census there were 40 people recorded with the Steiner surname, ranking it #28,011 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 466, ranked #10,542, up from #28,011 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Willesden, London parishes and St James Clerkenwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnet, Cotswold and Mansfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Steiner is 477 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1065.0%.

1881 census count

40

Ranked #28,011

Modern count

466

2016, ranked #10,542

Peak year

2014

477 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Steiner had 40 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,011 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 466 in 2016, ranked #10,542.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 144 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Steiner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Steiner surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Steiner 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 11 #31,309
1861 historical 23 #31,039
1881 historical 40 #28,011
1891 historical 40 #31,174
1901 historical 108 #21,836
1911 historical 144 #18,325
1997 modern 389 #11,238
1998 modern 419 #10,992
1999 modern 424 #10,969
2000 modern 424 #10,919
2001 modern 412 #10,980
2002 modern 419 #11,059
2003 modern 441 #10,458
2004 modern 432 #10,658
2005 modern 412 #10,942
2006 modern 410 #11,015
2007 modern 428 #10,766
2008 modern 420 #11,033
2009 modern 444 #10,797
2010 modern 443 #11,046
2011 modern 439 #10,995
2012 modern 442 #10,812
2013 modern 469 #10,492
2014 modern 477 #10,444
2015 modern 469 #10,500
2016 modern 466 #10,542

Geography

Back to top

Where Steiners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Willesden, London parishes, St James Clerkenwell and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnet, Cotswold, Mansfield and Hackney. 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 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St James Clerkenwell London (Central Districts)
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnet 038 Barnet
2 Cotswold 003 Cotswold
3 Mansfield 013 Mansfield
4 Hackney 001 Hackney
5 Barnet 032 Barnet

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Steiner

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Steiner

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Steiner surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Steiner 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Steiner 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

Steiner 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

Steiner 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 Steiner 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Steiner

The surname Steiner originates from the German language and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "Stein," which means "stone." The name was likely first given to someone who lived near a prominent stone or rock formation, or perhaps worked as a stonemason or quarry worker.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Steiner name can be found in the Codex Traditionum Lunaelacensis, a medieval cartulary from the Benedictine monastery of Lunelau in Alsace, France, dating back to the 12th century. The document mentions a person named "Heinricus Steiner" in the year 1181.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various records across German-speaking regions, including the Codex Traditions Monasterii Sancti Pauli in Carinthia, Austria, which listed a "Chunradus Steiner" in 1240.

In England, the Steiner name can be traced back to the 16th century, with references to a "John Steiner" in the parish records of St. Dunstan's Church in Stepney, London, in 1578.

Notable individuals with the Steiner surname include:

1. Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), an Austrian philosopher and founder of the Anthroposophy movement. 2. Max Steiner (1888-1971), an Austrian-born American composer and conductor, known for his work in film scores. 3. George Steiner (1929-2020), a French-born American literary critic and philosopher. 4. Jakob Steiner (1796-1863), a Swiss mathematician and geometrician. 5. Ralph Steiner (1899-1986), an American photographer and filmmaker, known for his pioneering work in avant-garde cinema.

The Steiner surname has also been associated with various place names throughout history, such as Steinau an der Strasse in Hesse, Germany, and Steinerberg, a hill in the canton of Schaffhausen, Switzerland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Steiner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Steiner 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. Middlesex leads with 14 Steiners recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.59x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 14 3.59x
Surrey 12 6.31x
Ayrshire 3 10.28x
Midlothian 3 5.74x
Durham 2 1.72x
Yorkshire 2 0.52x
Buckinghamshire 1 4.24x
Cornwall 1 2.27x
Lancashire 1 0.22x
Shropshire 1 2.97x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bermondsey in Surrey leads with 5 Steiners recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.07x.

Place Total Index
Bermondsey 5 43.07x
Clerkenwell London 5 54.29x
Dalry 3 218.98x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 3 1000.00x
Esher 3 1111.11x
Bethnal Green London 2 11.81x
Lambeth 2 5.88x
Stoke Newington London 2 65.79x
Adderley 1 1666.67x
Clapham 1 20.49x
Darlington 1 22.32x
Eccleston In Prescot 1 43.10x
Hampstead London 1 16.47x
Heston 1 76.92x
Hooton Roberts 1 3333.33x
Horsendon 1 10000.00x
Inner Temple London 1 5000.00x
Leeds 1 4.58x
Shotton 1 344.83x
St Luke London 1 15.97x
St Michaels Mount 1 10000.00x
St Pancras London 1 3.19x
Wandsworth 1 26.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Charles 2
Joseph 2
Leon 2
Alfred 1
Bernhard 1
Chas. 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Henry 1
Hermann 1
Janatius 1
William 1

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 Steiner households.

FAQ

Steiner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Steiner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 40 people were recorded with the Steiner surname. That placed it at #28,011 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Steiner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 466 in 2016. That gives Steiner a modern rank of #10,542.

What does the Steiner surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who quarries or works with stone.

What does the Steiner map show?

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