NameCensus.

UK surname

Street

An English locational surname referring to someone who lived on or near a road or pathway.

In the 1881 census there were 6,995 people recorded with the Street surname, ranking it #607 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,771, ranked #746, down from #607 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ringwood, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, Poole and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Street is 9,760 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.4%.

1881 census count

6,995

Ranked #607

Modern count

8,771

2016, ranked #746

Peak year

1911

9,760 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Street had 6,995 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #607 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,771 in 2016, ranked #746.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,760 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Street surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Street surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Street 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 4,418 #639
1861 historical 4,459 #635
1881 historical 6,995 #607
1891 historical 7,667 #585
1901 historical 8,407 #637
1911 historical 9,760 #506
1997 modern 9,112 #688
1998 modern 9,492 #690
1999 modern 9,549 #690
2000 modern 9,438 #693
2001 modern 9,218 #695
2002 modern 9,313 #707
2003 modern 9,016 #710
2004 modern 9,023 #712
2005 modern 8,850 #715
2006 modern 8,810 #721
2007 modern 8,830 #727
2008 modern 8,860 #729
2009 modern 9,020 #733
2010 modern 9,143 #741
2011 modern 9,022 #740
2012 modern 8,816 #740
2013 modern 8,948 #740
2014 modern 8,950 #743
2015 modern 8,834 #743
2016 modern 8,771 #746

Geography

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Where Streets are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ringwood, London parishes, Manchester and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, Poole, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Tendring and Oldham. 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 Ringwood Hampshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 002 Barnsley
2 Poole 007 Poole
3 Rhondda Cynon Taf 013 Rhondda Cynon Taf
4 Tendring 011 Tendring
5 Oldham 030 Oldham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Street

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Street

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Street surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Street household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Street is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Street is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Street falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Street

The surname STREET has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "stræt," which means a paved road or street. The name likely originated as a descriptive term referring to someone who lived near or worked on a street or road.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the STREET surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population conducted on the orders of William the Conqueror. This historical record includes several references to individuals with the name STREET or similar spellings, such as Strete or Strat.

During the Middle Ages, the STREET surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire in southern England. The name was also associated with various place names, such as Street in Somerset and Stratton in Cornwall, which may have influenced its geographical distribution.

One notable figure with the STREET surname was Sir Ralph Street (c. 1500-1600), an English courtier and politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Elizabeth I. Another prominent individual was Thomas Street (1625-1696), an English judge and politician who served as Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer.

In the 17th century, the STREET surname appeared in the records of early settlers in the American colonies. One example is Nicholas Street (c. 1603-1674), an English colonist who settled in New Haven, Connecticut, and served as the town's first tax collector.

Later examples of notable individuals with the STREET surname include Richard Stephens Street (1786-1860), an English artist and engraver known for his landscapes and architectural prints, and George Edmund Street (1824-1881), a renowned English architect and designer of many churches and public buildings in the Gothic Revival style.

