NameCensus.

UK surname

Sturgeon

An English occupational surname for a fisherman or fish seller, derived from the Old English word "styria" meaning "sturgeon."

In the 1881 census there were 1,220 people recorded with the Sturgeon surname, ranking it #3,314 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,716, ranked #3,637, down from #3,314 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St James, London parishes and Hessett. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St Edmundsbury and Doon Valley South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sturgeon is 1,793 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.7%.

1881 census count

1,220

Ranked #3,314

Modern count

1,716

2016, ranked #3,637

Peak year

1999

1,793 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sturgeon had 1,220 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,314 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,716 in 2016, ranked #3,637.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,622 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sturgeon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sturgeon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sturgeon 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 650 #4,003
1861 historical 752 #3,640
1881 historical 1,220 #3,314
1891 historical 1,295 #3,339
1901 historical 1,622 #3,182
1911 historical 1,402 #3,446
1997 modern 1,728 #3,449
1998 modern 1,776 #3,490
1999 modern 1,793 #3,489
2000 modern 1,792 #3,470
2001 modern 1,744 #3,483
2002 modern 1,758 #3,545
2003 modern 1,743 #3,496
2004 modern 1,711 #3,565
2005 modern 1,713 #3,518
2006 modern 1,728 #3,497
2007 modern 1,734 #3,518
2008 modern 1,711 #3,579
2009 modern 1,719 #3,634
2010 modern 1,752 #3,643
2011 modern 1,741 #3,622
2012 modern 1,733 #3,586
2013 modern 1,767 #3,583
2014 modern 1,763 #3,600
2015 modern 1,731 #3,628
2016 modern 1,716 #3,637

Geography

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Where Sturgeons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St James, London parishes, Hessett, Stanton All Saints and Stanton St John and Dumfries. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St Edmundsbury and Doon Valley South. 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 St James Suffolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Hessett Suffolk
4 Stanton All Saints and Stanton St John Suffolk
5 Dumfries Dumfries

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St Edmundsbury 008 St Edmundsbury
2 St Edmundsbury 003 St Edmundsbury
3 St Edmundsbury 009 St Edmundsbury
4 St Edmundsbury 004 St Edmundsbury
5 Doon Valley South East Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sturgeon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sturgeon

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Sturgeon is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sturgeon 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

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

Meaning and origin of Sturgeon

The surname Sturgeon is of English origin, derived from the name of the fish "sturgeon". The name is believed to have originated as an occupational surname, referring to someone who caught or traded in sturgeons, a type of large, edible fish found in coastal waters and rivers.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Sturgeon dates back to the late 12th century. In the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, there is a reference to a person named Radulfus Sturgun. This early spelling variation highlights the connection to the fish's name.

During the medieval period, the surname Sturgeon was particularly prevalent in areas near major rivers and coastal regions, where sturgeon fishing and trade were common. It was found in counties such as Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Essex, as well as in the cities of London and York.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Sturgeon was John Sturgeon (c. 1460-1512), an English merchant and alderman of the City of London. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1511-1512.

Another prominent individual was William Sturgeon (1783-1850), an English scientist and inventor. He is credited with the development of the first practical electromagnet, which laid the foundation for the construction of electric motors and generators.

In the 16th century, the surname Sturgeon appeared in the parish records of Stoke-by-Nayland, Suffolk. In 1566, a Richard Sturgeon was recorded as a resident of the parish.

During the 17th century, the name Sturgeon was found in various parts of England, including the counties of Suffolk, Essex, and Lincolnshire. Notable bearers of the name during this period include John Sturgeon (1613-1668), a Church of England clergyman who served as the Rector of Bawburgh in Norfolk.

The 18th century saw the Sturgeon surname spread to other parts of the British Isles, including Scotland and Wales. One Scottish bearer of note was Robert Sturgeon (1728-1790), a minister in the Church of Scotland who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly in 1786.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sturgeon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sturgeon 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. Suffolk leads with 379 Sturgeons recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.36x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 379 26.36x
Middlesex 160 1.36x
Yorkshire 78 0.67x
Surrey 70 1.22x
Lanarkshire 63 1.65x
Kirkcudbrightshire 58 33.95x
Essex 52 2.23x
Ayrshire 42 4.75x
Lancashire 36 0.26x
Kent 34 0.84x
Norfolk 33 1.82x
Dumfriesshire 27 10.36x
Durham 25 0.71x
Renfrewshire 22 2.41x
Hertfordshire 19 2.34x
Hampshire 16 0.66x
Cambridgeshire 10 1.34x
Devon 9 0.37x
Worcestershire 9 0.58x
Staffordshire 8 0.20x
Buteshire 7 9.79x
Monmouthshire 7 0.82x
Sussex 7 0.35x
Cheshire 6 0.23x
Lincolnshire 6 0.32x
Northumberland 6 0.34x
Cumberland 5 0.49x
Derbyshire 3 0.16x
Warwickshire 3 0.10x
Denbighshire 2 0.45x
Midlothian 2 0.13x
Banffshire 1 0.41x
Gloucestershire 1 0.04x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.43x
Leicestershire 1 0.08x
Northamptonshire 1 0.09x
Oxfordshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stanton in Suffolk leads with 59 Sturgeons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1730.21x.

