NameCensus.

UK surname

Steward

An occupational surname referring to a household or estate manager, or one who supervises servants.

In the 1881 census there were 3,834 people recorded with the Steward surname, ranking it #1,191 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,849, ranked #1,759, down from #1,191 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and Great Yarmouth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Norwich, Breckland and Ipswich.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Steward is 4,719 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.4%.

1881 census count

3,834

Ranked #1,191

Modern count

3,849

2016, ranked #1,759

Peak year

1911

4,719 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Steward had 3,834 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,191 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,849 in 2016, ranked #1,759.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,719 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Steward surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Steward surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Steward 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 3,330 #868
1861 historical 3,473 #816
1881 historical 3,834 #1,191
1891 historical 4,088 #1,177
1901 historical 4,616 #1,229
1911 historical 4,719 #1,096
1997 modern 3,997 #1,624
1998 modern 4,058 #1,662
1999 modern 4,022 #1,692
2000 modern 4,028 #1,679
2001 modern 3,941 #1,679
2002 modern 4,002 #1,689
2003 modern 3,898 #1,695
2004 modern 3,933 #1,687
2005 modern 3,811 #1,712
2006 modern 3,774 #1,736
2007 modern 3,828 #1,723
2008 modern 3,858 #1,723
2009 modern 3,938 #1,728
2010 modern 4,005 #1,735
2011 modern 3,945 #1,733
2012 modern 3,879 #1,733
2013 modern 3,968 #1,723
2014 modern 3,971 #1,733
2015 modern 3,902 #1,743
2016 modern 3,849 #1,759

Geography

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Where Stewards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, Great Yarmouth and St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Norwich, Breckland and Ipswich. 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 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Great Yarmouth Norfolk
5 St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Norwich 006 Norwich
2 Breckland 004 Breckland
3 Ipswich 009 Ipswich
4 Ipswich 008 Ipswich
5 Norwich 005 Norwich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Steward

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Steward

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Steward, 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 Steward surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Steward 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Steward is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Steward is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Steward falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Steward 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Steward

The surname "STEWARD" is of English origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "stigweard," which means "house guardian" or "keeper of the hall." The earliest recorded spelling of the name is "Stiward," which appears in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1176.

The name "STEWARD" was initially used as an occupational surname for someone who was responsible for managing a household or estate. It was a position of great importance and trust, as the steward oversaw the daily operations and finances of a noble family or landowner.

During the Middle Ages, the role of the steward became more formalized, and many prominent families employed stewards to manage their estates and affairs. The name "STEWARD" can be found in various historical records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists several landowners with the name in various counties of England.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname "STEWARD" was William le Stiward, who lived in Cambridgeshire around 1210. Another notable bearer of the name was Sir John Stewart, who was born in 1360 and served as High Steward of Scotland during the reign of King Robert II.

In the 14th century, the Stewart family became one of the most powerful dynasties in Scotland, eventually ascending to the Scottish throne. Robert II, who ruled from 1371 to 1390, was the first monarch of the House of Stewart. Other notable individuals with the surname "STEWARD" include Sir Thomas Steward (1555-1615), an English diplomat and Member of Parliament, and William Steward (1573-1645), a prominent English sculptor and architect.

The surname "STEWARD" also has variations in spelling, including Stewart, Stuart, and Stuard, which were derived from the Old French word "estuart." These variations were particularly common in Scotland and Ireland, where the name was adopted by many noble families.

