NameCensus.

UK surname

Stirman

Scottish surname referring to an active or hardworking individual.

In the 1881 census there were 60 people recorded with the Stirman surname, ranking it #25,133 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 108, ranked #29,578, down from #25,133 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham and Stockton-on-Tees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stirman is 119 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 80.0%.

1881 census count

60

Ranked #25,133

Modern count

108

2016, ranked #29,578

Peak year

2009

119 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stirman had 60 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,133 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016, ranked #29,578.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 60 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Stirman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stirman surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stirman 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 20 #29,743
1861 historical 36 #29,463
1881 historical 60 #25,133
1891 historical 51 #30,158
1901 historical 40 #29,678
1911 historical 47 #28,110
1997 modern 98 #27,179
1998 modern 105 #26,822
1999 modern 111 #26,182
2000 modern 102 #27,425
2001 modern 103 #26,927
2002 modern 105 #27,123
2003 modern 97 #28,217
2004 modern 100 #27,964
2005 modern 96 #28,671
2006 modern 107 #27,179
2007 modern 107 #27,557
2008 modern 114 #26,796
2009 modern 119 #26,637
2010 modern 113 #28,162
2011 modern 108 #28,811
2012 modern 106 #29,187
2013 modern 114 #28,347
2014 modern 115 #28,439
2015 modern 111 #28,986
2016 modern 108 #29,578

Geography

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Where Stirmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham and Stockton-on-Tees. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 036 County Durham
2 Stockton-on-Tees 002 Stockton-on-Tees
3 County Durham 032 County Durham
4 Stockton-on-Tees 011 Stockton-on-Tees
5 County Durham 011 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stirman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stirman

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Stirman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Stirman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Stirman 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

Stirman 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

Stirman falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Stirman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Stirman

The surname Stirman has its origins in the German-speaking regions of Europe, with its first known mentions dating back to the 16th century. The name is derived from the German word "Stier," which means "bull," and likely referred to someone who worked with cattle or had some association with these animals.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Stirman surname can be found in the parish records of Hesse, Germany, where a certain Johannes Stirman was listed as a resident in the year 1573. Similar spellings, such as Stirmann and Stiermannnn, were also prevalent in various German regions during this time period.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in several historical documents, including the records of the town of Worms, where a family by the name of Stirman was mentioned as landowners and merchants. This suggests that the name had gained some prominence and social standing by that point.

As the Stirman family spread across different parts of Europe, the name evolved and adapted to local dialects and spellings. For instance, in the Netherlands, it was sometimes spelled as "Stiereman," while in Switzerland, variations like "Stürmann" were common.

One notable bearer of the Stirman surname was Johann Stirman, a German philosopher and author born in 1675 in the city of Heidelberg. His writings on ethics and moral philosophy were widely read and discussed during his lifetime.

Another individual of historical significance was Katharina Stirman, a midwife who lived in the late 17th century in the town of Nuremberg. Her detailed records and notes on childbirth practices provide valuable insights into medical practices of that era.

In the 19th century, Carl Stirman, a German-born artist and painter, gained recognition for his landscapes and portraits. He was born in 1818 and spent most of his career in Munich, where he was a member of the Royal Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts.

Another notable figure was Friedrich Stirman, a German military officer who served in the Prussian Army during the Napoleonic Wars. Born in 1792, he participated in several major battles and was awarded the Iron Cross for his bravery and leadership.

Finally, one cannot overlook the contributions of Elise Stirman, a pioneering woman in the field of nursing and healthcare. Born in 1845 in Dresden, she was instrumental in establishing modern nursing practices and training programs in Germany during the late 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stirman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stirman 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 21 Stirmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.34x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 21 23.34x
Northamptonshire 21 38.15x
Yorkshire 16 2.76x
Middlesex 1 0.17x
Suffolk 1 1.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aldeby in Norfolk leads with 14 Stirmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 10769.23x.

Place Total Index
Aldeby 14 10769.23x
Chelveston Cum Caldecott 12 15000.00x
Sancton Houghton 8 11428.57x
Huddersfield 6 71.01x
Peterborough 6 150.75x
Bacton 5 5555.56x
Oundle 3 483.87x
North Walsham 2 307.69x
Beccles 1 86.96x
Headingley Cum Burley 1 26.81x
Market Weighton Arras 1 263.16x
Paddington London 1 4.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Sarah 3
Charlotte 2
Adelaide 1
Alice 1
Amy 1
Angelina 1
Anna 1
Bessie 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Elizabethan 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Joseph 1
Kate 1
Kezia 1
Maria 1
Minnie 1
Rebecca 1
Rhoda 1
Susanna 1
Tamar 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Robert 4
James 3
John 3
William 3
Edward 2
Henry 2
... 1
Charles 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
Ezekiel 1
Fred 1
George 1
Jeremiah 1
Joseph 1
Saml. 1
Sydney 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

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 Stirman households.

FAQ

Stirman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stirman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 60 people were recorded with the Stirman surname. That placed it at #25,133 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stirman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016. That gives Stirman a modern rank of #29,578.

What does the Stirman surname mean?

Scottish surname referring to an active or hardworking individual.

What does the Stirman map show?

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