NameCensus.

UK surname

Stew

In the 1881 census there were 117 people recorded with the Stew surname, ranking it #18,026 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 194, ranked #19,976, down from #18,026 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bredon, Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Coventry, Staffordshire Moorlands and Nuneaton and Bedworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stew is 216 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.8%.

1881 census count

117

Ranked #18,026

Modern count

194

2016, ranked #19,976

Peak year

1911

216 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stew had 117 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,026 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 194 in 2016, ranked #19,976.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 216 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Stew surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stew surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stew 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 72 #20,720
1861 historical 128 #17,375
1881 historical 117 #18,026
1891 historical 178 #16,264
1901 historical 178 #16,284
1911 historical 216 #14,240
1997 modern 173 #19,295
1998 modern 184 #19,037
1999 modern 188 #18,931
2000 modern 183 #19,239
2001 modern 176 #19,415
2002 modern 185 #19,212
2003 modern 167 #20,245
2004 modern 173 #19,937
2005 modern 158 #21,052
2006 modern 157 #21,322
2007 modern 164 #20,973
2008 modern 165 #21,056
2009 modern 173 #20,869
2010 modern 176 #21,101
2011 modern 181 #20,579
2012 modern 177 #20,836
2013 modern 178 #21,108
2014 modern 183 #20,880
2015 modern 187 #20,502
2016 modern 194 #19,976

Geography

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Where Stews are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bredon, Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, London parishes, Foleshill and Twining. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Coventry, Staffordshire Moorlands, Nuneaton and Bedworth and Warwick. 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 Bredon Gloucestershire
2 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Foleshill Warwickshire
5 Twining Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Coventry 004 Coventry
2 Staffordshire Moorlands 010 Staffordshire Moorlands
3 Coventry 001 Coventry
4 Nuneaton and Bedworth 015 Nuneaton and Bedworth
5 Warwick 001 Warwick

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stew

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stew

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Stew surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Stew 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Stew is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Stew is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Stew 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 Stew is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Stew families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stew 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. Warwickshire leads with 28 Stews recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.73x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 28 9.73x
Glamorgan 25 12.58x
Worcestershire 25 16.78x
Middlesex 8 0.70x
Leicestershire 7 5.53x
Surrey 7 1.26x
Gloucestershire 6 2.68x
Yorkshire 3 0.27x
Derbyshire 2 1.12x
Hampshire 2 0.86x
Devon 1 0.42x
Midlothian 1 0.65x
Oxfordshire 1 1.42x
Pembrokeshire 1 2.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Foleshill in Warwickshire leads with 25 Stews recorded in 1881 and an index of 825.08x.

Place Total Index
Foleshill 25 825.08x
Tythegston Lower 17 42500.00x
Bredon 12 2352.94x
Leicester St Margaret 7 22.69x
Poplar London 7 32.50x
Claines 6 146.70x
Worcester St Martin 5 248.76x
Lambeth 4 4.02x
Llanwonno 4 56.02x
Twining 4 1176.47x
Cardiff St Mary 3 27.42x
Croydon 3 9.72x
Belper 2 57.80x
Coventry St Michael 2 21.65x
Addingham 1 119.05x
Birlingham 1 714.29x
Cheltenham 1 5.79x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.63x
Eldersfield 1 434.78x
Exhall 1 227.27x
Holdenhurst 1 16.31x
Holy Rood 1 212.77x
Hook Norton 1 208.33x
Laleston 1 476.19x
Moreton Hampstead 1 163.93x
Potter Newton 1 50.25x
St George Hanover 1 6.72x
Tenby St Mary In 1 54.05x
Tewkesbury 1 50.00x
Whitwood 1 62.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 8
Eliza 3
Elizabeth 3
Hannah 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Catherine 2
Emma 2
Jane 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Mary 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Betsy 1
Blanch 1
Caroline 1
Cecil 1
Charlotte 1
E. 1
Emily 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Johanna 1
Luisa 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Miriam 1
Rebecca 1
Rhoda 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
John 8
Thomas 6
James 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Henry 3
Albert 2
Anthony 2
David 2
Mark 2
Alfred 1
Antony 1
Aurthur 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Gregory 1
Harry 1
Illtid 1
Morgan 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Stew surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stew surname in 1881?

In 1881, 117 people were recorded with the Stew surname. That placed it at #18,026 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stew surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 194 in 2016. That gives Stew a modern rank of #19,976.

What does the Stew map show?

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