Place Total Index
Stanton 59 1730.21x
Great Barton 34 1021.02x
Govan 28 2.97x
Hessett 28 1618.50x
Bethnal Green London 26 5.07x
Dumfries 26 101.09x
Troqueer 26 115.97x
Bromley London 22 8.47x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 21 77.84x
Hartest 20 803.21x
Bury St Edmunds St James 19 49.48x
Newington 16 3.67x
Abbey 15 10.75x
Great Welnetham 15 842.70x
Lambeth 15 1.46x
Cockfield 14 371.35x
Nowton 14 1917.81x
Gillingham 13 15.66x
Camberwell 12 1.59x
Islington London 12 1.05x
Morley 12 19.73x
Teddington London 12 44.88x
Aldershot 11 13.57x
Clerkenwell London 11 3.95x
Dalrymple 11 198.56x
Darlington 11 8.11x
Gateshead 11 4.18x
Glasgow 11 1.62x
Little Berkhampstead 11 643.27x
Blo Norton 10 1020.41x
Bowling 10 8.63x
New Monkland 10 8.86x
Norton 10 332.23x
Rougham 10 303.03x
St Marylebone London 10 1.59x
Thornaby 10 22.88x
Bramley In Bramley 9 20.10x
Enfield 9 11.62x
Maybole 9 33.46x
West Ardsley 9 63.92x
Bengeo 8 84.75x
Carsphairn 8 408.16x
Dudley 8 4.27x
Halstead 8 29.43x
Little Welnetham 8 1269.84x
Market Weston 8 672.27x
South Ockendon 8 165.98x
St Pancras London 8 0.84x
Stanningfield 8 740.74x
Sturston 8 2962.96x
Thelnetham 8 506.33x
West Ham 8 1.56x
Croydon 7 2.19x
Grays Thurrock 7 32.32x
Kilmory 7 67.18x
Monks Eleigh 7 299.15x
Newton On Ayr 7 26.46x
Old Monkland 7 4.62x
Parton 7 242.21x
Stoke Damerel 7 4.07x
Thaxted 7 90.56x
Barningham 6 352.94x
Great Grimsby 6 5.01x
Ingham 6 521.74x
Ipswich St Clement 6 16.42x
Kimberworth 6 9.24x
Kirkdale 6 2.55x
Newmarket St Mary 6 54.40x
Ochiltree 6 98.68x
St Woollos 6 6.30x
Urr 6 26.99x
Woolpit 6 143.54x
Wyverstone 6 560.75x
Bradfield Combust 5 793.65x
Ince In Makerfield 5 7.67x
Liverpool 5 0.59x
Paddington London 5 1.15x
Skircoat 5 10.84x
West Greenock 5 3.05x
Woolwich 5 3.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 47
Elizabeth 36
Eliza 26
Sarah 26
Alice 15
Jane 15
Ann 14
Kate 13
Harriet 12
Maria 12
Emily 11
Ellen 10
Emma 9
Hannah 8
Louisa 8
Lucy 8
Rachel 8
Ada 7
Charlotte 7
E. 7
Fanny 7
Florence 7
Margaret 7
Susan 7
Agnes 6
Anna 6
Frances 6
Anne 5
Annie 5
Clara 4
Esther 4
Jessie 4
Matilda 4
Minnie 4
Caroline 3
Isabella 3
Laura 3
Lydia 3
Martha 3
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Ethel 2
Florance 2
Harriett 2
Harrt. 2
Lilly 2
Lily 2
M.A. 2
Maud 2
May 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 58
John 49
George 43
James 34
Henry 25
Thomas 21
Alfred 20
Robert 18
Charles 17
Frederick 16
Arthur 13
Joseph 13
Albert 12
Edward 11
Harry 9
Walter 9
David 7
Herbert 7
Samuel 7
Frank 6
Geo. 5
Fred 4
Alexander 3
Chas. 3
Earnest 3
Edmund 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Robt. 3
Avey 2
Fredrick 2
Mary 2
Morris 2
Ophir 2
Percy 2
Richard 2
Saml. 2
Willie 2
Avery 1
Charley 1
Daniel 1
Elijah 1
Elizath 1
Erasmus 1
Ferdinand 1
Frederic 1
Hy. 1
J. 1
Jeo.Thos. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Sturgeon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sturgeon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,220 people were recorded with the Sturgeon surname. That placed it at #3,314 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sturgeon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,716 in 2016. That gives Sturgeon a modern rank of #3,637.

What does the Sturgeon surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a fisherman or fish seller, derived from the Old English word "styria" meaning "sturgeon."

What does the Sturgeon map show?

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