NameCensus.

UK surname

Stephenson

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Stephen, meaning "son of Stephen" or "descendant of Stephen."

In the 1881 census there were 17,129 people recorded with the Stephenson surname, ranking it #222 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 23,846, ranked #242, down from #222 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Hull Holy Trinity and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham and South Tyneside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stephenson is 24,219 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.2%.

1881 census count

17,129

Ranked #222

Modern count

23,846

2016, ranked #242

Peak year

2010

24,219 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stephenson had 17,129 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #222 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 23,846 in 2016, ranked #242.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 22,367 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Stephenson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stephenson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stephenson 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 10,746 #235
1861 historical 11,706 #203
1881 historical 17,129 #222
1891 historical 18,340 #212
1901 historical 20,614 #233
1911 historical 22,367 #192
1997 modern 23,028 #247
1998 modern 23,583 #249
1999 modern 23,777 #249
2000 modern 23,619 #251
2001 modern 23,211 #249
2002 modern 23,719 #248
2003 modern 22,991 #251
2004 modern 23,032 #249
2005 modern 22,743 #248
2006 modern 22,667 #249
2007 modern 22,859 #248
2008 modern 23,018 #248
2009 modern 23,579 #249
2010 modern 24,219 #248
2011 modern 23,849 #248
2012 modern 23,434 #247
2013 modern 23,997 #248
2014 modern 24,203 #247
2015 modern 23,950 #245
2016 modern 23,846 #242

Geography

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Where Stephensons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Hull Holy Trinity, Gateshead, Bradford and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham and South Tyneside. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 042 County Durham
2 County Durham 011 County Durham
3 County Durham 064 County Durham
4 South Tyneside 001 South Tyneside
5 County Durham 057 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stephenson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stephenson

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Stephenson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Stephenson 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 predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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, Stephenson 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

Stephenson 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

Stephenson falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Stephenson

The surname Stephenson is an English patronymic name derived from the personal name Stephen. The name originated in the late 12th century following the Norman conquest of England. It is composed of two elements: the personal name Stephen, from the Greek name Stephanos meaning "crown" or "wreath", and the suffix "-son" denoting "son of".

Stephenson is a common surname found in counties such as Yorkshire, Northumberland, and Lancashire, where it was particularly concentrated in the medieval period. The name first appeared in records in the late 12th century, with early spellings such as Stevensone, Stevenson, and Stephenson.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mentions a William Stephenson. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also list several individuals with the name, including Robert Stevenson in Oxfordshire and William Stevenson in Buckinghamshire.

The surname is associated with several notable individuals throughout history, such as George Stephenson (1781-1848), the pioneering English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who is renowned as the "Father of Railways". Another notable bearer of the name was Sir James Stephenson (1808-1892), an English civil engineer who designed numerous railway lines and bridges in India during the British Raj.

Other historical figures include John Stephenson (1559-1616), an English Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of James I, and Thomas Stephenson (1819-1898), a British trade unionist and founder of the National Agricultural Labourers' Union.

The surname Stephenson has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Stephenson's Farm in Northumberland and Stephenson's Cottage in Cumbria, reflecting the geographical distribution and prominence of the name in certain regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Stephenson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stephenson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 17,129 people were recorded with the Stephenson surname. That placed it at #222 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stephenson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 23,846 in 2016. That gives Stephenson a modern rank of #242.

What does the Stephenson surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Stephen, meaning "son of Stephen" or "descendant of Stephen."

What does the Stephenson map show?

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