NameCensus.

UK surname

Stickler

A surname for a person who is precise, meticulous, or a stickler for the rules.

In the 1881 census there were 246 people recorded with the Stickler surname, ranking it #11,201 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 290, ranked #15,099, down from #11,201 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Sherston Magna, Luckington and Cardiff St John and St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cardiff, Fareham and Caerphilly.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stickler is 297 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.9%.

1881 census count

246

Ranked #11,201

Modern count

290

2016, ranked #15,099

Peak year

1911

297 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stickler had 246 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,201 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 290 in 2016, ranked #15,099.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 297 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Stickler surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stickler surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stickler 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 130 #14,314
1861 historical 120 #18,255
1881 historical 246 #11,201
1891 historical 230 #13,494
1901 historical 281 #12,167
1911 historical 297 #11,524
1997 modern 272 #14,451
1998 modern 287 #14,289
1999 modern 294 #14,140
2000 modern 287 #14,345
2001 modern 282 #14,294
2002 modern 287 #14,402
2003 modern 289 #14,158
2004 modern 288 #14,254
2005 modern 279 #14,480
2006 modern 272 #14,834
2007 modern 258 #15,554
2008 modern 262 #15,550
2009 modern 281 #15,098
2010 modern 284 #15,312
2011 modern 280 #15,310
2012 modern 274 #15,498
2013 modern 286 #15,259
2014 modern 288 #15,285
2015 modern 290 #15,117
2016 modern 290 #15,099

Geography

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Where Sticklers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Sherston Magna, Luckington, Cardiff St John and St Mary, Winterbourne, Westerleigh, Pucklechurch, Frampton Cotterel and Penarth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cardiff, Fareham, Caerphilly and Tunbridge Wells. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Sherston Magna, Luckington Wiltshire
3 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
4 Winterbourne, Westerleigh, Pucklechurch, Frampton Cotterel Gloucestershire
5 Penarth Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cardiff 039 Cardiff
2 Fareham 006 Fareham
3 Fareham 014 Fareham
4 Caerphilly 022 Caerphilly
5 Tunbridge Wells 008 Tunbridge Wells

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stickler

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stickler

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Stickler surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Stickler household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Stickler is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Stickler is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Stickler falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Stickler 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 Stickler, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Stickler

The surname STICKLER is of German origin, and it can be traced back to the 13th century. The name is believed to have originated from the Low German word "sticken," which means "to stitch" or "to embroider." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname were likely involved in the textile trade, particularly in the crafting of embroidered fabrics.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the STICKLER name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Westphalia, dated around 1285. Here, the name is spelled as "Stickeler," which is a variation of the modern form. This record provides evidence of the surname's presence in the region during the medieval period.

In the 16th century, the STICKLER name appeared in various German records, such as the Bürgerbuch (Citizens' Book) of Augsburg, where a certain Hans Stickler was mentioned in 1524. This indicates that the name had spread to other parts of Germany by this time.

An interesting historical reference to the STICKLER name can be found in the writings of the 17th-century German poet and satirist, Johann Michael Moscherosch. In his work "Gesichte Philanders von Sittewald," published in 1640, Moscherosch made a humorous reference to a character named "Stickler," suggesting that the surname was well-established in the region during that era.

Some notable individuals bearing the STICKLER surname throughout history include:

1. Johannes Stickler (1599-1670), a German Protestant theologian and philosopher who served as a professor at the University of Jena. 2. Johann Stickler (1742-1826), an Austrian mathematician and astronomer known for his contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. 3. Alphons Maria Stickler (1910-2007), a German-born Catholic cardinal who served as the Librarian and Archivist of the Holy Roman Church. 4. Franz Stickler (1934-2020), an Austrian Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Feldkirch from 1984 to 2011. 5. Tarja Stickler (born 1967), a Finnish singer and songwriter best known as the former lead vocalist of the symphonic metal band Nightwish.

