NameCensus.

UK surname

Stove

A surname derived from a place name containing the Old English word "stofu" meaning a room with a stove or fireplace.

In the 1881 census there were 133 people recorded with the Stove surname, ranking it #16,676 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 120, ranked #27,563, down from #16,676 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Fetlar and Yell, Lerwick and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shetland South, Lerwick South and East Mainland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stove is 214 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 9.8%.

1881 census count

133

Ranked #16,676

Modern count

120

2016, ranked #27,563

Peak year

1891

214 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stove had 133 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,676 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 120 in 2016, ranked #27,563.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 214 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Stove surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stove surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stove 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 162 #12,215
1861 historical 193 #12,371
1881 historical 133 #16,676
1891 historical 214 #14,214
1901 historical 120 #20,545
1911 historical 76 #25,221
1997 modern 106 #26,057
1998 modern 109 #26,273
1999 modern 108 #26,602
2000 modern 115 #25,591
2001 modern 108 #26,184
2002 modern 126 #24,393
2003 modern 110 #26,220
2004 modern 110 #26,451
2005 modern 111 #26,260
2006 modern 111 #26,565
2007 modern 117 #26,066
2008 modern 117 #26,351
2009 modern 126 #25,686
2010 modern 126 #26,312
2011 modern 115 #27,634
2012 modern 119 #27,100
2013 modern 121 #27,255
2014 modern 118 #27,961
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 120 #27,563

Geography

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Where Stoves are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Fetlar and Yell, Lerwick, London parishes, Edinburgh and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shetland South, Lerwick South, East Mainland, Lerwick North and Sefton. 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 Fetlar and Yell Shetland
2 Lerwick Shetland
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shetland South Shetland Islands
2 Lerwick South Shetland Islands
3 East Mainland Orkney Islands
4 Lerwick North Shetland Islands
5 Sefton 035 Sefton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stove

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stove

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Stove, 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 Stove surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Stove 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Stove is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Stove 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

Stove 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 Stove 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 Stove, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Stove

The surname STOVE is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word 'stofa' meaning a heated room or a bathhouse. This name is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages, around the 12th century, when individuals were often referred to by their occupation or the place where they lived.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname STOVE can be traced back to the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1230, where a man named William de la Stove is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already in use as a surname during this period.

In the 13th century, the name STOVE appeared in various forms, such as de Stova, atte Stove, and de la Stove, reflecting the different spellings and variations common in those times. These variations suggest that the name was derived from a place name or a location associated with a heated room or bathhouse.

One notable historical reference to the surname STOVE can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a John de la Stove. This record provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during the medieval period.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname STOVE. One of the earliest recorded was Sir William Stove (1485-1547), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII.

Another prominent figure was John Stove (1625-1679), an English nonconformist minister and writer who was known for his religious works and sermons. He was born in Kingswinford, Staffordshire, and played a significant role in the Puritan movement of the 17th century.

In the 18th century, William Stove (1718-1801) was an English mathematician and astronomer who made contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society and served as the Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at the University of Cambridge.

Moving into the 19th century, James Stove (1821-1892) was a Scottish-born Australian explorer and surveyor. He was instrumental in the exploration and mapping of the Northern Territory and parts of Western Australia.

Lastly, in the 20th century, Richard Stove (1944-2010) was an Australian writer, philosopher, and literary critic. He was known for his works on conservatism, literature, and cultural criticism, and his essays were widely published in various publications.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stove families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stove 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. Shetland leads with 52 Stoves recorded in 1881 and an index of 404.67x.

County Total Index
Shetland 52 404.67x
Orkney 48 346.82x
Lancashire 12 0.80x
Middlesex 7 0.56x
Norfolk 3 1.55x
Surrey 3 0.49x
Dorset 2 2.42x
Midlothian 1 0.59x
Worcestershire 1 0.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Andrews Deerness in Orkney leads with 34 Stoves recorded in 1881 and an index of 4657.53x.

Place Total Index
St Andrews Deerness 34 4657.53x
Dunrossness 27 1597.63x
Lerwick Gulberwick 18 904.52x
West Derby 10 22.89x
Stromness 7 673.08x
Kirkwall St Ola 5 241.55x
Kensington London 4 5.72x
Northmavine 3 306.12x
Delting 2 277.78x
Great Yarmouth 2 12.48x
Portland 2 45.05x
Yell South 2 645.16x
Battersea 1 2.16x
Camberwell 1 1.24x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 4.22x
Christ Church Newgate 1 169.49x
Croydon 1 2.94x
Dudley 1 5.01x
Evie Rendall 1 172.41x
Holm 1 217.39x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 17.21x
Liverpool 1 1.10x
South Leith 1 5.27x
Spitalfields London 1 10.57x
St Botolph Aldersgate 1 69.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
A.E.A.W. 1
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Emmia 1
Fanny 1
Hannah 1
Josephine 1
Minnie 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 3
Albert 2
Magnus 2
Alfred 1
Frederick 1
Isaac 1
James 1
Job 1
Stephen 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 Stove households.

FAQ

Stove surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stove surname in 1881?

In 1881, 133 people were recorded with the Stove surname. That placed it at #16,676 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stove surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 120 in 2016. That gives Stove a modern rank of #27,563.

What does the Stove surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name containing the Old English word "stofu" meaning a room with a stove or fireplace.

What does the Stove map show?

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