NameCensus.

UK surname

Sterling

A surname referring to a person of high quality or excellence, derived from the Old English word "steorra" meaning star.

In the 1881 census there were 626 people recorded with the Sterling surname, ranking it #5,649 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,591, ranked #3,903, up from #5,649 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, County Durham and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sterling is 1,591 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 154.2%.

1881 census count

626

Ranked #5,649

Modern count

1,591

2016, ranked #3,903

Peak year

2016

1,591 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sterling had 626 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,649 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,591 in 2016, ranked #3,903.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 888 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Sterling surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sterling surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sterling 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 445 #5,532
1861 historical 453 #5,718
1881 historical 626 #5,649
1891 historical 888 #4,636
1901 historical 788 #5,711
1911 historical 704 #6,060
1997 modern 1,246 #4,570
1998 modern 1,330 #4,457
1999 modern 1,351 #4,440
2000 modern 1,350 #4,428
2001 modern 1,321 #4,429
2002 modern 1,369 #4,371
2003 modern 1,354 #4,339
2004 modern 1,355 #4,338
2005 modern 1,367 #4,273
2006 modern 1,404 #4,183
2007 modern 1,415 #4,197
2008 modern 1,433 #4,179
2009 modern 1,495 #4,130
2010 modern 1,545 #4,094
2011 modern 1,515 #4,125
2012 modern 1,519 #4,039
2013 modern 1,551 #4,023
2014 modern 1,574 #3,996
2015 modern 1,577 #3,948
2016 modern 1,591 #3,903

Geography

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Where Sterlings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead and St James Clerkenwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, County Durham, Sheffield, Newark and Sherwood and Newcastle-under-Lyme. 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 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 St James Clerkenwell London (Central Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 019 Cornwall
2 County Durham 008 County Durham
3 Sheffield 022 Sheffield
4 Newark and Sherwood 012 Newark and Sherwood
5 Newcastle-under-Lyme 002 Newcastle-under-Lyme

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sterling

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sterling

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Sterling surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Sterling 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Sterling is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sterling 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

Sterling falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sterling is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sterling

The surname Sterling originates from England and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "sterling," which referred to a coin made of pure silver. The name likely developed as an occupational surname for those who worked with silver coins or as a nickname for someone with silver hair or complexion.

The earliest recorded instances of the Sterling surname can be found in various English historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Sterlyng." The Domesday Book of 1086 also mentions a village named "Sterlinghe" in Cambridgeshire, suggesting that the name may have originated from a place name.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Sterling surname was Sir Ralph Sterling, a prominent nobleman who lived in the 13th century. He was involved in the Barons' War against King Henry III and was ultimately executed for his role in the conflict.

Another notable figure with the Sterling surname was John Sterling, a Scottish writer and philosopher born in 1806. He was known for his works on ethics and social philosophy, including "The Secret of Hegel" and "Rationalism and Experience."

In the 16th century, a family named Sterling held lands in Hertfordshire, England. One member, John Sterling, served as a Member of Parliament for Hertford in 1554.

During the American Revolutionary War, Captain Abraham Sterling fought for the Continental Army and was present at the Battle of Long Island in 1776.

Poet and critic Susannah Sterling was born in 1844 in Ireland and authored several works, including "Eastward and Other Poems" and "Twickenham Prize Poems."