Throughout history, the surname "STEWARD" has been associated with positions of authority, responsibility, and trust, reflecting its origins as an occupational name for a household manager. While the name has evolved over time, it continues to carry a sense of stewardship and guardianship.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Steward families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Steward 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. Norfolk leads with 646 Stewards recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.19x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 646 11.19x
Middlesex 526 1.40x
Suffolk 452 9.89x
Yorkshire 290 0.78x
Essex 232 3.13x
Surrey 215 1.18x
Kent 165 1.29x
Staffordshire 130 1.03x
Lancashire 127 0.29x
Durham 123 1.10x
Hampshire 114 1.48x
Warwickshire 95 1.00x
Worcestershire 82 1.67x
Northamptonshire 62 1.76x
Northumberland 60 1.07x
Cheshire 42 0.51x
Cambridgeshire 39 1.64x
Devon 34 0.44x
Cumberland 29 0.90x
Shropshire 29 0.89x
Sussex 28 0.44x
Hertfordshire 27 1.04x
Monmouthshire 27 1.00x
Glamorgan 19 0.29x
Gloucestershire 19 0.26x
Berkshire 18 0.64x
Leicestershire 17 0.41x
Wiltshire 17 0.51x
Lincolnshire 15 0.25x
Angus 13 0.37x
Buckinghamshire 11 0.48x
Channel Islands 11 0.99x
Oxfordshire 11 0.47x
Dorset 9 0.37x
Herefordshire 9 0.58x
Lanarkshire 9 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.18x
Pembrokeshire 9 0.75x
Bedfordshire 8 0.41x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.20x
Anglesey 7 1.05x
Inverness-shire 6 0.54x
Somerset 6 0.10x
Carmarthenshire 5 0.32x
Renfrewshire 5 0.17x
Derbyshire 4 0.07x
Fife 4 0.18x
Royal Navy 4 0.89x
Denbighshire 3 0.21x
Flintshire 3 0.30x
Perthshire 3 0.18x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.27x
Isle of Man 2 0.29x
Ross-shire 2 0.19x
Argyllshire 1 0.10x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.07x
Cornwall 1 0.02x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.12x
Midlothian 1 0.02x
Stirlingshire 1 0.07x
Sutherland 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 63 Stewards recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.00x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 63 2.00x
Wolverhampton 59 6.06x
Camberwell 46 1.92x
Bethnal Green London 44 2.70x
Great Yarmouth 42 8.79x
Mile End Old Town 42 7.09x
Islington London 37 1.02x
Deptford St Paul 35 3.54x
Bromley London 33 4.00x
Peterborough 32 12.52x
Gomersal 30 17.28x
Shoreditch London 30 1.84x
Sible Hedingham 29 117.12x
East Dereham 28 38.40x
Battersea 27 1.95x
Kidderminster Borough 27 9.41x
Ryde 27 16.34x
Leeds 26 1.24x
Lavenham 25 104.56x
Ipswich St Mathew 24 18.73x
Lakenham 24 29.27x
St Pancras London 24 0.79x
Toppesfield 24 217.00x
Norwich St Peter 23 60.72x
Greenwich 22 3.68x
Norwich St Paul 22 63.68x
Prittlewell 22 21.42x
St George In East 22 8.62x
Elland Cum Greetland 21 12.53x
Lambeth 21 0.64x
Baylham 19 266.11x
Norwich St James 19 41.96x
Heigham 18 5.81x
Bermondsey 17 1.52x
Heybridge 17 78.89x
Kingswinford 17 3.70x
Liverpool 17 0.63x
Paddington London 17 1.23x
Runham 17 147.44x
Sproughton 17 212.77x
Upper Arley 17 180.66x
Brightlingsea 16 37.79x
Clerkenwell London 16 1.81x
Croydon 16 1.58x
Fulham London 16 2.94x
Honley 16 24.57x
Kensington London 16 0.77x
Portsea 16 1.06x
Tottenham 16 2.68x
Bramford 15 87.31x
Hammersmith London 15 1.62x
Pakenham 15 121.75x
West Ham 15 0.92x
Westminster St John 15 3.28x
Chelmondiston 14 126.13x
Downham Market 14 35.31x
Erith 13 10.30x
Plumstead 13 3.05x
Reading St Giles 13 4.70x
Sheringham 13 87.37x
Spitalfields London 13 4.60x
St Marylebone London 13 0.65x
Alverstoke 12 4.31x
Caistor Next Yarmouth 12 59.08x
Hainford 12 148.51x
Lewisham 12 1.76x
Liscard 12 8.04x
Poplar London 12 1.69x
South Elmham St James 12 402.68x
Thorpe Next Norwich 12 19.62x
Thriplow 12 202.02x
Bushey 11 17.86x
Hackney London 11 0.52x
Kidderminster Foreign 11 15.87x
Southcoates 11 5.33x
St George Hanover 11 2.25x
Stoke Newington London 11 3.76x
Stow Bardolph 11 64.07x
Upper Llanvrechva 11 26.09x
Willisham 11 429.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 223
Sarah 139
Elizabeth 136
Ann 77
Eliza 61
Ellen 61
Jane 55
Alice 54
Emma 49
Annie 45
Emily 44
Charlotte 41
Hannah 41
Margaret 38
Harriet 33
Maria 33
Martha 32
Louisa 30
Caroline 28
Edith 25
Harriett 23
Kate 22
Ada 21
Catherine 20
Fanny 20
Florence 18
Eleanor 16
Julia 16
Lucy 15
Rose 15
Susan 15
Agnes 14
Clara 14
Frances 13
Susannah 13
Amelia 12
Anna 12
Beatrice 12
Anne 11
Ethel 10
Rebecca 10
Esther 9
Isabella 9
Jessie 8
Lydia 8
Elizth. 7
Laura 7
Mabel 7
Rachel 7
Sophia 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 231
John 193
James 131
George 119
Charles 103
Thomas 98
Henry 70
Robert 68
Edward 52
Joseph 47
Arthur 44
Walter 42
Alfred 39
Frederick 39
Samuel 34
Herbert 30
Albert 25
Harry 23
Richard 22
Benjamin 14
Frank 14
Francis 12
David 11
Wm. 9
Thos. 8
Edwin 7
Ernest 7
Alexander 6
Daniel 6
Frederic 6
Fredk. 6
Fredrick 6
Jas. 6
Lewis 6
Abraham 5
Archibald 5
Bertram 5
Chas. 5
Edmund 5
Geo. 5
Horace 5
Isaac 5
Joshua 5
Percy 5
Fred 4
Timothy 4
Willm. 4
Noah 3
Philip 3
Reginald 3

FAQ

Steward surname: questions and answers

How common was the Steward surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,834 people were recorded with the Steward surname. That placed it at #1,191 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Steward surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,849 in 2016. That gives Steward a modern rank of #1,759.

What does the Steward surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a household or estate manager, or one who supervises servants.

What does the Steward map show?

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