NameCensus.

UK surname

Stenhouse

From an estate associated with a prominent stone house.

In the 1881 census there were 1,240 people recorded with the Stenhouse surname, ranking it #3,272 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,549, ranked #3,995, down from #3,272 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Melrose, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ14, Markinch and Star and Clovenstone and Wester Hailes.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stenhouse is 1,566 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.9%.

1881 census count

1,240

Ranked #3,272

Modern count

1,549

2016, ranked #3,995

Peak year

2010

1,566 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stenhouse had 1,240 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,272 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,549 in 2016, ranked #3,995.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,450 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Stenhouse surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stenhouse surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stenhouse 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 697 #3,742
1861 historical 857 #3,230
1881 historical 1,240 #3,272
1891 historical 1,343 #3,243
1901 historical 1,450 #3,509
1911 historical 394 #9,394
1997 modern 1,420 #4,094
1998 modern 1,489 #4,080
1999 modern 1,509 #4,056
2000 modern 1,458 #4,156
2001 modern 1,439 #4,119
2002 modern 1,458 #4,160
2003 modern 1,454 #4,101
2004 modern 1,459 #4,090
2005 modern 1,472 #4,022
2006 modern 1,456 #4,064
2007 modern 1,450 #4,112
2008 modern 1,469 #4,097
2009 modern 1,503 #4,113
2010 modern 1,566 #4,036
2011 modern 1,549 #4,032
2012 modern 1,515 #4,048
2013 modern 1,543 #4,047
2014 modern 1,564 #4,015
2015 modern 1,537 #4,039
2016 modern 1,549 #3,995

Geography

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Where Stenhouses are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Melrose, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Stow and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ14, Markinch and Star, Clovenstone and Wester Hailes, Crieff South and Denholm and Hermitage. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Melrose Roxburgh
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Stow Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ14 East Lothian
2 Markinch and Star Fife
3 Clovenstone and Wester Hailes City of Edinburgh
4 Crieff South Perth and Kinross
5 Denholm and Hermitage Scottish Borders

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stenhouse

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stenhouse

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Stenhouse, 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 Stenhouse surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Stenhouse 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Stenhouse is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Stenhouse is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Stenhouse falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Stenhouse

The surname Stenhouse originated in Scotland, with records dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the lands of Stenhouse, a former estate situated near the town of Ecclesmachan in West Lothian.

The name Stenhouse is thought to derive from the Old English words "stan" meaning stone and "hus" meaning house, likely referring to a stone-built dwelling or fortification located on the estate. Early variations of the spelling included Stenhous, Stenhouse, and Stainhouse.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1369, which reference a John de Stenhouse. The Stenhouse family were prominent landowners in the area of Ecclesmachan and played a role in local affairs.

In the 16th century, a notable figure was Sir James Stenhouse of Stenhouse, who was knighted by King James VI of Scotland in 1590. He served as a member of the Scottish Parliament and was involved in various legal and administrative matters.

Another notable individual was William Stenhouse (1773-1825), a Scottish chemist and inventor who made significant contributions to the field of bleaching and textile manufacturing. He is credited with developing innovative techniques for bleaching fabrics using chlorine compounds.

In the literary world, Nicol Stenhouse (1805-1878) was a Scottish poet and writer known for his works celebrating the beauty of the Scottish landscape and rural life. He published several collections of poems and wrote extensively about his native Ayrshire.

Sir Robert Stenhouse (1862-1936) was a prominent Australian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives. He was involved in various industries, including mining and manufacturing, and played a significant role in the development of the city of Adelaide.

John Stenhouse (1809-1888) was a notable Scottish chemist who made important contributions to organic chemistry. He discovered several chemical compounds, including hexachloroethane and perchloric acid, and his research helped lay the foundations for the development of modern organic chemistry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stenhouse families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stenhouse 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. Midlothian leads with 271 Stenhouses recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.75x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 271 16.75x
Fife 237 33.15x
Lanarkshire 104 2.66x
Berwickshire 58 39.66x
East Lothian 58 36.26x
Selkirkshire 55 50.34x
Northumberland 52 2.89x
Roxburghshire 48 21.94x
Lancashire 40 0.28x
Middlesex 39 0.32x
Perthshire 32 5.90x
Clackmannanshire 31 31.08x
West Lothian 27 14.85x
Angus 23 2.06x
Stirlingshire 23 5.16x
Dunbartonshire 21 6.47x
Durham 20 0.56x
Ross-shire 16 4.82x
Renfrewshire 14 1.50x
Kincardineshire 9 6.12x
Inverness-shire 8 2.22x
Kinross-shire 6 19.65x
Surrey 6 0.10x
Yorkshire 6 0.05x
Lincolnshire 5 0.26x
Caithness 4 2.42x
Flintshire 3 0.92x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.18x
Ayrshire 2 0.22x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.41x
Essex 2 0.08x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.83x
Kent 2 0.05x
Royal Navy 2 1.39x
Sutherland 2 2.15x
Banffshire 1 0.40x
Cheshire 1 0.04x
Gloucestershire 1 0.04x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.57x
Somerset 1 0.05x
Staffordshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dunfermline in Fife leads with 103 Stenhouses recorded in 1881 and an index of 93.70x.

