NameCensus.

UK surname

Stout

A surname referring to a person who was powerful, brave, or stout in stature.

In the 1881 census there were 1,431 people recorded with the Stout surname, ranking it #2,913 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,004, ranked #3,218, down from #2,913 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Lerwick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isles, Shetland South and West Kirkwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stout is 2,076 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.0%.

1881 census count

1,431

Ranked #2,913

Modern count

2,004

2016, ranked #3,218

Peak year

2002

2,076 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stout had 1,431 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,913 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,004 in 2016, ranked #3,218.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,696 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Stout surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stout surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stout 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 914 #3,020
1861 historical 880 #3,153
1881 historical 1,431 #2,913
1891 historical 1,452 #3,019
1901 historical 1,696 #3,044
1911 historical 1,470 #3,279
1997 modern 1,993 #3,061
1998 modern 2,057 #3,087
1999 modern 2,075 #3,093
2000 modern 2,069 #3,088
2001 modern 2,021 #3,086
2002 modern 2,076 #3,078
2003 modern 2,016 #3,093
2004 modern 2,023 #3,083
2005 modern 1,940 #3,165
2006 modern 1,931 #3,189
2007 modern 1,963 #3,173
2008 modern 1,961 #3,191
2009 modern 2,022 #3,183
2010 modern 2,074 #3,179
2011 modern 2,046 #3,179
2012 modern 1,991 #3,205
2013 modern 2,008 #3,230
2014 modern 2,027 #3,231
2015 modern 1,996 #3,244
2016 modern 2,004 #3,218

Geography

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Where Stouts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Lerwick, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Westray and Papa Westray. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isles, Shetland South, West Kirkwall, County Durham and Possil Park. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Lerwick Shetland
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 Westray and Papa Westray Orkney

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isles Orkney Islands
2 Shetland South Shetland Islands
3 West Kirkwall Orkney Islands
4 County Durham 059 County Durham
5 Possil Park Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stout

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stout

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Stout surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Stout household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Stout is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Stout is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Stout falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Stout is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Stout

The surname Stout originated as an English nickname for a stout or hardy person. It derived from the Middle English and Old French words estout, meaning strong or brave. The name first appeared in the late 12th century and was originally spelled as Stut or le Stute.

The earliest known bearer of the name was William le Stute, who was recorded in the Curia Regis Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1199. Another early instance was Roger Stout, mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Warwickshire in 1221.

In the 13th century, the surname Stout began appearing in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Staffordshire, and Essex. Some early examples include John le Stout in the Hundredorum Rolls of Yorkshire in 1273 and William Stout in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296.

The name Stout is also connected to several place names in England, such as Stout's Hill in Gloucestershire and Stout's Farm in Oxfordshire. These locations likely took their names from early residents with the surname Stout.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname Stout include Sir John Stout (c.1599-1662), an English parliamentarian and regicide who signed the death warrant of King Charles I. Another prominent bearer was Sir William Stout (1665-1752), a British naval officer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament.

Other significant individuals with the name Stout throughout history include:

1. Richard Stout (c.1616-1705), one of the earliest settlers of New Jersey and a founder of Middletown. 2. Hosea Stout (1810-1889), an American Mormon pioneer and bodyguard to Joseph Smith. 3. Rex Stout (1886-1975), an American writer best known for his detective fiction featuring Nero Wolfe. 4. George Stout (1897-1978), an American art conservator and pioneer in the field of art conservation. 5. Wilbur Stout (1884-1961), an American aviation pioneer and designer of the Stout Skycar and other innovative aircraft.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stout families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stout 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. Lancashire leads with 212 Stouts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.28x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 212 1.28x
Durham 166 3.99x
Orkney 141 91.56x
Middlesex 132 0.94x
Yorkshire 95 0.68x
Cumberland 80 6.64x
Shetland 79 55.26x
Warwickshire 58 1.64x
Lincolnshire 55 2.46x
Hampshire 47 1.64x
Nottinghamshire 46 2.44x
Lanarkshire 38 0.84x
Surrey 33 0.48x
Essex 22 0.80x
Westmorland 22 7.15x
Dorset 20 2.18x
Northumberland 20 0.96x
Kent 19 0.40x
Midlothian 17 0.91x
Cheshire 11 0.36x
Isle of Man 11 4.23x
Staffordshire 10 0.21x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.69x
Gloucestershire 9 0.33x
Berkshire 8 0.76x
Norfolk 8 0.37x
Worcestershire 8 0.44x
Suffolk 7 0.41x
Berwickshire 6 3.54x
Northamptonshire 6 0.46x
Devon 5 0.17x
Monmouthshire 5 0.49x
Wiltshire 4 0.32x
Argyllshire 3 0.77x
Caithness 3 1.57x
Buteshire 2 2.36x
Glamorgan 2 0.08x
Hertfordshire 2 0.21x
Selkirkshire 2 1.58x
West Lothian 2 0.95x
Anglesey 1 0.40x
Angus 1 0.08x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.12x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.11x
Denbighshire 1 0.19x
Derbyshire 1 0.05x
Renfrewshire 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 0.60x
Shropshire 1 0.08x
Somerset 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Walls Flotta in Orkney leads with 64 Stouts recorded in 1881 and an index of 887.66x.

