NameCensus.

UK surname

Stolworthy

A locational surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone from a place with a stony or rocky prominence.

In the 1881 census there were 59 people recorded with the Stolworthy surname, ranking it #25,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 269, ranked #15,956, up from #25,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, Roughton and Hoo. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rushcliffe, North Norfolk and Broadland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stolworthy is 322 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 355.9%.

1881 census count

59

Ranked #25,281

Modern count

269

2016, ranked #15,956

Peak year

1999

322 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stolworthy had 59 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 269 in 2016, ranked #15,956.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 138 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Stolworthy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stolworthy surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stolworthy 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 11 #31,309
1861 historical 37 #29,339
1881 historical 59 #25,281
1891 historical 106 #23,105
1901 historical 138 #18,955
1911 historical 130 #19,504
1997 modern 304 #13,409
1998 modern 319 #13,330
1999 modern 322 #13,335
2000 modern 318 #13,415
2001 modern 311 #13,423
2002 modern 319 #13,448
2003 modern 294 #14,002
2004 modern 300 #13,871
2005 modern 302 #13,788
2006 modern 291 #14,175
2007 modern 295 #14,198
2008 modern 292 #14,403
2009 modern 295 #14,594
2010 modern 288 #15,162
2011 modern 287 #15,044
2012 modern 272 #15,586
2013 modern 276 #15,683
2014 modern 283 #15,495
2015 modern 279 #15,527
2016 modern 269 #15,956

Geography

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Where Stolworthys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, Roughton, Hoo, Bradford and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rushcliffe, North Norfolk, Broadland, Great Yarmouth and Breckland. 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 St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju Norfolk
2 Roughton Norfolk
3 Hoo Norfolk
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rushcliffe 013 Rushcliffe
2 North Norfolk 006 North Norfolk
3 Broadland 006 Broadland
4 Great Yarmouth 012 Great Yarmouth
5 Breckland 008 Breckland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stolworthy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stolworthy

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

Stolworthy is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Stolworthy falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Stolworthy

The surname Stolworthy is of English origin, derived from the Middle English words "stole" meaning a chair or seat, and "worthy" meaning a farm or estate. It is believed to have originated in Devon, England during the 13th century.

The name is thought to have been used to refer to someone who lived or worked on a farm or estate with a significant chair or seat, possibly a manor house or a seat of local authority. The earliest known recorded spelling of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Devon, dated 1273, which lists a Richard de Stolleworthy.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms such as Stolleworthy, Stolworthy, and Stoleworthy in various tax records and land transactions in the Devon area. One notable reference is in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Tawstock in 1379, which mentions a John Stolworthy as a tenant farmer.

The Stolworthy family was well-established in Devon, with members appearing in various records over the centuries. In the 16th century, a William Stolworthy (c. 1530-1590) was a prominent landowner and farmer in the village of Combe Martin. His grandson, John Stolworthy (1575-1645), was a respected member of the local gentry and served as a magistrate.

During the English Civil War, a Richard Stolworthy (1610-1675) fought on the Parliamentarian side and was later rewarded with land grants for his service. In the 18th century, a Thomas Stolworthy (1720-1790) was a successful merchant and shipowner based in Barnstaple, Devon.

Another notable bearer of the name was William Stolworthy (1795-1870), a prominent Anglican clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Ely and Prebendary of Lincoln Cathedral. He was known for his work in promoting education and social welfare in his diocese.

The Stolworthy name continued to be found in various parts of England, particularly in the West Country, throughout the 19th century. Some examples include John Stolworthy (1825-1895), a successful farmer and landowner in Somerset, and Elizabeth Stolworthy (1840-1912), a noted author and poet from Dorset.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stolworthy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stolworthy 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 32 Stolworthys recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.16x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 32 36.16x
Yorkshire 13 2.28x
Middlesex 6 1.04x
Surrey 5 1.78x
Somerset 3 3.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 26 Stolworthys recorded in 1881 and an index of 354.71x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 26 354.71x
Shipley 7 236.49x
Bowling 6 106.19x
Rotherhithe 5 70.32x
Islington London 4 7.17x
Bedminster 3 34.44x
Norwich St Julian 3 810.81x
Hackney London 2 6.20x
Fulmodestone Cum Croxton 1 1428.57x
Norwich St Swithin 1 666.67x
Sheringham 1 434.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 5
Eliza 4
Mary 3
Alice 2
Ellen 2
S. 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Anny 1
Belsy 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
E. 1
Emily 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 3
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
Ernest 2
James 2
William 2
Charles 1
Edward 1
Eugene 1
Frederic 1
George 1
Palmer 1
Percy 1
R.E. 1
Richard 1
Walter 1
Willin 1

FAQ

Stolworthy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stolworthy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 59 people were recorded with the Stolworthy surname. That placed it at #25,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stolworthy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 269 in 2016. That gives Stolworthy a modern rank of #15,956.

What does the Stolworthy surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone from a place with a stony or rocky prominence.

What does the Stolworthy map show?

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