NameCensus.

UK surname

Stoves

A metonymic surname derived from the household appliance used for heating and cooking.

In the 1881 census there were 160 people recorded with the Stoves surname, ranking it #14,860 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 330, ranked #13,765, up from #14,860 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gateshead, Auckland St Andrew and Long Benton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stoves is 342 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 106.3%.

1881 census count

160

Ranked #14,860

Modern count

330

2016, ranked #13,765

Peak year

1998

342 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stoves had 160 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,860 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 330 in 2016, ranked #13,765.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 277 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Stoves surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stoves surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stoves 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 55 #23,413
1861 historical 62 #26,041
1881 historical 160 #14,860
1891 historical 208 #14,496
1901 historical 188 #15,742
1911 historical 277 #12,067
1997 modern 332 #12,645
1998 modern 342 #12,739
1999 modern 332 #13,075
2000 modern 322 #13,307
2001 modern 316 #13,258
2002 modern 329 #13,167
2003 modern 315 #13,384
2004 modern 322 #13,260
2005 modern 305 #13,689
2006 modern 301 #13,886
2007 modern 310 #13,730
2008 modern 305 #13,979
2009 modern 314 #13,985
2010 modern 317 #14,166
2011 modern 312 #14,230
2012 modern 302 #14,451
2013 modern 317 #14,186
2014 modern 324 #14,058
2015 modern 328 #13,840
2016 modern 330 #13,765

Geography

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Where Stoves' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gateshead, Auckland St Andrew, Long Benton, Dalton-le-Dale and Seaham. 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 Sunderland. 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 Gateshead Durham
2 Auckland St Andrew Durham
3 Long Benton Northumberland
4 Dalton-le-Dale Durham
5 Seaham Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 051 County Durham
2 County Durham 005 County Durham
3 County Durham 025 County Durham
4 Sunderland 005 Sunderland
5 County Durham 046 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stoves

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stoves

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Stoves, 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 Stoves surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Stoves 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Stoves is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Stoves 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

Stoves falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Stoves

The surname STOVES is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is likely derived from an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked in or maintained stoves or ovens. The name may also have developed as a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near a large oven or kiln.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name STOVES can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a certain Robert le Stovere is mentioned. This early spelling variation points to the occupational origin of the name. Other early spellings include Stovere, Stovers, and Stouver.

The STOVES surname appears to have been particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in the 14th and 15th centuries. Several references to individuals with this name can be found in records from these areas during this period.

Notably, a John Stoves is mentioned in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence from a wealthy Norfolk family in the 15th century. This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of England by this time.

In the 16th century, a Thomas Stoves was born in Kirton, Lincolnshire, around 1520. He was a landowner and farmer, and his descendants continued to live in the area for several generations.

Another prominent figure with the STOVES surname was William Stoves, born in Yorkshire in 1649. He was a merchant and served as a magistrate in his local community.

In the 18th century, a family of STOVES resided in the village of Swinstead, Lincolnshire. One member, Thomas Stoves (1720-1792), was a respected farmer and landowner in the area.

Moving into the 19th century, a notable individual was John Stoves (1812-1887), a successful businessman from Yorkshire who made his fortune in the textile industry.

While the STOVES surname is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history stretching back to the Middle Ages, with roots in both occupational and locational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stoves families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stoves 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. Durham leads with 109 Stoves' recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.62x.

County Total Index
Durham 109 23.62x
Northumberland 40 17.33x
Lancashire 3 0.16x
Derbyshire 2 0.82x
Staffordshire 2 0.38x
Yorkshire 2 0.13x
Hampshire 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hetton Le Hole in Durham leads with 28 Stoves' recorded in 1881 and an index of 478.63x.

Place Total Index
Hetton Le Hole 28 478.63x
Longbenton 17 174.00x
Widdrington 13 2363.64x
Byers Green 11 846.15x
Westoe 9 34.40x
Thornley 8 479.04x
East Rainton 6 674.16x
Ryhope 6 187.50x
Tudhoe 6 148.51x
West Rainton 6 419.58x
Monk Hesleden 5 387.60x
St Giles 5 173.61x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 4 132.01x
Washington 4 207.25x
Fenham 3 3750.00x
Middridge 3 652.17x
Sherburn 3 214.29x
Trimdon 3 184.05x
Brandon Byshottles 2 34.60x
Crich 2 126.58x
Thorne 2 104.71x
Whalley 2 74.63x
Cowpen 1 18.83x
Darlington 1 5.61x
Gateshead 1 2.89x
Hazon 1 3333.33x
Morpeth 1 36.90x
Plawsworth 1 200.00x
Portsea 1 1.61x
Usworth 1 40.82x
Walsall Foreign 1 3.70x
Wednesfield 1 12.99x
Wigan 1 3.89x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
William 11
George 10
Thomas 7
Joseph 6
Robert 6
Anthony 3
James 3
Henry 2
Mathew 2
Matthew 2
Michael 2
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Bartholeman 1
Bengamin 1
Christopher 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Nicholas 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Stoves surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stoves surname in 1881?

In 1881, 160 people were recorded with the Stoves surname. That placed it at #14,860 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stoves surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 330 in 2016. That gives Stoves a modern rank of #13,765.

What does the Stoves surname mean?

A metonymic surname derived from the household appliance used for heating and cooking.

What does the Stoves map show?

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