Place Total Index
Walls Flotta 64 887.66x
Westray Papa Westray 49 401.31x
Aston 35 3.60x
Westleigh 33 87.49x
Elvet 32 106.45x
Lerwick Gulberwick 32 144.60x
Starforth 32 1295.55x
Alston 31 139.58x
Great Grimsby 27 19.01x
Dunrossness Fair Isle 26 2524.27x
Westoe 24 10.17x
Birmingham 20 1.70x
Ashton Under Lyne 19 5.23x
Toxteth Park 19 3.38x
Bulwell 18 43.88x
Shoreditch London 17 2.80x
Basford 15 17.25x
Crossgate 15 82.37x
Egremont 15 52.19x
Penrith 15 33.69x
Barony 14 1.22x
Colne 14 28.29x
Govan 14 1.25x
St Marylebone London 14 1.87x
Warrington 14 7.11x
West Derby 14 2.88x
Kirkby Lonsdale 13 156.25x
Southwark St George Martyr 13 4.62x
Shildon 12 35.86x
Bowling 11 8.01x
Christchurch 11 17.68x
Dunrossness 11 58.45x
Islington London 11 0.81x
South Stoneham 11 17.67x
Whitechapel London 11 7.97x
Everton 10 1.89x
Haswell 10 33.50x
Hendon 10 19.86x
Kingswinford 10 5.83x
St George In East 10 10.50x
Stanhope 10 23.26x
Wimborne Minster 10 67.29x
Aberdeen Old Machar 9 3.33x
Brant Broughton 9 276.92x
Charlton Next Woolwich 9 18.07x
Clitheroe 9 18.41x
Distington 9 145.16x
Glasgow 9 1.12x
Limehouse London 9 5.86x
Portsea 9 1.60x
Walthamstow 9 9.05x
Whaplode 9 117.96x
Widnes 9 7.51x
Gateshead 8 2.57x
Latchford 8 38.97x
Newington 8 1.55x
Oldham 8 1.49x
Pennington In Leigh 8 25.10x
Southampton St Mary 8 4.43x
Barnwood 7 190.22x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 5.31x
Deptford St Paul 7 1.90x
Dudley 7 3.15x
Hulme 7 2.02x
Jesmond 7 23.88x
Kirkwall St Ola 7 30.34x
Pittington 7 59.78x
Poole St James 7 20.28x
Shalbourn 7 177.67x
South Leith 7 3.32x
St Andrew Holborn 7 14.75x
Stronsay Eday 7 69.51x
Willesden 7 5.31x
York St Nicholas In 7 89.63x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 0.80x
Hoy Graemsay 6 207.61x
Leyton Low 6 10.68x
Poplar London 6 2.27x
Stromness 6 51.95x
West Rainton 6 46.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 74
Elizabeth 48
Jane 40
Sarah 25
Ellen 24
Ann 23
Margaret 21
Alice 18
Emma 16
Annie 15
Eliza 14
Isabella 12
Emily 10
Hannah 10
Louisa 10
Martha 7
Catherine 6
Elizth. 6
Frances 6
Harriet 6
Bertha 5
Kate 5
Maria 5
Ada 4
Agnes 4
Harriett 4
Rachel 4
Amy 3
Anna 3
Anne 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Eliz. 3
Ethel 3
Florence 3
Jemima 3
Margret 3
Susan 3
Bridget 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Dorothy 2
Esther 2
Helen 2
Henrietta 2
Johanna 2
Julia 2
Lizzie 2
Lucy 2
Margt. 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 78
William 68
George 48
Thomas 37
James 33
Charles 30
Joseph 28
Edward 18
Henry 16
Robert 16
Arthur 11
Albert 8
Alfred 8
Frank 8
Frederick 8
Matthew 8
Samuel 8
Benjamin 6
Francis 6
Christopher 5
Richard 5
Stephen 5
David 4
Abraham 3
Edwin 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Thos. 3
Alban 2
Chas. 2
F. 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Gilbert 2
Jabez 2
Jacob 2
Jason 2
Jonathan 2
Mark 2
Nicholas 2
Oliver 2
Wm. 2
Alick 1
B. 1
Drayton 1
Edw. 1
Eli 1
Hy. 1
J.H. 1
Wm.Jas.A. 1

FAQ

Stout surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stout surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,431 people were recorded with the Stout surname. That placed it at #2,913 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stout surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,004 in 2016. That gives Stout a modern rank of #3,218.

What does the Stout surname mean?

A surname referring to a person who was powerful, brave, or stout in stature.

What does the Stout map show?

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