NameCensus.

UK surname

Stephen

Derived from the Greek word "stephanos," meaning "crown" or "wreath," and often bestowed as a title of honor.

In the 1881 census there were 5,184 people recorded with the Stephen surname, ranking it #858 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,035, ranked #953, down from #858 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rathen, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rosehearty and Strathbeg, Longside and Rattray and Peterhead Harbour.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stephen is 7,072 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.7%.

1881 census count

5,184

Ranked #858

Modern count

7,035

2016, ranked #953

Peak year

2010

7,072 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stephen had 5,184 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #858 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,035 in 2016, ranked #953.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,508 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Stephen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stephen surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stephen 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 3,944 #726
1861 historical 5,724 #477
1881 historical 5,184 #858
1891 historical 6,508 #699
1901 historical 6,245 #885
1911 historical 1,864 #2,655
1997 modern 6,214 #1,058
1998 modern 6,395 #1,071
1999 modern 6,381 #1,076
2000 modern 6,413 #1,064
2001 modern 6,227 #1,074
2002 modern 6,445 #1,061
2003 modern 6,302 #1,059
2004 modern 6,464 #1,029
2005 modern 6,559 #1,000
2006 modern 6,489 #1,007
2007 modern 6,644 #997
2008 modern 6,760 #981
2009 modern 6,944 #974
2010 modern 7,072 #979
2011 modern 6,845 #998
2012 modern 6,715 #997
2013 modern 6,895 #990
2014 modern 6,990 #981
2015 modern 7,002 #969
2016 modern 7,035 #953

Geography

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Where Stephens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rathen, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Fraserburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rosehearty and Strathbeg, Longside and Rattray, Peterhead Harbour, Cruden and Peterhead Ugieside. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Rathen Aberdeen
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Fraserburgh Aberdeen
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rosehearty and Strathbeg Aberdeenshire
2 Longside and Rattray Aberdeenshire
3 Peterhead Harbour Aberdeenshire
4 Cruden Aberdeenshire
5 Peterhead Ugieside Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stephen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stephen

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

Stephen 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

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

Meaning and origin of Stephen

The surname Stephen originated in ancient Greece and is derived from the Greek word "stephanos," meaning "crown" or "garland." It was initially used as a descriptive name, possibly referring to someone who wore a crown or worked in a profession related to making crowns or garlands.

The name Stephen was brought to England by the Normans after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It was initially spelled as "Estienne" or "Estevene" in Old French, reflecting the Norman influence. Over time, the spelling evolved to its current form, Stephen.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Stephen can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various forms, such as "Stephanus" and "Stefanus."

In the 12th century, a notable figure named Stephen of Blois (c. 1097–1154) became King of England from 1135 to 1154. His reign was marked by civil war and conflict with the Angevins, led by Empress Matilda, who also claimed the throne.

Another famous bearer of the surname was Stephen Langton (c. 1150–1228), an English cardinal who played a crucial role in the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215. He was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by Pope Innocent III and was a key figure in the struggle between King John and the English barons.

During the 16th century, a prominent figure named Stephen Gardiner (c. 1483–1555) served as Lord Chancellor of England under King Henry VIII and Queen Mary I. He was a staunch opponent of the English Reformation and played a significant role in the persecution of Protestants during Mary's reign.

In the 17th century, Stephen Goodyear (1638–1658) was an English Quaker who became a martyr for his religious beliefs. He was imprisoned and eventually executed for his refusal to swear an oath, which was against his Quaker principles.

Another notable individual with the surname Stephen was Stephen F. Austin (1793–1836), known as the "Father of Texas." He was an American empresario who led the second and ultimately successful colonization of Texas by bringing settlers from the United States to the region.

The surname Stephen has a rich history that spans centuries and can be traced back to its Greek origins. It has been borne by kings, religious figures, political leaders, and ordinary people throughout the ages, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural and historical landscape of various regions around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stephen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stephen 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 2,253 Stephens recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.49x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 2,253 47.49x
Angus 486 10.24x
Kincardineshire 275 44.09x
Banffshire 271 25.50x
Middlesex 187 0.37x
Morayshire 167 20.98x
Lancashire 166 0.27x
Midlothian 155 2.26x
Lanarkshire 151 0.91x
Glamorgan 121 1.36x
Caithness 99 14.12x
Isle of Man 78 8.20x
Northumberland 47 0.62x
Perthshire 45 1.96x
Durham 44 0.29x
Surrey 35 0.14x
Inverness-shire 33 2.16x
Yorkshire 33 0.07x
Monmouthshire 31 0.84x
Ayrshire 29 0.76x
Sussex 28 0.32x
Essex 27 0.27x
Pembrokeshire 26 1.60x
Carmarthenshire 23 1.07x
Devon 22 0.21x
Fife 22 0.73x
Ross-shire 22 1.56x
Orkney 21 3.73x
Kent 20 0.11x
Caernarfonshire 18 0.87x
Cheshire 18 0.16x
Shetland 16 3.06x
Gloucestershire 15 0.15x
Hampshire 15 0.14x
Staffordshire 15 0.09x
Worcestershire 15 0.22x
Nairnshire 12 7.68x
Northamptonshire 12 0.25x
Cambridgeshire 11 0.34x
Cornwall 11 0.19x
Derbyshire 11 0.14x
Leicestershire 11 0.19x
Merionethshire 11 1.17x
Renfrewshire 11 0.28x
Suffolk 10 0.16x
Lincolnshire 9 0.11x
Shropshire 9 0.20x
Anglesey 8 0.88x
Argyllshire 8 0.56x
Radnorshire 8 1.94x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 0.94x
Dunbartonshire 6 0.44x
Herefordshire 6 0.29x
Warwickshire 6 0.05x
Royal Navy 5 0.82x
Somerset 5 0.06x
Montgomeryshire 4 0.34x
Stirlingshire 4 0.21x
West Lothian 4 0.52x
Cumberland 3 0.07x
Denbighshire 3 0.16x
Kinross-shire 3 2.32x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.04x
Peeblesshire 3 1.25x
Sutherland 3 0.76x
East Lothian 2 0.29x
Bedfordshire 1 0.04x
Berkshire 1 0.03x
Berwickshire 1 0.16x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.03x
Cardiganshire 1 0.08x
Channel Islands 1 0.07x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.24x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.09x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.10x
Norfolk 1 0.01x
Roxburghshire 1 0.11x
Selkirkshire 1 0.22x
Wigtownshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Peterhead in Aberdeenshire leads with 521 Stephens recorded in 1881 and an index of 207.69x.

