NameCensus.

UK surname

Storie

An occupational surname for a historian, chronicler, or professional teller of stories and historical accounts.

In the 1881 census there were 361 people recorded with the Storie surname, ranking it #8,579 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 310, ranked #14,406, down from #8,579 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hawick and Wilton, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hawick North, Wiltshire and Kilbirnie South and Longbar.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Storie is 479 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.1%.

1881 census count

361

Ranked #8,579

Modern count

310

2016, ranked #14,406

Peak year

1901

479 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Storie had 361 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,579 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 310 in 2016, ranked #14,406.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 479 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Storie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Storie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Storie 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 312 #7,397
1861 historical 316 #8,054
1881 historical 361 #8,579
1891 historical 422 #8,483
1901 historical 479 #8,313
1911 historical 81 #24,719
1997 modern 299 #13,563
1998 modern 312 #13,532
1999 modern 325 #13,257
2000 modern 329 #13,090
2001 modern 313 #13,361
2002 modern 331 #13,115
2003 modern 326 #13,076
2004 modern 318 #13,374
2005 modern 323 #13,133
2006 modern 333 #12,941
2007 modern 332 #13,087
2008 modern 331 #13,237
2009 modern 335 #13,381
2010 modern 333 #13,717
2011 modern 314 #14,165
2012 modern 296 #14,635
2013 modern 294 #14,961
2014 modern 303 #14,733
2015 modern 307 #14,504
2016 modern 310 #14,406

Geography

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Where Stories are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hawick and Wilton, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Prestonkirk and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hawick North, Wiltshire, Kilbirnie South and Longbar, Belmont and Northumberland. 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 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Prestonkirk Haddington
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hawick North Scottish Borders
2 Wiltshire 018 Wiltshire
3 Kilbirnie South and Longbar North Ayrshire
4 Belmont South Ayrshire
5 Northumberland 013 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Storie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Storie

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Storie 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

Storie 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

Storie 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 Storie is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Storie

The surname Storie has its origins in Scotland, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "stor," which means a person of great stature or importance, or alternatively, it could have originated from the French word "estorer," meaning to furnish or provide.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William Storie, who was mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to Edward I of England. The name also appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1373, where a John Storie is recorded as a tenant in Berwickshire.

In the 16th century, the Storie family was prominent in the Scottish Borders region, particularly in Roxburghshire and Berwickshire. Andrew Storie, born in 1550, was a notable clergyman and author who wrote a treatise on the Scottish Reformation.

The name has also been associated with various place names, such as Storie Muir in Fife and Storiemontfield near Aberdeen, suggesting that some Storie families may have taken their names from these locations.

One of the most famous bearers of the name was John Storie, a Scottish minister born in 1622, who was known for his opposition to the Episcopalian policies of the Stuart monarchs. He was briefly imprisoned for his beliefs and played a significant role in the religious conflicts of the time.

Another notable figure was William Storie, a Scottish merchant and landowner born in 1690, who acquired substantial properties in Fife and Kinross-shire. His descendants continued to be influential landowners in the region for several generations.

In the 19th century, George Storie, born in 1808, was a prominent journalist and editor who worked for several Scottish newspapers, including the Glasgow Herald and the Caledonian Mercury. He was also a vocal advocate for social reform and education.

The Storie surname can also be found in various spelling variations, such as Story, Storey, and Storrie, which reflect regional pronunciation differences and the evolution of the name over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Storie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Storie 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. Midlothian leads with 73 Stories recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.92x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 73 15.92x
Roxburghshire 71 114.48x
Lanarkshire 42 3.79x
East Lothian 39 86.00x
Renfrewshire 22 8.29x
Ayrshire 18 7.02x
Middlesex 16 0.47x
Stirlingshire 14 11.09x
Selkirkshire 13 41.96x
Berwickshire 7 16.88x
Durham 7 0.69x
Aberdeenshire 5 1.58x
Lancashire 4 0.10x
Peeblesshire 4 24.84x
West Lothian 4 7.76x
Hampshire 3 0.43x
Surrey 3 0.18x
Argyllshire 1 1.05x
Dumfriesshire 1 1.32x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.09x
Essex 1 0.15x
Leicestershire 1 0.26x
Yorkshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 34 Stories recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.43x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 34 18.43x
Hawick 22 158.50x
Jedburgh 22 361.84x
Barony 17 6.07x
Haddington 15 224.22x
Slamannan 13 188.13x
Abbey 12 29.64x
Liberton 11 155.37x
Prestonkirk 11 484.58x
Lasswade 9 85.80x
Selkirk 9 103.09x
Auckinleck 7 88.27x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 7 262.17x
Gateshead 7 9.18x
Hume 7 1458.33x
Dalkeith 6 66.30x
Glasgow 6 3.05x
Govan 6 2.19x
Maybole 6 76.92x
Old Monkland 6 13.66x
Prestonpans 6 197.37x
Bothwell 5 16.65x
Clerkenwell London 5 6.19x
Melrose 5 93.28x
Morebattle 5 420.17x
Paisley Low Church 5 59.52x
Wilton 5 73.53x
Boness 4 56.26x
Bromley London 4 5.31x
Galashiels 4 34.93x
Insch 4 222.22x
Peebles 4 84.03x
Southdean 4 470.59x
St Quivox 4 46.19x
Athelstaneford 3 337.08x
Bootle Cum Linacre 3 9.30x
Camberwell 3 1.37x
Oxnam 3 375.00x
Roxburgh 3 252.10x
Dunbar 2 31.45x
Mile End Old Town 2 3.70x
Paisley High Church 2 9.47x
Paisley Middle Church 2 12.95x
St Marylebone London 2 1.09x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 1.51x
Bedrule 1 312.50x
Berwick North 1 31.45x
Cambuslang 1 8.96x
Cambusnethan 1 4.07x
Cardross 1 9.05x
Colchester St Leonard 1 45.87x
Cramond 1 28.74x
Dalry 1 8.29x
Ealing 1 3.27x
Edinburgh Greenside 1 16.50x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 1 31.45x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 10.50x
Falkirk 1 3.38x
Glassary 1 19.49x
Hobkirk 1 128.21x
Holdenhurst 1 5.43x
Innerwick 1 109.89x
Inverkip 1 16.00x
Kirkdale 1 1.46x
Kirkleatham 1 21.83x
Langholm 1 18.38x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.08x
North Leith 1 4.71x
Portchester 1 109.89x
Portsea 1 0.73x
South Leith 1 1.94x
St George Martyr 1 17.33x
St Pancras London 1 0.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Ellen 2
F. 2
Keturah 2
Annie 1
C. 1
Caroline 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Helen 1
Janet 1
Jennet 1
Maud 1
Sarah 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alexander 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
A. 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
George 1
H. 1
John 1
Joseph 1
Llewellyn 1
William 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 Storie households.

FAQ

Storie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Storie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 361 people were recorded with the Storie surname. That placed it at #8,579 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Storie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 310 in 2016. That gives Storie a modern rank of #14,406.

What does the Storie surname mean?

An occupational surname for a historian, chronicler, or professional teller of stories and historical accounts.

What does the Storie map show?

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