NameCensus.

UK surname

Stirk

A locational surname derived from a place name in Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 563 people recorded with the Stirk surname, ranking it #6,155 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 788, ranked #7,006, down from #6,155 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, Sileby and Kildwick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrogate, Sunderland and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stirk is 824 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.0%.

1881 census count

563

Ranked #6,155

Modern count

788

2016, ranked #7,006

Peak year

2010

824 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stirk had 563 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,155 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 788 in 2016, ranked #7,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 811 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Stirk surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stirk surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stirk 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 346 #6,798
1861 historical 277 #9,025
1881 historical 563 #6,155
1891 historical 578 #6,594
1901 historical 740 #5,999
1911 historical 811 #5,421
1997 modern 758 #6,824
1998 modern 807 #6,709
1999 modern 804 #6,759
2000 modern 795 #6,807
2001 modern 764 #6,890
2002 modern 774 #6,959
2003 modern 767 #6,884
2004 modern 767 #6,908
2005 modern 752 #6,941
2006 modern 780 #6,764
2007 modern 788 #6,771
2008 modern 776 #6,925
2009 modern 790 #6,966
2010 modern 824 #6,851
2011 modern 811 #6,853
2012 modern 792 #6,898
2013 modern 811 #6,866
2014 modern 814 #6,882
2015 modern 806 #6,896
2016 modern 788 #7,006

Geography

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Where Stirks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, Sileby, Kildwick, Stranton and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harrogate, Sunderland, County Durham, Hambleton and Shropshire. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Sileby Leicestershire
3 Kildwick Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Stranton Durham
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harrogate 001 Harrogate
2 Sunderland 016 Sunderland
3 County Durham 064 County Durham
4 Hambleton 009 Hambleton
5 Shropshire 034 Shropshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stirk

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stirk

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

Stirk 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

Stirk falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Stirk

The surname STIRK is of English origin, and is believed to have originated in the northern counties of England, particularly in Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is thought to derive from the Old English word "styrc," which means "calf" or "young bullock." The name was likely initially used as a nickname for a person who worked with calves or young cattle.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries, with the spellings "Stirk" and "Styrk" appearing in various historical records from that period. For example, the name is mentioned in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which lists individuals with the surname STIRK residing in the region.

In the 16th century, the name STIRK can be found in the Parish Registers of Lancashire, suggesting that the family had established a presence in that area. One notable individual from this time period was John Stirk, born in 1562 in Colne, Lancashire, who served as a local magistrate and landowner.

The STIRK surname is also associated with several place names in northern England, such as Stirk House in Lancashire and Stirk Farm in Yorkshire. These place names likely originated from individuals bearing the STIRK surname who lived or owned land in those areas.

Throughout history, there have been several notable figures with the surname STIRK, including:

1. Thomas Stirk (1766-1844), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in Yorkshire, including the Church of St. Peter in Huddersfield. 2. William Stirk (1825-1901), a British industrialist and inventor who patented a innovative process for manufacturing felt hats. 3. Elizabeth Stirk (1847-1924), a British philanthropist and social reformer who established several charitable organizations in Lancashire. 4. John Stirk (1878-1956), a British politician and member of parliament who represented the constituency of Stockport from 1924 to 1931. 5. Henry Stirk (1902-1988), a British artist and painter known for his landscape paintings of the Yorkshire countryside.

