NameCensus.

UK surname

Sterrett

Derived from a place name meaning "steer gate" in Old English, referring to an enclosure for cattle.

In the 1881 census there were 29 people recorded with the Sterrett surname, ranking it #29,484 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 91, ranked #32,109, down from #29,484 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Walsall, Forest of Dean and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sterrett is 114 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 213.8%.

1881 census count

29

Ranked #29,484

Modern count

91

2016, ranked #32,109

Peak year

2011

114 bearers

Map years

1

1998 to 1998

Key insights

  • Sterrett had 29 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,484 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 91 in 2016, ranked #32,109.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 70 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Sterrett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sterrett surname density by area, 1998 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sterrett 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 12 #31,134
1861 historical 27 #30,543
1881 historical 29 #29,484
1891 historical 35 #31,540
1901 historical 70 #26,383
1911 historical 62 #26,622
1997 modern 96 #27,490
1998 modern 101 #27,479
1999 modern 100 #27,757
2000 modern 100 #27,695
2001 modern 103 #26,927
2002 modern 96 #28,534
2003 modern 95 #28,536
2004 modern 98 #28,297
2005 modern 94 #28,973
2006 modern 95 #29,113
2007 modern 103 #28,187
2008 modern 102 #28,664
2009 modern 105 #28,815
2010 modern 105 #29,453
2011 modern 114 #27,784
2012 modern 102 #29,902
2013 modern 98 #31,078
2014 modern 91 #32,219
2015 modern 89 #32,325
2016 modern 91 #32,109

Geography

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Where Sterretts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Walsall, Forest of Dean, Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Exeter. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Walsall 020 Walsall
2 Forest of Dean 007 Forest of Dean
3 Birmingham 020 Birmingham
4 Wolverhampton 015 Wolverhampton
5 Exeter 003 Exeter

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sterrett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sterrett

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

Sterrett is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sterrett falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sterrett is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sterrett

The surname Sterrett is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic words "stair" meaning valley or descent, and "ait" meaning a promontory or projecting piece of land. The name likely originated in the Middle Ages, referring to someone who lived in a valley near a prominent landmark or outcropping.

The earliest known record of the name Sterrett appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document recording the names of Scottish landowners and nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. Here, it is spelled as "Stervite" and "Sterviter", indicating the spelling has evolved over time.

In the 16th century, the Sterrett name is mentioned in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, a record of official documents issued by the Scottish government. This suggests the family had gained some prominence and landholdings during this period.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was John Sterrett, born around 1550 in Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was a landowner and farmer, and his descendants continued to reside in the region for several generations.

In the late 17th century, a branch of the Sterrett family migrated to Ulster, Ireland, where the name was anglicized to various spellings such as "Sterritt" and "Sterret". This was a common practice for Scottish families settling in Ireland during the Plantation of Ulster.

Notable individuals with the Sterrett surname include:

1. Sir Samuel Sterrett (1659-1735), a Scottish merchant and politician who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh. 2. Robert Sterrett (1785-1864), an American naval officer who fought in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812. 3. Mary Sterrett (1858-1942), an American author and educator, known for her work in promoting women's education. 4. James Sterrett (1876-1957), an American classical scholar and archaeologist, known for his excavations in Corinth, Greece. 5. Samuel Sterrett (1892-1978), an American actor and playwright, best known for his portrayal of Uncle Remus in the 1946 film "Song of the South".

The Sterrett name can also be found in various place names, such as Sterrett Creek in West Virginia, and Sterrett Township in Pennsylvania, reflecting the migration patterns of Scottish and Scots-Irish families to North America.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sterrett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sterrett 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. Staffordshire leads with 9 Sterretts recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.43x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 9 9.43x
Lancashire 6 1.79x
Surrey 5 3.63x
Angus 4 15.27x
Kent 2 2.07x
Middlesex 2 0.71x
Yorkshire 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Lever in Lancashire leads with 6 Sterretts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1666.67x.

Place Total Index
Great Lever 6 1666.67x
Battersea 5 48.03x
Tettenhall 5 862.07x
Arbroath 4 459.77x
Wolverhampton 4 54.50x
Chelsea London 2 23.47x
Deptford St Paul 2 26.88x
Firbeck 1 5000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Ada 1
Ann 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Lavinia 1
Margaret 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
William 4
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Arthur 1
George 1
Robert 1
Thomas 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 Sterrett households.

FAQ

Sterrett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sterrett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 29 people were recorded with the Sterrett surname. That placed it at #29,484 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sterrett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 91 in 2016. That gives Sterrett a modern rank of #32,109.

What does the Sterrett surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "steer gate" in Old English, referring to an enclosure for cattle.

What does the Sterrett map show?

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