NameCensus.

UK surname

Sturge

An English surname possibly deriving from the Middle English word "sturdy", meaning robust or hardy.

In the 1881 census there were 243 people recorded with the Sturge surname, ranking it #11,294 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 384, ranked #12,251, down from #11,294 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, and Clifton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newcastle-under-Lyme, Thanet and Herefordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sturge is 395 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.0%.

1881 census count

243

Ranked #11,294

Modern count

384

2016, ranked #12,251

Peak year

2015

395 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sturge had 243 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,294 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 384 in 2016, ranked #12,251.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 275 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Sturge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sturge surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sturge 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 172 #11,682
1861 historical 178 #13,202
1881 historical 243 #11,294
1891 historical 240 #13,123
1901 historical 259 #12,848
1911 historical 275 #12,123
1997 modern 339 #12,464
1998 modern 375 #11,939
1999 modern 381 #11,873
2000 modern 385 #11,738
2001 modern 365 #12,014
2002 modern 383 #11,820
2003 modern 378 #11,741
2004 modern 369 #11,967
2005 modern 347 #12,436
2006 modern 346 #12,539
2007 modern 346 #12,689
2008 modern 363 #12,359
2009 modern 365 #12,558
2010 modern 387 #12,301
2011 modern 386 #12,170
2012 modern 383 #12,099
2013 modern 394 #12,064
2014 modern 394 #12,144
2015 modern 395 #12,015
2016 modern 384 #12,251

Geography

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Where Sturges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, Clifton, London parishes and Ledbury (except for Parkhold), Donnington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newcastle-under-Lyme, Thanet, Herefordshire and Ealing. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
3 Clifton Gloucestershire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Ledbury (except for Parkhold), Donnington Herefordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newcastle-under-Lyme 005 Newcastle-under-Lyme
2 Thanet 005 Thanet
3 Herefordshire 019 Herefordshire, County of
4 Ealing 020 Ealing
5 Thanet 008 Thanet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sturge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sturge

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Sturge surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Sturge household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Sturge 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

Sturge is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sturge falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sturge

The surname STURGE is of English origin, first recorded in the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "styrce," meaning "heifer" or "young cow." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who tended cattle or worked with livestock.

The earliest known record of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Sturge" and "Sturgia." These early spellings indicate that the name was already established in various parts of England during the Norman Conquest.

Over the centuries, the name evolved into various spellings, including Sturge, Stirge, Sturgis, and Sturgess. Some of these variations may have been influenced by regional dialects or scribal errors in historical records.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is William Sturge, who was born in Gloucestershire, England, in the late 13th century. He was a landowner and is mentioned in several local records from that time.

In the 16th century, John Sturge (1505-1572) was a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol, known for his involvement in the city's trade with continental Europe.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Edmond Sturge (1622-1707) was a Quaker activist and writer who advocated for religious tolerance and nonviolence.

In the 19th century, Joseph Sturge (1793-1859) was a prominent Quaker philanthropist and abolitionist who campaigned against slavery and the slave trade. He was also involved in various social reforms and humanitarian efforts.

Another notable figure was William Allen Sturge (1850-1919), a British politician and Liberal Party member who served as a Member of Parliament for the Stratford-on-Avon constituency.

The surname STURGE is also found in various place names across England, such as Sturge Farm in Warwickshire and Sturge's Green in Oxfordshire, further reflecting its historical roots and regional associations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sturge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sturge 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. Gloucestershire leads with 73 Sturges recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.70x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 73 15.70x
Warwickshire 32 5.35x
Middlesex 30 1.27x
Surrey 19 1.65x
Somerset 17 4.46x
Herefordshire 10 10.29x
Kent 8 0.99x
Cornwall 7 2.61x
Staffordshire 7 0.87x
Yorkshire 5 0.21x
Cheshire 4 0.76x
Lanarkshire 4 0.52x
Worcestershire 4 1.29x
Lancashire 3 0.11x
Norfolk 3 0.82x
Oxfordshire 3 2.05x
Renfrewshire 3 1.63x
Denbighshire 2 2.23x
Hampshire 2 0.41x
Leicestershire 2 0.76x
Wiltshire 2 0.95x
Berkshire 1 0.56x
Essex 1 0.21x
Sussex 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edgbaston in Warwickshire leads with 16 Sturges recorded in 1881 and an index of 86.35x.

Place Total Index
Edgbaston 16 86.35x
Westbury On Trym 15 95.24x
Clifton 13 55.32x
Birmingham 10 5.02x
Bethnal Green London 9 8.74x
Newington 9 10.28x
Stretton Grandison 7 7000.00x
Berkeley 6 231.66x
Bristol St James St Paul 6 38.71x
Clevedon 6 151.13x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 6 70.51x
Hackney London 6 4.51x
Islington London 6 2.61x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 7.07x
Aston 5 3.04x
Bristol St Peter 5 301.20x
Hempstead 5 877.19x
South Hamlet 5 173.61x
Weston Super Mare 5 51.92x
Birkenhead 4 9.59x
Croydon 4 6.24x
Hamilton 4 18.71x
Kidderminster Foreign 4 91.32x
Madron Penzance 4 40.98x
Abbey 3 10.70x
Camberwell 3 1.98x
Charlbury 3 182.93x
Dartford 3 36.28x
Great Yarmouth 3 9.94x
Ledbury 3 89.82x
Painswick 3 91.19x
St Marylebone London 3 2.37x
Thornbury 3 94.34x
York St Giles In 3 135.75x
Bathwick 2 47.39x
Bristol St Michael 2 50.13x
Broughton 2 56.82x
Greenwich 2 5.30x
Kensington London 2 1.52x
Leicester St Margaret 2 3.12x
Lewisham 2 4.64x
Liskeard 2 44.54x
Melksham 2 54.95x
Shoreditch London 2 1.95x
St Luke London 2 5.26x
Winscombe 2 194.17x
Bedminster 1 2.79x
Bilston 1 6.45x
Brightside Bierlow 1 2.17x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 2.28x
Chichester St Andrew 1 238.10x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 2.24x
Gloucester St Mary Lode 1 91.74x
Gloucester St Nicholas 1 46.51x
Gravesend 1 14.60x
High Ongar 1 116.28x
Ipsley 1 90.91x
Lambeth 1 0.48x
Liverpool 1 0.59x
Moss Side 1 6.76x
Portsea 1 1.05x
Southwark St Olave 1 55.25x
St Anthony In Roseland 1 1000.00x
Walcot 1 4.92x
West Woodhay 1 1111.11x
Westerleigh 1 96.15x
Wetherby 1 65.36x
Wimbledon 1 7.71x
Wymering 1 125.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 11
Charles 6
Edward 6
George 6
Henry 6
James 6
John 6
Joseph 5
Samuel 5
Thomas 4
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Frederick 3
Robert 3
Walter 3
Alfred 2
Frank 2
Lewis 2
Maxwell 2
Philip 2
Wilson 2
Adolphus 1
Albert 1
Amos 1
Arthur 1
Bartholomew 1
Charls 1
Clement 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Edmond 1
Gilbert 1
Harry 1
Howard 1
Leo. 1
Sidney 1
Theodore 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Tredina 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Sturge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sturge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 243 people were recorded with the Sturge surname. That placed it at #11,294 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sturge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 384 in 2016. That gives Sturge a modern rank of #12,251.

What does the Sturge surname mean?

An English surname possibly deriving from the Middle English word "sturdy", meaning robust or hardy.

What does the Sturge map show?

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