While the surname STIRK has its roots in northern England, it has since spread to other parts of the country and even to other English-speaking nations through migration and immigration. However, its origins can be traced back to the Old English word "styrc" and its early usage as a nickname for those associated with calves or young cattle.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stirk families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stirk 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. Yorkshire leads with 429 Stirks recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.88x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 429 7.88x
Warwickshire 43 3.10x
Leicestershire 27 4.43x
Durham 19 1.16x
Staffordshire 18 0.97x
Lancashire 12 0.18x
Northumberland 4 0.49x
Surrey 4 0.15x
Worcestershire 4 0.56x
Middlesex 2 0.04x
Berkshire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 31 Stirks recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.09x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 31 10.09x
Birmingham 27 5.85x
Bradleys Both 21 2164.95x
Sileby 20 520.83x
Sutton In Keighley 19 616.88x
Aston 16 4.20x
Manningham 16 23.87x
Skipton 16 93.40x
Otley 15 113.55x
Hunslet 14 16.50x
Chapel Allerton 12 147.42x
York St Nicholas In 11 359.48x
Ovenden 10 41.29x
Addingham 9 221.13x
Bingley 9 25.97x
Bradford 9 6.83x
Bramham Cum Oglethorpe 9 414.75x
Glusburn 9 293.16x
Holbeck 9 24.97x
Horton In Bradford 9 10.59x
Kirk Deighton 9 1363.64x
Leyburn 9 491.80x
Shipley 9 31.87x
Farnhill 8 761.90x
Liversedge 8 33.02x
Wortley In Bramley 8 18.56x
Holy Trinity 7 5.35x
Huddersfield 7 8.83x
Idle 7 27.74x
Morton In Keighley 7 163.93x
Wednesfield 7 25.66x
Wolverhampton 7 4.91x
York St Cuthbert 7 140.56x
Baildon 6 58.54x
Barden In Leyburn 6 3750.00x
Batley 6 11.60x
Clifford Cum Boston 6 122.70x
Finghall Akebar 6 2068.97x
Halifax 6 7.51x
Headingley Cum Burley 6 17.13x
Kirby Fleetham 6 571.43x
Stranton 6 10.91x
York St Peter Le 6 576.92x
Northowram 5 13.10x
Satley 5 531.91x
Wooldale 5 54.17x
Castleton 4 6.15x
Doncaster 4 10.06x
Hedley Woodside 4 476.19x
Leicester St Margaret 4 2.69x
Thirn 4 1666.67x
Yardley 4 21.80x
Carthorpe 3 491.80x
Evington 3 352.94x
Gargrave 3 123.46x
Giggleswick 3 163.04x
Gomersal 3 11.81x
Holy Trinity St Mary 3 36.23x
Keighley 3 5.17x
Morley 3 10.60x
Wandsworth 3 5.67x
Wetherby 3 84.51x
Widnes 3 6.38x
York St Lawrence 3 52.82x
York St Mary 3 13.31x
Bishopwearmouth 2 1.43x
Burslem 2 3.77x
Burton Upon Trent 2 4.61x
Cockfield 2 87.72x
Hornsey 2 2.88x
Lancaster 2 5.16x
Manchester 2 0.68x
Castle Eden 1 60.24x
Easingwold 1 26.04x
Elland Cum Greetland 1 4.08x
Huby 1 107.53x
Marwood 1 270.27x
Middleton On Wolds 1 83.33x
Pickhill With Roxby 1 188.68x
York St Giles In 1 19.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 48
Elizabeth 24
Ann 19
Sarah 18
Annie 17
Jane 12
Martha 9
Alice 8
Ada 5
Emily 5
Louisa 5
Margaret 5
Christiana 4
Edith 4
Emma 4
Clara 3
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Isabella 3
Jessie 3
Lilian 3
Ruth 3
Susannah 3
Agnes 2
Catherine 2
Eleanor 2
Eva 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Nancy 2
Selina 2
Sophia 2
Anne 1
Bethel 1
Betsey 1
Caroline 1
Charlot 1
Elizbeth 1
Elizth. 1
Ellison 1
Emelia 1
Emmaline 1
Judeth 1
Lavinia 1
Lenora 1
Tryphina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 37
William 34
James 17
Joseph 15
Henry 14
Thomas 14
George 10
Edward 9
Francis 8
Samuel 7
Harry 6
Arthur 5
Charles 4
Christopher 4
Frank 4
Robert 4
Walter 4
Wm. 4
Abraham 3
Benjamin 3
Edwin 3
Fred 3
Frederick 3
Isaac 3
Matthew 3
Alfred 2
Edgar 2
Edmund 2
Ernest 2
Herbert 2
Richard 2
Seth 2
Willm. 2
Zebulon 2
Albert 1
Augustus 1
David 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Geor. 1
Greenwood 1
Jonathan 1
Leonard 1
Lister 1
Martin 1
Max 1
Michael 1
Oliver 1
Othello 1
Parkinson 1

FAQ

Stirk surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stirk surname in 1881?

In 1881, 563 people were recorded with the Stirk surname. That placed it at #6,155 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stirk surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 788 in 2016. That gives Stirk a modern rank of #7,006.

What does the Stirk surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in Yorkshire, England.

What does the Stirk map show?

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