It is worth noting that the STICKLER surname has also been associated with various place names in Germany, such as Stickelsheim and Stickelberg, which may have influenced the formation and spread of the surname in certain regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stickler families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stickler 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. Gloucestershire leads with 67 Sticklers recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.18x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 67 14.18x
Somerset 60 15.47x
Wiltshire 32 15.02x
Glamorgan 24 5.72x
Middlesex 14 0.58x
Orkney 13 49.04x
Essex 11 2.31x
Surrey 8 0.68x
Monmouthshire 6 3.44x
Hampshire 3 0.61x
Kent 3 0.36x
Sussex 2 0.49x
Angus 1 0.45x
Dorset 1 0.63x
Lanarkshire 1 0.13x
Royal Navy 1 3.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Frome in Somerset leads with 26 Sticklers recorded in 1881 and an index of 280.17x.

Place Total Index
Frome 26 280.17x
Sherston Magna 26 2031.25x
Bristol St George 18 82.38x
Pucklechurch 15 1401.87x
Nunney 11 1309.52x
Roath 11 57.74x
West Ham 11 10.48x
Chewton Mendip 8 1250.00x
Evie Rendall 8 714.29x
Kensington London 8 5.97x
Reigate Foreign 8 62.94x
Cardiff St Mary 7 30.29x
Mangotsfield 7 148.62x
Whatley 7 1944.44x
Llandaff 6 42.98x
St Woollos 5 25.72x
Wotton St Mary 5 204.08x
Hornsey 4 13.13x
Tetbury 4 149.25x
Wick Abson 4 555.56x
Frampton Cotterell 3 180.72x
Iron Acton 3 315.79x
Ryde 3 28.28x
Stronsay Eday 3 173.41x
Marston Bigott 2 666.67x
North Bradley 2 128.21x
Olveston 2 150.38x
Stapleton 2 22.32x
Westbury 2 40.24x
Almondsbury 1 55.56x
Barony 1 0.51x
Bathwick 1 23.31x
Bisley 1 23.36x
Castle Combe 1 243.90x
Charmouth 1 192.31x
Chelsea London 1 1.38x
Chippenham 1 22.37x
Cross Burness N 1 72.46x
Dundee 1 1.20x
Hastingleigh 1 526.32x
Hastings St Mary 1 9.89x
Islington London 1 0.43x
Keymer 1 34.84x
Lewisham 1 2.28x
Oldbury On Hill 1 312.50x
Pilton 1 108.70x
Royal Navy 1 4.08x
Sevenoaks 1 15.02x
St Andrews Deerness 1 71.94x
Swainswick 1 192.31x
Trevethin 1 6.08x
Walcot 1 4.84x
Wanstrow 1 370.37x
Westerleigh 1 94.34x
Witham Friary 1 250.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 7
Emily 7
Alice 6
Eliza 6
Sarah 6
Ann 5
Ellen 5
Emma 5
Rose 4
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Hannah 3
Ada 2
Anna 2
Edith 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Rosina 2
Agness 1
Amelia 1
Blanch 1
Blanche 1
Char.Mat. 1
Elizth. 1
Emmeline 1
Ester 1
Eve 1
Florence 1
Fran.Betsey 1
Francis 1
Georgina 1
Gevena 1
Harriet 1
Harrt. 1
Hester 1
Isabella 1
Jannetta 1
Leonorah 1
Lily 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marinda 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Rhoda 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 14
John 11
George 10
James 9
Charles 6
Thomas 6
Alfred 5
Frederick 5
Herbert 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Edward 3
Frank 3
Oliver 3
Robert 3
Harry 2
Henry 2
Jesse 2
Josiah 2
Albt. 1
Alfd. 1
Amos 1
Arthur 1
Aurther 1
Daniel 1
Egbert 1
Emanuel 1
Enoch 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.W. 1
Gabriel 1
Gilbert 1
Isaac 1
Jack 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Sylvester 1
Willm. 1
Wilm. 1

FAQ

Stickler surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stickler surname in 1881?

In 1881, 246 people were recorded with the Stickler surname. That placed it at #11,201 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stickler surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 290 in 2016. That gives Stickler a modern rank of #15,099.

What does the Stickler surname mean?

A surname for a person who is precise, meticulous, or a stickler for the rules.

What does the Stickler map show?

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