Throughout history, the STREET surname has been associated with various professions and backgrounds, reflecting the diverse experiences of those who bore this name. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the STREET surname has since spread worldwide and continues to hold significance as a part of many family histories.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Street families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Street 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 845 Streets recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.04x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 845 1.04x
Middlesex 750 1.10x
Surrey 634 1.91x
Hampshire 561 4.01x
Yorkshire 502 0.74x
Derbyshire 375 3.51x
Cheshire 344 2.28x
Staffordshire 304 1.32x
Devon 209 1.47x
Sussex 208 1.81x
Kent 192 0.82x
Berkshire 190 3.71x
Warwickshire 185 1.08x
Wiltshire 182 3.02x
Bedfordshire 175 4.95x
Essex 154 1.14x
Nottinghamshire 118 1.28x
Hertfordshire 112 2.38x
Somerset 104 0.95x
Worcestershire 100 1.12x
Dorset 96 2.14x
Gloucestershire 95 0.71x
Durham 62 0.31x
Oxfordshire 59 1.40x
Leicestershire 56 0.74x
Glamorgan 46 0.39x
Buckinghamshire 40 0.97x
Lincolnshire 40 0.37x
Shropshire 34 0.58x
Northamptonshire 33 0.51x
Norfolk 32 0.31x
Midlothian 27 0.30x
Suffolk 27 0.32x
Cornwall 16 0.21x
Cambridgeshire 13 0.30x
Cumberland 13 0.22x
Fife 9 0.22x
Kirkcudbrightshire 9 0.91x
Stirlingshire 8 0.32x
Royal Navy 7 0.86x
Channel Islands 6 0.30x
Northumberland 6 0.06x
Huntingdonshire 4 0.30x
Monmouthshire 3 0.06x
Denbighshire 2 0.08x
Radnorshire 2 0.36x
Westmorland 2 0.13x
Perthshire 1 0.03x
Renfrewshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 107 Streets recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.09x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 107 4.09x
Birmingham 96 1.67x
Ashton Under Lyne 86 4.86x
Lambeth 81 1.36x
Portsea 71 2.59x
Hulme 69 4.08x
Ringwood 59 65.94x
Stoke Upon Trent 58 2.38x
Hackney London 57 1.49x
Islington London 56 0.85x
Langford 54 186.01x
Arlesey 51 114.40x
St Marylebone London 51 1.40x
St Pancras London 51 0.93x
Chelsea London 50 2.43x
Enfield 48 10.72x
Loughton 47 70.59x
Mirfield 46 12.39x
Aston 45 0.95x
Brighton 45 1.94x
Duffield 44 52.26x
Camberwell 43 0.99x
Battersea 40 1.59x
Shoreditch London 38 1.28x
Christchurch 37 12.20x
Southampton St Mary 36 4.09x
Millbrook 34 9.65x
Newington 34 1.35x
Paddington London 34 1.36x
Manchester 33 0.91x
Stoke Damerel 33 3.32x
Broadwater 32 12.13x
Fisherton Anger 32 28.65x
Dudley 31 2.86x
Kensington London 31 0.82x
Nottingham St Mary 31 1.30x
Dewsbury 30 4.33x
Tonge With Haulgh 30 19.04x
Wolverhampton 30 1.69x
West Ham 29 0.98x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 28 4.45x
Cranleigh 27 55.50x
Little Bolton 27 2.59x
Hursley 26 80.15x
Northfleet 26 12.68x
Rowley Regis 26 4.05x
Clerkenwell London 24 1.49x
Everton 24 0.93x
Gorton 24 3.15x
Kings Norton 24 3.00x
Handsworth 23 12.87x
Peover Superior 23 161.40x
Altrincham 22 8.36x
Hitchin 22 10.36x
Southwark St George Martyr 22 1.60x
Warrington 22 2.29x
Alverstoke 21 4.15x
Derby St Werburgh 21 3.40x
Didsbury 21 19.53x
Godalming 21 10.03x
Hinxworth 21 302.59x
Salford 21 0.88x
Batley 20 3.11x
Croydon 20 1.08x
Hurley 20 75.13x
Kingswinford 20 2.39x
Plumstead 20 2.58x
Purston Jaglin 20 121.29x
Dronfield 19 13.88x
Hartington Upper 19 37.28x
Ilkeston 19 6.34x
Kingston On Thames 19 2.38x
Monks Coppenhall 19 3.34x
Old Withington 19 139.81x
Thetford St Peter 19 68.84x
Bedminster 18 1.74x
Chorlton On Medlock 18 1.40x
Havant 18 25.42x
St Luke London 18 1.64x
Woolwich 18 2.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 426
Sarah 271
Elizabeth 267
Ann 147
Emma 123
Jane 117
Eliza 116
Ellen 115
Emily 107
Annie 101
Alice 94
Louisa 69
Hannah 67
Martha 60
Charlotte 52
Margaret 51
Edith 50
Maria 45
Fanny 43
Caroline 38
Harriet 36
Ada 32
Florence 32
Catherine 30
Frances 30
Clara 29
Agnes 28
Harriett 28
Kate 27
Anne 25
Rose 25
Matilda 23
Susan 23
Amelia 20
Julia 19
Lucy 19
Esther 17
Amy 16
Bessie 16
Lydia 16
Minnie 15
Rebecca 15
Ruth 15
Anna 13
Eleanor 13
Betsy 12
Ethel 12
Gertrude 12
Mabel 11
Maud 11

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 442
John 348
George 269
James 240
Thomas 208
Henry 162
Charles 161
Joseph 124
Samuel 106
Arthur 78
Alfred 75
Edward 75
Frederick 61
Robert 61
Walter 56
Albert 54
Frank 54
Richard 48
Harry 46
Edwin 32
Ernest 31
Herbert 31
Fred 23
Benjamin 22
Francis 22
Peter 22
David 18
Wm. 18
Joshua 12
Percy 12
Daniel 11
Fredk. 11
Isaac 11
Edmund 10
Saml. 9
Abraham 8
Fredrick 8
Josiah 8
Levi 8
Sidney 8
Eli 7
Sydney 7
Tom 7
Willm. 7
Alexander 6
Jonathan 6
Stephen 6
Willie 6
Geo. 5
Harold 5

FAQ

Street surname: questions and answers

How common was the Street surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,995 people were recorded with the Street surname. That placed it at #607 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Street surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,771 in 2016. That gives Street a modern rank of #746.

What does the Street surname mean?

An English locational surname referring to someone who lived on or near a road or pathway.

What does the Street map show?

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