NameCensus.

UK surname

Stent

A topographic surname referring to a person who lived on a rocky hill or projecting crag.

In the 1881 census there were 677 people recorded with the Stent surname, ranking it #5,320 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 782, ranked #7,053, down from #5,320 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley, Odiham and Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Neath Port Talbot and East Hampshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stent is 972 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.5%.

1881 census count

677

Ranked #5,320

Modern count

782

2016, ranked #7,053

Peak year

1911

972 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stent had 677 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,320 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 782 in 2016, ranked #7,053.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 972 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Stent surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stent surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stent 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 507 #4,933
1861 historical 462 #5,621
1881 historical 677 #5,320
1891 historical 760 #5,241
1901 historical 898 #5,154
1911 historical 972 #4,651
1997 modern 844 #6,279
1998 modern 882 #6,272
1999 modern 895 #6,227
2000 modern 881 #6,269
2001 modern 860 #6,285
2002 modern 882 #6,275
2003 modern 886 #6,161
2004 modern 861 #6,289
2005 modern 835 #6,383
2006 modern 815 #6,514
2007 modern 801 #6,679
2008 modern 793 #6,802
2009 modern 816 #6,775
2010 modern 822 #6,866
2011 modern 818 #6,820
2012 modern 795 #6,864
2013 modern 804 #6,924
2014 modern 810 #6,917
2015 modern 791 #7,000
2016 modern 782 #7,053

Geography

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Where Stents are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley, Odiham, Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, Woking and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Neath Port Talbot, East Hampshire, Winchester and South Somerset. 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 Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Odiham Hampshire
3 Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst Sussex
4 Woking Surrey
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 003 Doncaster
2 Neath Port Talbot 011 Neath Port Talbot
3 East Hampshire 003 East Hampshire
4 Winchester 002 Winchester
5 South Somerset 011 South Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stent

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stent

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Stent 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

Stent 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

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

Meaning and origin of Stent

The surname STENT is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "stent," which means a stretch of land or a boundary. This suggests that the name may have originally been a topographic surname, referring to someone who lived near a particular stretch of land or boundary.

The earliest known record of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195, where it was spelled "Stente." This indicates that the name was present in the East Midlands region of England during the medieval period.

In the 13th century, the name STENT can be found in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, where it appears as "Stente" in 1273. This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of England by this time.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname STENT was William Stent, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire in 1332. Another early bearer of the name was John Stent, who was mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379.

In the 16th century, the name STENT can be found in various parish records, such as the christening of Agnes Stent in St. Dunstan's, Stepney, London, in 1566. This indicates that the name had established itself in the capital city by this time.

Among the notable historical figures with the surname STENT were Sir William Stent (1607-1683), an English merchant and diplomat who served as the President of the East India Company in the 17th century, and Sir Alfred Stent (1841-1912), a British civil engineer and surveyor who worked on various railway projects in India and South Africa.

Other notable individuals with the surname STENT include William Stent (1807-1884), an English architect and surveyor who designed several churches and public buildings in London, and Walter Stent (1879-1951), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Somerset and Gloucestershire in the early 20th century.

In the 19th century, the name STENT can be found in various census records and directories, indicating its widespread presence across different regions of England and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stent families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stent 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 179 Stents recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.60x.

County Total Index
Surrey 179 5.60x
Middlesex 144 2.20x
Hampshire 112 8.34x
Sussex 68 6.15x
Kent 61 2.73x
Somerset 27 2.56x
Warwickshire 24 1.45x
Essex 18 1.39x
Lancashire 18 0.23x
Dorset 5 1.16x
Wiltshire 5 0.86x
Cumberland 4 0.71x
Berkshire 2 0.41x
Flintshire 2 1.14x
Devon 1 0.07x
Northamptonshire 1 0.16x
Yorkshire 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. Hillingdon in Middlesex leads with 25 Stents recorded in 1881 and an index of 119.62x.

Place Total Index
Hillingdon 25 119.62x
Kingston On Thames 24 31.28x
Woking 24 124.68x
Westbourne 23 418.18x
Odiham 20 338.98x
Aston 19 4.17x
Godalming 19 94.48x
Greenwich 18 17.25x
Portsea 18 6.84x
Islington London 16 2.52x
Broadwater 15 59.17x
Frome 15 59.43x
Ickenham 15 1666.67x
Camberwell 14 3.34x
Aldershot 12 26.66x
Stoke 12 79.63x
Wandsworth 10 15.85x
Bermondsey 9 4.61x
Deptford St Paul 9 5.22x
Lewisham 9 7.55x
Millbrook 9 26.60x
Worthing 9 737.70x
Canterbury All Sts 8 987.65x
Kensington London 8 2.20x
Ash Normandy 7 161.29x
Chigwell 7 57.33x
Froyle 7 409.36x
Hornsey 7 8.44x
Rainford 7 83.23x
Reigate Foreign 7 20.24x
St Marylebone London 7 2.00x
West Derby 7 3.08x
Bentley 6 379.75x
Canterbury Holy Cross 6 277.78x
Croydon 6 3.38x
Havant 6 88.24x
Hornchurch 6 94.64x
Hove 6 12.37x
Kingsbury Episcopi 6 175.44x
Lambeth 6 1.05x
Newington 6 2.48x
Yeovilton 6 1111.11x
Shoreditch London 5 1.76x
Southampton St Mary 5 5.92x
St George Hanover 5 5.84x
St Pancras London 5 0.95x
Sutton Coldfield 5 28.77x
Tottenham 5 4.79x
West Ham 5 1.75x
Acton 4 10.41x
Alton 4 39.49x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.40x
Farlington 4 145.99x
Fulham London 4 4.21x
Graystoke 4 400.00x
Haslemere 4 158.73x
Milton In Gravesend 4 11.93x
Southwark St Saviour 4 11.87x
St George Martyr 4 36.20x
Walton On Thames 4 27.27x
Warminster 4 31.50x
Battersea 3 1.24x
Bramshott 3 90.63x
Guildford Holy Trinity 3 49.26x
Guildford St Mary 3 76.34x
Holybourne 3 225.56x
Long Sutton 3 416.67x
Milborne St Andrew 3 236.22x
Mile End New Town 3 33.52x
Stoughton 3 214.29x
Thames Ditton 3 45.18x
Westminster St John 3 3.76x
Willesden 3 4.86x
Wootton St Lawrence 3 134.53x
Chelsea London 2 1.01x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 1.62x
Funtington 2 80.32x
Poplar London 2 1.62x
Selsey 2 98.04x
Shepperton 2 69.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 61
James 34
George 30
John 21
Thomas 21
Charles 19
Henry 15
Frederick 14
Edward 11
Robert 9
Arthur 8
Albert 6
Alfred 6
Frank 6
Harry 6
Francis 5
Joseph 5
Stephen 5
Alexander 4
Ernest 4
Herbert 4
Richard 4
Fred 3
Reginald 2
Walter 2
Cecil 1
Chas.Geo. 1
David 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Franklin 1
H.W. 1
Horace 1
Horatio 1
Hy. 1
Inock 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Louis 1
Oswald 1
Philip 1
Rodolph 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Timothy 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Stent surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stent surname in 1881?

In 1881, 677 people were recorded with the Stent surname. That placed it at #5,320 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stent surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 782 in 2016. That gives Stent a modern rank of #7,053.

What does the Stent surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to a person who lived on a rocky hill or projecting crag.

What does the Stent map show?

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