NameCensus.

UK surname

Sternberg

A German and Jewish surname referring to someone who lived near a star-shaped hill or mountain.

In the 1881 census there were 46 people recorded with the Sternberg surname, ranking it #27,188 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 134, ranked #25,636, up from #27,188 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolsover, Manchester and Merton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sternberg is 136 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 191.3%.

1881 census count

46

Ranked #27,188

Modern count

134

2016, ranked #25,636

Peak year

1911

136 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sternberg had 46 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,188 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016, ranked #25,636.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 136 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Sternberg surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sternberg surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sternberg 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 16 #30,441
1861 historical 21 #31,242
1881 historical 46 #27,188
1891 historical 81 #26,632
1901 historical 104 #22,310
1911 historical 136 #18,962
1997 modern 87 #28,749
1998 modern 106 #26,689
1999 modern 101 #27,617
2000 modern 102 #27,425
2001 modern 105 #26,620
2002 modern 101 #27,766
2003 modern 106 #26,775
2004 modern 107 #26,899
2005 modern 107 #26,875
2006 modern 109 #26,872
2007 modern 110 #27,087
2008 modern 106 #28,016
2009 modern 115 #27,207
2010 modern 125 #26,448
2011 modern 124 #26,367
2012 modern 125 #26,298
2013 modern 124 #26,842
2014 modern 132 #25,971
2015 modern 129 #26,226
2016 modern 134 #25,636

Geography

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Where Sternbergs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, London parishes, Manchester and Cheltenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolsover, Manchester, Merton, Bury and Hammersmith and Fulham. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Cheltenham Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolsover 002 Bolsover
2 Manchester 004 Manchester
3 Merton 010 Merton
4 Bury 026 Bury
5 Hammersmith and Fulham 021 Hammersmith and Fulham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sternberg

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sternberg

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Sternberg, 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 Sternberg surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Sternberg 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Sternberg is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Sternberg 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

Sternberg falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sternberg 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Sternberg

The surname Sternberg has its origins in Germany, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the German words "Stern" meaning "star" and "Berg" meaning "mountain" or "hill". The name likely referred to someone who lived near a prominent landmark such as a hill or mountain with a star-shaped pattern or symbol.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sternberg can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburg, a collection of historical documents from the former Margraviate of Brandenburg, dating back to the 13th century. The name is also mentioned in various chronicles and records from the region during the Middle Ages.

During the 14th century, the Sternberg family held significant land and power in the areas around Sternberg, a town in the modern-day state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The town itself derives its name from the family, indicating their influence and prominence in the region at that time.

In the 15th century, a notable figure with the surname Sternberg was Günther von Sternberg (1420-1489), a German knight and military commander. He served under Frederick II, Elector of Brandenburg, and played a crucial role in the Prussian conquest of the Duchy of Pomerania.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Count Adam Sternberg (1579-1623), a Bohemian nobleman and military leader who fought in the Thirty Years' War. He was a supporter of the Protestant cause and served as the commander-in-chief of the Protestant armies in Bohemia.

In the 18th century, Count Franz Philipp von Sternberg (1763-1830) was a notable Czech naturalist and botanist. He made significant contributions to the study of paleobotany and was a patron of the sciences, supporting numerous scientific expeditions and research projects.

The name Sternberg has also been associated with several place names throughout Central Europe, such as Sternberg in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, and Sternberk in the Czech Republic. These locations likely derived their names from the Sternberg family or the geographical features associated with the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sternberg families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sternberg 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 21 Sternbergs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.68x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 21 4.68x
Warwickshire 8 7.07x
Lancashire 7 1.31x
Gloucestershire 6 6.82x
Cheshire 1 1.01x
Devon 1 1.07x
Lanarkshire 1 0.69x
Staffordshire 1 0.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Broughton In Salford in Lancashire leads with 7 Sternbergs recorded in 1881 and an index of 143.74x.

Place Total Index
Broughton In Salford 7 143.74x
Islington London 7 16.10x
Edgbaston 6 170.94x
Shadwell London 6 476.19x
Cheltenham 5 73.64x
Fulham London 3 46.08x
St Pancras London 3 8.31x
Barony 1 2.72x
Birmingham 1 2.65x
Cirencester 1 84.03x
Exminster 1 294.12x
Hackney London 1 3.97x
Hillingdon 1 69.93x
Leamington Priors 1 35.97x
Sale 1 81.97x
Wolverhampton 1 8.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 5
Alice 1
Ester 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Frederica 1
Hester 1
Kate 1
Lille 1
Lina 1
Louisa 1
Marrion 1
Martha 1
Mary 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Sarah 1
Selina 1
Theda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 3
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Chas.Hy. 1
Francis 1
Fred.K. 1
Frederick 1
Henry 1
Hermann 1
Jacques 1
Jeber 1
Joseph 1
Leopold 1
Louis 1
Montague 1
Nathan 1
Oscar 1
Samuel 1
W. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Sternberg households.

FAQ

Sternberg surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sternberg surname in 1881?

In 1881, 46 people were recorded with the Sternberg surname. That placed it at #27,188 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sternberg surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016. That gives Sternberg a modern rank of #25,636.

What does the Sternberg surname mean?

A German and Jewish surname referring to someone who lived near a star-shaped hill or mountain.

What does the Sternberg map show?

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