Place Total Index
Peterhead 521 207.69x
Aberdeen Old Machar 301 30.39x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 258 29.07x
Rathen 172 346.01x
Fraserburgh 143 107.08x
Montrose 102 35.47x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 93 3.37x
Dundee 74 4.18x
New Deer 71 82.67x
Newhills 71 73.09x
Kinneff Catterline 62 352.87x
Govan 56 1.37x
Auchterless 53 140.73x
St Vigeans 50 19.52x
Old Deer 49 54.51x
Barony 48 1.14x
Gamrie 44 37.09x
Liff Benvie 41 5.69x
Strichen 40 97.04x
Forgue 39 91.53x
Ince In Makerfield 38 13.44x
Brechin 37 19.84x
Fordyce 35 45.78x
Kensington London 34 1.19x
Wick 34 15.01x
Dunnottar 33 75.19x
Elgin 33 21.32x
Fetteresso 31 31.71x
St Cyrus 31 118.91x
Inverurie 30 55.92x
Onchan 29 10.58x
Benholm 28 104.52x
Drainie 28 39.72x
Craig 27 58.91x
Monifieth 27 16.11x
Cruden 25 40.92x
Bervie 24 64.94x
Forfar 24 9.34x
Huntly 24 31.10x
Turriff 24 31.34x
Cullen 23 58.41x
Deskford 23 151.32x
Fyvie 23 29.71x
Islington London 23 0.46x
Kilmarnock 23 5.04x
Marnoch 23 40.31x
Thurso 23 21.03x
Tyrie 23 38.62x
Inverness 22 5.72x
Ellon 21 32.19x
Kintore 21 50.95x
Laurencekirk 21 58.11x
Glasgow 20 0.68x
Insch 20 74.13x
Keith 20 17.66x
South Leith 20 2.59x
West Ham 20 0.90x
Beadnell 18 320.86x
Chapel Of Garioch 18 53.33x
Methlick 18 47.39x
Poplar London 18 1.86x
St Pancras London 18 0.44x
Rhynie 17 86.03x
Aberystruth 16 4.90x
Glass 16 88.35x
Michaelstone Super Avon 16 16.57x
Olrig 16 45.68x
West Derby 16 0.90x
Ystradyfodwg 16 2.05x
Birsay Harray 15 36.67x
Inverkeithny 15 92.71x
Lerwick Gulberwick 15 18.53x
Lonmay 15 34.84x
Marown 15 86.41x
Rayne 15 66.58x
Bower 14 49.56x
King Edward 14 25.61x
Glenmuick Tullich 13 38.02x
Hindley 13 5.02x
St Andrews Lhanbryd 13 52.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 87
Elizabeth 57
Sarah 35
Jane 31
Margaret 30
Ann 18
Alice 14
Eliza 13
Annie 10
Ellen 10
Emily 9
Martha 9
Hannah 8
Rachel 8
Anne 7
Louisa 7
Catherine 6
Edith 6
Esther 6
Florence 6
Jessie 6
Agnes 5
Kate 5
Lucy 5
Sophia 5
Caroline 4
Eleanor 4
Elizth. 4
Emma 4
Harriet 4
Helen 4
Lydia 4
Susan 4
Ada 3
Catharine 3
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Julia 3
Mabel 3
Minnie 3
Elizbeth 2
Elizth.Ann 2
Flora 2
Francis 2
Harriett 2
Hellen 2
Isabella 2
Jemima 2
Lizzie 2
Margret 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 91
William 78
Thomas 38
George 36
James 34
Henry 21
Robert 21
David 20
Charles 13
Joseph 13
Edward 12
Arthur 11
Alexander 8
Frederick 7
Frank 5
Richard 5
Walter 5
Wm. 5
Daniel 4
Evan 4
Peter 4
Stephen 4
Alfred 3
Ernest 3
Albert 2
Alexr. 2
Andrew 2
Benjamin 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Fredk. 2
Griffith 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Jno. 2
Jonathan 2
Lionel 2
Mathew 2
Nathan 2
Oscar 2
Samuel 2
Bennett 1
Bruce 1
Edmund 1
Elias 1
Emmanuel 1
Harvey 1
Heny 1
Yorath 1

FAQ

Stephen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stephen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,184 people were recorded with the Stephen surname. That placed it at #858 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stephen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,035 in 2016. That gives Stephen a modern rank of #953.

What does the Stephen surname mean?

Derived from the Greek word "stephanos," meaning "crown" or "wreath," and often bestowed as a title of honor.

What does the Stephen map show?

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