Place Total Index
Dunfermline 103 93.70x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 103 15.82x
Govan 44 4.56x
Melrose 29 105.45x
Dysart 28 58.16x
North Leith 26 34.73x
Bathgate 22 55.72x
Inverkeithing 22 204.27x
Dalgety 19 347.99x
Galashiels 18 44.57x
Dalkeith 17 53.26x
South Leith 16 8.79x
Todmorden Walsden 16 41.68x
Bothwell 15 14.16x
Crieff 15 74.40x
New Monkland 15 12.99x
Tillicoultry 14 63.09x
Melrose 13 68.75x
Stow 13 156.25x
Gateshead 12 4.46x
Humbie 12 318.30x
Yetholm 12 277.78x
West Greenock 11 6.55x
Berwick Upon Tweed 10 26.27x
Cardross 10 25.66x
Clackmannan 10 53.05x
Heriot 10 561.80x
Kirkden 10 142.86x
Lasswade 10 27.03x
Legerwood 10 432.90x
Leslie 10 55.25x
Maryhill 10 13.08x
Slamannan 10 41.00x
Wemyss 10 33.06x
Athelstaneford 9 285.71x
Barony 9 0.91x
Cockpen 9 47.59x
Cramond 9 73.41x
Fetteresso 9 39.05x
Haddington 9 38.12x
Hampstead London 9 4.79x
Liberton 9 36.04x
Newcastle On Tyne St 9 9.66x
Tranent 9 41.65x
Tynemouth 9 9.35x
Abbotshall 8 29.95x
Cheetham 8 7.49x
Islington London 8 0.68x
Selkirk 8 25.99x
St Pancras London 8 0.82x
Whitsome 8 344.83x
Beath 7 30.99x
Cupar 7 22.52x
Dingwall 7 75.03x
Hawick 7 14.30x
Inverness 7 7.72x
Ladykirk 7 386.74x
Lauder 7 86.63x
Liff Benvie 7 4.12x
Stirling 7 12.46x
Tain 7 55.73x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 5.56x
Cadder 6 20.80x
Crichton 6 133.04x
Duddingston 6 18.47x
Dumbarton 6 13.28x
Edinburgh St Andrews 6 44.91x
Elswick 6 4.18x
Greenlaw 6 115.83x
Kinross 6 57.31x
Linton 6 263.16x
Markinch 6 24.72x
Seaham 6 45.80x
Didsbury 5 26.27x
Eccles 5 78.00x
Edinburgh St Georges 5 14.89x
Falkirk 5 4.80x
Newington 5 15.17x
Perth St Pauls 5 39.84x
Scoonie 5 32.30x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 12
Mary 10
Margaret 8
Jane 7
Agnes 5
Annie 5
Alice 4
Ann 3
Catherine 3
Eliza 3
Jessie 3
Sarah 3
Amelia 2
Eleanor 2
Helen 2
Isabella 2
Janet 2
Kate 2
Sophia 2
Ada 1
Alexandina 1
Amy 1
Barbara 1
Bertha 1
Christian 1
Christina 1
Elisabeth 1
Ellen 1
Elsie 1
Emily 1
Euphrania 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Johanna 1
Jona 1
Julia 1
Leah 1
Lousia 1
Lucy 1
Phillis 1
Roberta 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 16
William 15
James 11
Thomas 9
Andrew 5
George 3
David 2
Peter 2
A. 1
Adam 1
Alexander 1
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
Ernest 1
Frances 1
Frank 1
Geo.A. 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Joseph 1
Mathew 1
Mowbray 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1

FAQ

Stenhouse surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stenhouse surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,240 people were recorded with the Stenhouse surname. That placed it at #3,272 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stenhouse surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,549 in 2016. That gives Stenhouse a modern rank of #3,995.

What does the Stenhouse surname mean?

From an estate associated with a prominent stone house.

What does the Stenhouse map show?

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