UK surname
A habitational surname referring to someone who lived near a stile or steps over a wall.
In the 1881 census there were 132 people recorded with the Stile surname, ranking it #16,744 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 25, ranked #36,324, down from #16,744 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton and Pinhoe. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stile is 136 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 81.1%.
1881 census count
132
Ranked #16,744
Modern count
25
2016, ranked #36,324
Peak year
1891
136 bearers
Map years
4
1851 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Stile surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Stile surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 117 | #15,456 |
| 1861 | historical | 133 | #16,835 |
| 1881 | historical | 132 | #16,744 |
| 1891 | historical | 136 | #19,601 |
| 1901 | historical | 82 | #25,019 |
| 1911 | historical | 91 | #23,684 |
| 1997 | modern | 53 | #32,329 |
| 1998 | modern | 46 | #33,286 |
| 1999 | modern | 46 | #33,424 |
| 2000 | modern | 44 | #33,602 |
| 2001 | modern | 38 | #34,004 |
| 2002 | modern | 40 | #34,133 |
| 2003 | modern | 39 | #34,296 |
| 2004 | modern | 34 | #34,868 |
| 2005 | modern | 30 | #35,347 |
| 2006 | modern | 29 | #35,605 |
| 2007 | modern | 29 | #35,725 |
| 2008 | modern | 27 | #35,956 |
| 2009 | modern | 29 | #35,922 |
| 2010 | modern | 29 | #36,024 |
| 2011 | modern | 28 | #36,071 |
| 2012 | modern | 26 | #36,166 |
| 2013 | modern | 25 | #36,276 |
| 2014 | modern | 26 | #36,244 |
| 2015 | modern | 25 | #36,297 |
| 2016 | modern | 25 | #36,324 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, Pinhoe, Poltimore and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) | Devon |
| 2 | Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton | Devon |
| 3 | Pinhoe | Devon |
| 4 | Poltimore | Devon |
| 5 | St Giles Camberwell | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Stile surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Stile, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Stile surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Stile household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Stile is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Stile is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Stile, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname STILE is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest known references dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be a locational surname, derived from the Old English word "stigel," meaning a steep path or a set of steps leading over a fence or wall.
In medieval times, the name was commonly associated with those who lived near or worked in areas with stiles, which were common features in the English countryside. The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears to be "atte Stile," found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk in 1275.
The STILE surname has strong ties to various regions of England, particularly in counties such as Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, where stiles were prevalent in the rural landscape. Some early variations of the spelling include Stele, Stiell, and Stylle.
One notable historical reference to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a person named "Ailric de la Stile" is recorded as a landowner in the county of Berkshire.
Among the earliest recorded bearers of the STILE surname was John atte Stile, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327. Another early example is Richard de la Stile, mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1348.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname STILE. These include:
1. Sir John Stile (c. 1500-1580), an English judge and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. 2. William Stile (c. 1645-1707), an English clergyman and author known for his works on theology and philosophy. 3. Samuel Stile (1707-1768), an American Congregationalist minister and educator who co-founded Yale College. 4. Ezra Stiles (1727-1795), an American academic and theologian who served as the seventh president of Yale College. 5. Sir William Stiles (1789-1865), a British naval officer and explorer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.
While the STILE surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration to North America and other English-speaking countries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stile surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Devon leads with 34 Stiles recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.69x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Devon | 34 | 12.69x |
| Middlesex | 27 | 2.10x |
| Surrey | 27 | 4.30x |
| Kent | 14 | 3.19x |
| Hampshire | 8 | 3.03x |
| Berkshire | 6 | 6.21x |
| Staffordshire | 3 | 0.69x |
| Sussex | 3 | 1.38x |
| Durham | 2 | 0.52x |
| Aberdeenshire | 1 | 0.84x |
| Cheshire | 1 | 0.35x |
| Cornwall | 1 | 0.69x |
| Dorset | 1 | 1.18x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.07x |
| Northamptonshire | 1 | 0.83x |
| Pembrokeshire | 1 | 2.44x |
| Wiltshire | 1 | 0.88x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Exeter St Sidwell in Devon leads with 14 Stiles recorded in 1881 and an index of 228.01x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Stile surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 11 |
| Sarah | 5 |
| Elizabeth | 4 |
| Lucy | 4 |
| Ann | 3 |
| Emily | 3 |
| Annie | 2 |
| Ellen | 2 |
| Jane | 2 |
| Kate | 2 |
| Lydia | 2 |
| Alice | 1 |
| Amelia | 1 |
| Anna | 1 |
| Anne | 1 |
| Caroline | 1 |
| Cassandra | 1 |
| Catherine | 1 |
| Charlotte | 1 |
| Clara | 1 |
| Daisy | 1 |
| Edith | 1 |
| Elsie | 1 |
| Emilar | 1 |
| Florence | 1 |
| Francis | 1 |
| Georgina | 1 |
| Gertrude | 1 |
| Hannah | 1 |
| Harriet | 1 |
| Helen | 1 |
| Hilda | 1 |
| Isabella | 1 |
| Jessie | 1 |
| Laura | 1 |
| Lizzie | 1 |
| Margaret | 1 |
| Maria | 1 |
| Matilda | 1 |
| Rosalind | 1 |
| Susanna | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Stile surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Stile households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 19 |
| Dress Maker | 2 |
| Gardener | 2 |
| Gentleman | 2 |
| Mariner | 2 |
| No Occupation | 2 |
| Artists Tool Handle Maker | 1 |
| Barmaid (Inn Serv) | 1 |
| Basket Maker | 1 |
| Blacksmiths Striker | 1 |
| Boat Builder | 1 |
| Bonnet Sewer | 1 |
| Bootmaker | 1 |
| Bottler | 1 |
| Brass Finisher | 1 |
| Bricklayer | 1 |
| Builder | 1 |
| Builder Employing 26 Men 3 Boys | 1 |
| Butcher | 1 |
| Cabinet Maker | 1 |
| Carman | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Coachman Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Copper Miner | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Domestic Servt | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Farm Labourer | 1 |
| Farm Labourer Wife | 1 |
| Farm Servant (Indoor) | 1 |
| Farmer 87 Acr Employ 1 Man | 1 |
| Farmers Son | 1 |
| Fur Sewer | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| General Serv Unemployed | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Housemaid | 1 |
| Journeyman Baker | 1 |
| Lady | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Licensed Victualler | 1 |
| Lodging H. Kp. | 1 |
| Mission Nurse | 1 |
| Out Of Business | 1 |
| Pauper | 1 |
| Plumber | 1 |
| Railway Clerk | 1 |
| Railway Ticket Collector | 1 |
| Railways Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 132 people were recorded with the Stile surname. That placed it at #16,744 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 25 in 2016. That gives Stile a modern rank of #36,324.
A habitational surname referring to someone who lived near a stile or steps over a wall.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Stile bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.