While the Sterling surname is found throughout the English-speaking world today, it has its roots in medieval England, with a connection to the silver trade and various historical figures who played significant roles in their respective eras.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sterling families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sterling 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 94 Sterlings recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.53x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 94 1.53x
Durham 89 4.88x
Lancashire 68 0.93x
Yorkshire 59 0.97x
Northumberland 56 6.13x
Surrey 50 1.67x
Midlothian 23 2.80x
Lanarkshire 22 1.11x
Kent 21 1.00x
Norfolk 21 2.23x
Cheshire 16 1.18x
Cambridgeshire 10 2.57x
Clackmannanshire 10 19.74x
Monmouthshire 9 2.03x
Renfrewshire 7 1.47x
Cornwall 6 0.86x
Derbyshire 6 0.62x
Gloucestershire 6 0.50x
Suffolk 6 0.80x
Somerset 5 0.51x
Essex 4 0.33x
Glamorgan 4 0.37x
Hampshire 4 0.32x
Oxfordshire 4 1.06x
Shropshire 4 0.75x
Staffordshire 4 0.19x
Angus 3 0.53x
Royal Navy 3 4.10x
Ayrshire 2 0.44x
Kincardineshire 2 2.68x
Pembrokeshire 2 1.03x
Berkshire 1 0.22x
Brecknockshire 1 0.82x
Denbighshire 1 0.43x
Devon 1 0.08x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.61x
East Lothian 1 1.23x
Fife 1 0.28x
Inverness-shire 1 0.55x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 26 Sterlings recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.37x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 26 4.37x
Heworth 16 44.48x
Westgate 15 26.53x
Clerkenwell London 14 9.67x
Manchester 13 3.97x
Hackney London 11 3.20x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 11 20.18x
Alloa 10 40.70x
Greenwich 10 10.24x
Mile End Old Town 10 10.33x
Newington 10 4.41x
South Pickenham 10 2702.70x
Barony 9 1.79x
Calverley Cum Farsley 9 52.14x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 9 2.72x
Govan 9 1.83x
St Andrewthe Less 9 20.27x
Stockton On Tees 9 10.23x
Battersea 8 3.54x
Hunslet 8 8.44x
Kirkdale 8 6.53x
Preston 8 4.11x
Winlaton 8 45.69x
Bishopwearmouth 7 4.47x
Bradford 7 4.76x
Cheadle 7 27.06x
Clapham 7 9.13x
Ecclesall Bierlow 7 5.66x
North Leith 7 18.40x
North Pickenham 7 1346.15x
Port Glasgow 7 30.45x
Salford 7 3.27x
Sherburn 7 125.90x
Cheltenham 6 6.46x
Coxlodge 6 86.46x
Elswick 6 8.24x
Escomb 6 71.51x
Manningham 6 8.01x
North South Gosforth 6 517.24x
Rotherhithe 6 7.91x
Staveley 6 35.19x
Tottenham 6 6.14x
Washington 6 78.43x
Woolwich 6 7.76x
Bermondsey 5 2.74x
Bromley London 5 3.70x
Crook Billy Row 5 21.39x
Newton 5 181.16x
Southwick 5 28.92x
St Woollos 5 10.10x
Streatham 5 10.98x
Twerton 5 49.12x
Bedwellty 4 5.11x
Cambusnethan 4 9.08x
Habergham Eaves 4 6.01x
Headingley Cum Burley 4 10.22x
Kyo 4 46.57x
Landewednack 4 325.20x
Leeds 4 1.17x
Little Bolton 4 4.27x
Mickley 4 138.89x
Newbottle 4 40.12x
Pendleton In Salford 4 4.61x
Roath 4 8.24x
Rosedale West Side 4 615.38x
Tranmere 4 8.04x
Wandsworth 4 6.77x
Wellington 4 13.43x
Aldershot 3 7.12x
Camberwell 3 0.77x
Fulham London 3 3.37x
Gateshead 3 2.20x
Haslingden 3 9.95x
Lewisham 3 2.69x
Liff Benvie 3 3.48x
Newington 3 17.92x
St George In East 3 7.19x
Usworth 3 30.96x
Wednesbury 3 5.80x
West Derby 3 1.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Elizabeth 22
Sarah 22
Jane 17
Eliza 16
Alice 9
Ann 7
Hannah 7
Emily 6
Frances 6
Annie 5
Clara 5
Margaret 5
Rebecca 5
Catherine 4
Edith 4
Harriet 4
Isabella 4
Julia 4
Louisa 4
Susan 4
Caroline 3
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Esther 3
Fanny 3
Lizzie 3
Lucy 3
Lydia 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Grace 2
Janet 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Nellie 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Charlotte 1
Eliz.Jane 1
Elizth 1
Elizth. 1
Eva 1
James 1
Jessie 1
Joanne 1
Kate 1
Vietta 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 38
George 28
John 24
James 21
Robert 20
Henry 11
Thomas 10
Charles 9
Joseph 9
Francis 6
Alfred 5
Edward 5
Frederick 5
Isaac 5
Richard 5
Arthur 4
David 4
Thos. 4
Walter 4
Frank 3
Tom 3
Andrew 2
Anthony 2
Daniel 2
Ernest 2
Harry 2
Hugh 2
Peter 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Sydney 2
Wm. 2
Anthoney 1
Archibald 1
Calman 1
Earnest 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Howe 1
I. 1
Irvine 1
Malcholm 1
Morrice 1
Norman 1
Oliver 1
Patrick 1
Robt. 1
Rudolf 1
Sidney 1
Wm.E. 1

FAQ

Sterling surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sterling surname in 1881?

In 1881, 626 people were recorded with the Sterling surname. That placed it at #5,649 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sterling surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,591 in 2016. That gives Sterling a modern rank of #3,903.

What does the Sterling surname mean?

A surname referring to a person of high quality or excellence, derived from the Old English word "steorra" meaning star.

What does the Sterling map show?

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