NameCensus.

UK surname

Stern

A descriptive surname referring to a strict, severe, or firm person, likely in character or demeanor.

In the 1881 census there were 287 people recorded with the Stern surname, ranking it #10,014 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,419, ranked #4,297, up from #10,014 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and St Dunstan Stepney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hackney and Salford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stern is 1,460 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 394.4%.

1881 census count

287

Ranked #10,014

Modern count

1,419

2016, ranked #4,297

Peak year

2014

1,460 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stern had 287 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,014 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,419 in 2016, ranked #4,297.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 645 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Stern surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stern surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stern 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 85 #18,940
1861 historical 136 #16,556
1881 historical 287 #10,014
1891 historical 267 #12,136
1901 historical 478 #8,329
1911 historical 645 #6,480
1997 modern 1,129 #4,962
1998 modern 1,200 #4,875
1999 modern 1,204 #4,918
2000 modern 1,229 #4,795
2001 modern 1,194 #4,814
2002 modern 1,179 #4,975
2003 modern 1,206 #4,789
2004 modern 1,203 #4,802
2005 modern 1,218 #4,694
2006 modern 1,221 #4,707
2007 modern 1,244 #4,676
2008 modern 1,258 #4,650
2009 modern 1,287 #4,648
2010 modern 1,365 #4,501
2011 modern 1,359 #4,468
2012 modern 1,385 #4,338
2013 modern 1,420 #4,322
2014 modern 1,460 #4,258
2015 modern 1,428 #4,287
2016 modern 1,419 #4,297

Geography

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Where Sterns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Toxteth Park, St Dunstan Stepney and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hackney and Salford. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hackney 004 Hackney
2 Hackney 003 Hackney
3 Hackney 001 Hackney
4 Salford 010 Salford
5 Hackney 029 Hackney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stern

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stern

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Stern surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Stern 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Stern 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

Stern 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

Stern falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Stern 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Stern

The surname Stern is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "stern," meaning "star." It likely originated as a descriptive surname, given to someone who lived near a house with a star hanging over the door or bore a resemblance to a star.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century in German-speaking regions of Europe. One of the earliest recorded instances is Heinrich Stern, a merchant from Strasbourg, France, who lived in the early 1300s. Another early record is from the Bavarian town of Landshut, where a man named Ulrich Stern is mentioned in a document from 1348.

In England, the surname Stern is thought to have been introduced by German immigrants in the 16th and 17th centuries. One of the earliest recorded examples is John Stern, who was born in London in 1580.

Over the centuries, the surname has been spelled in various ways, including Sterne, Starn, and Starne. It is also related to the place name Sternberg, which means "star mountain" in German.

Notable individuals with the surname Stern throughout history include:

1. Sir Thomas Stern (1604-1683), an English lawyer and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1661. 2. Daniel Stern (1647-1737), a German theologian and philosopher who was a prominent figure in the Pietist movement. 3. Marie de Vichy-Chamrond, Marquise du Deffand (1697-1780), a French woman of letters and prominent salon hostess, whose maiden name was Stern. 4. Laurence Stern (1713-1768), an Irish novelist best known for his novel "The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman." 5. Isaac Stern (1920-2001), a renowned American violinist and conductor who helped revive public interest in classical music.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stern families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stern 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 102 Sterns recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.67x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 102 3.67x
Lancashire 45 1.36x
Sussex 20 4.27x
Cambridgeshire 15 8.52x
Warwickshire 15 2.14x
Kent 12 1.27x
Surrey 11 0.81x
Staffordshire 9 0.96x
Suffolk 9 2.66x
Lincolnshire 7 1.57x
Nottinghamshire 7 1.87x
Worcestershire 5 1.38x
Denbighshire 3 2.86x
Essex 3 0.55x
Cheshire 2 0.33x
Devon 2 0.35x
Gloucestershire 2 0.37x
Hampshire 2 0.35x
Hertfordshire 2 1.04x
Monmouthshire 2 1.00x
Norfolk 2 0.47x
Northumberland 2 0.48x
Durham 1 0.12x
Lanarkshire 1 0.11x
Orkney 1 3.27x
Renfrewshire 1 0.46x
Wiltshire 1 0.41x
Yorkshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 27 Sterns recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.48x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 27 13.48x
Mile End Old Town 24 54.69x
Hackney London 12 7.70x
Toxteth Park 10 8.95x
Edgbaston 9 41.40x
Shepreth 8 2285.71x
Westminster St John 8 23.63x
Croydon 7 9.31x
Hampstead London 7 16.17x
Holbeach 7 141.41x
Birmingham 6 2.57x
Brighton 6 6.35x
Folkestone 6 32.61x
Keymer 6 181.27x
Southwold 6 300.00x
Bilston 5 27.49x
Chipping Barnet 5 684.93x
Islington London 5 1.86x
Kidderminster Borough 5 23.53x
Sawston 5 294.12x
Shoreditch London 5 4.15x
St Luke London 5 11.21x
Falmer 4 727.27x
Harborne 4 13.30x
Kensington London 4 2.59x
Lambeth 4 1.65x
Lenton 4 45.30x
Monken Hadley 4 360.36x
Twickenham 4 33.56x
Bersham 3 66.96x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 5.73x
Deptford St Paul 3 4.10x
Newton 3 11.80x
Poplar London 3 5.72x
Preston 3 36.67x
South Mimms 3 78.74x
St Pancras London 3 1.34x
West Ham 3 2.48x
East Barnet 2 52.63x
Ipswich St Peter 2 43.86x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 9.33x
Nottingham St Mary 2 2.06x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 4.49x
Thetford St Cuthbert 2 129.03x
Trevethin 2 10.54x
Aighton Bailey 1 62.89x
Ashton On Mersey 1 31.55x
Barony 1 0.44x
Basingstoke 1 15.27x
Birkenhead 1 2.04x
Brandeston 1 263.16x
Bridewell Precinct 1 454.55x
Bristol St James In 1 12.47x
Castle Eden 1 119.05x
Cheetham 1 4.07x
Chiswick 1 6.58x
Clifton 1 3.63x
Cuckney 1 188.68x
Eastwood 1 7.54x
Gravesend 1 12.45x
Hornsey 1 2.85x
Hove 1 4.86x
Kirkwall St Ola 1 21.83x
Lewisham 1 1.98x
Paddington London 1 0.98x
Portsea 1 0.90x
Rawdon 1 30.86x
St Andrewthe Great 1 43.86x
St George Hanover 1 2.76x
St George Martyr 1 21.32x
St Stephen Coleman 1 135.14x
Steeple Morden 1 106.38x
Wardour 1 138.89x
Westminster St 1 9.76x
Westminster St James 1 3.50x
Whitechapel London 1 3.65x
Woolwich 1 2.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Elizabeth 6
Sarah 6
Alice 5
Annie 4
Charlotte 4
Emily 4
Emma 4
Jane 4
Louisa 4
Ann 3
Bertha 3
Caroline 3
Esther 3
Edith 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Helene 2
Maria 2
Matilda 2
Amalia 1
Anne 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Clements 1
Doris 1
Eliza 1
Elizbth. 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Elsa 1
Eve 1
Fanny 1
Fecilia 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Henriette 1
Hildred 1
Hinda 1
Inez 1
Jenney 1
Jenny 1
Jettie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Leah 1
Lena 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
John 9
James 8
Henry 7
Samuel 7
Joseph 6
George 5
Thomas 5
Leopold 4
Albert 3
Charles 3
Isaac 3
Abraham 2
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
David 2
Gustav 2
Harry 2
Job 2
Louis 2
Marcus 2
Otto 2
Philip 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Benedict 1
Bernerd 1
Bertalp 1
Carl 1
Chas 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Elias 1
Ernest 1
Ferdinand 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Fritz 1
Geo.Wm. 1
Gilbert 1
Isadore 1
Isidor 1
Jacob 1
Johann 1
Josef 1
Julius 1
Louisa 1
Maurice 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Stern surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stern surname in 1881?

In 1881, 287 people were recorded with the Stern surname. That placed it at #10,014 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stern surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,419 in 2016. That gives Stern a modern rank of #4,297.

What does the Stern surname mean?

A descriptive surname referring to a strict, severe, or firm person, likely in character or demeanor.

What does the Stern map show?

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