NameCensus.

UK surname

Sturrock

A Scottish habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "house by the shore".

In the 1881 census there were 1,083 people recorded with the Sturrock surname, ranking it #3,668 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,570, ranked #3,949, down from #3,668 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dunnichen, Forfar and Arbroath and St. Vigeans. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forfar West, Letham and Glamis and Forfar Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sturrock is 1,570 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.0%.

1881 census count

1,083

Ranked #3,668

Modern count

1,570

2016, ranked #3,949

Peak year

2016

1,570 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sturrock had 1,083 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,668 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,570 in 2016, ranked #3,949.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,353 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Sturrock surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sturrock surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sturrock 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 701 #3,723
1861 historical 704 #3,847
1881 historical 1,083 #3,668
1891 historical 1,270 #3,401
1901 historical 1,353 #3,710
1911 historical 307 #11,257
1997 modern 1,441 #4,050
1998 modern 1,488 #4,082
1999 modern 1,515 #4,043
2000 modern 1,508 #4,047
2001 modern 1,454 #4,093
2002 modern 1,485 #4,107
2003 modern 1,450 #4,108
2004 modern 1,454 #4,105
2005 modern 1,451 #4,072
2006 modern 1,479 #4,019
2007 modern 1,460 #4,094
2008 modern 1,498 #4,037
2009 modern 1,517 #4,077
2010 modern 1,563 #4,044
2011 modern 1,559 #4,014
2012 modern 1,520 #4,032
2013 modern 1,538 #4,059
2014 modern 1,547 #4,061
2015 modern 1,559 #3,990
2016 modern 1,570 #3,949

Geography

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Where Sturrocks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dunnichen, Forfar, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forfar West, Letham and Glamis, Forfar Central, Monikie and Arbroath Landward. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Dunnichen Forfar
2 Forfar Forfar
3 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forfar West Angus
2 Letham and Glamis Angus
3 Forfar Central Angus
4 Monikie Angus
5 Arbroath Landward Angus

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sturrock

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sturrock

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

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Sturrock surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Sturrock household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Sturrock 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

Sturrock is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sturrock 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 Sturrock is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Sturrock, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Sturrock

The surname Sturrock is of Scottish origin and can be traced back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the region of Roxburghshire, located in the Scottish Borders. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "sturrock," which means a sturdy or strong oak tree.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sturrock can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the year 1379, where a person named John de Sturrok is mentioned. The name also appears in the records of the Burgh of Stirling in 1491, with a reference to a Robert Sturrok.

The Sturrock name is closely associated with the town of Jedburgh in Roxburghshire, where several families bearing the name were prominent landowners and merchants during the 16th and 17th centuries. One notable example is Sir John Sturrock, who served as the Provost of Jedburgh in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Sturrock family was well-established in the Scottish Borders region, with various branches scattered across towns like Hawick, Kelso, and Melrose. During this period, the name was sometimes spelled as Sturrok, Sturroc, or Storrack.

A significant figure in the history of the Sturrock name is Andrew Sturrock, a Scottish mathematician and philosopher born in 1836. He was a professor at the University of Glasgow and made notable contributions to the fields of mathematics and logic.

Another notable Sturrock was Sir Frank Sturrock, a British naval officer who lived from 1888 to 1961. He served in both World Wars and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his bravery during World War I.

In the 19th century, the Sturrock family had established itself in various parts of Scotland, as well as in England and Ireland. One prominent member was Reverend James Sturrock, a Scottish minister born in 1805, who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1863.

The Sturrock name has also been associated with the small village of Sturrock in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, which may have been named after a family bearing the surname or vice versa.

Throughout its history, the Sturrock surname has been carried by numerous individuals, including scholars, clergymen, military officers, and landowners, all of whom contributed to the rich cultural heritage of Scotland and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sturrock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sturrock 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. Angus leads with 676 Sturrocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 69.26x.

County Total Index
Angus 676 69.26x
Lanarkshire 70 2.05x
Midlothian 70 4.96x
Fife 47 7.54x
Ayrshire 41 5.20x
Perthshire 27 5.71x
Durham 20 0.64x
Middlesex 16 0.15x
Kent 12 0.33x
Kincardineshire 12 9.35x
Northumberland 11 0.70x
Stirlingshire 11 2.83x
Aberdeenshire 10 1.02x
Hertfordshire 7 0.96x
Renfrewshire 7 0.86x
Roxburghshire 6 3.14x
Dunbartonshire 5 1.77x
Lancashire 5 0.04x
Devon 4 0.18x
Yorkshire 4 0.04x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 1.97x
Staffordshire 3 0.08x
Cumberland 2 0.22x
Hampshire 2 0.09x
Surrey 2 0.04x
Bedfordshire 1 0.18x
Berwickshire 1 0.78x
East Lothian 1 0.72x
Glamorgan 1 0.05x
Nairnshire 1 3.11x
Peeblesshire 1 2.02x
West Lothian 1 0.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 183 Sturrocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.23x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 183 50.23x
Forfar 74 140.02x
Liff Benvie 66 44.55x
Monifieth 51 147.91x
Monikie 41 800.78x
St Vigeans 41 77.83x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 36 6.34x
Kilmarnock 36 38.36x
Barony 31 3.60x
Murroes 26 959.41x
Govan 25 2.97x
Carmyllie 24 576.92x
Barry 23 196.41x
Arbroath 21 64.94x
Brechin 20 52.14x
Currie 16 185.19x
Dunnichen 15 291.26x
Inverarity 15 479.23x
Forgan 13 108.79x
Hartlepool 12 26.94x
Montrose 11 18.60x
Polmont 11 76.66x
Ceres 10 133.33x
Plumstead 10 8.35x
St Cyrus 9 167.91x
Tyrie 9 73.47x
Iveston 8 55.40x
Kirriemuir 8 33.22x
Menmuir 8 293.04x
North Shields 8 25.58x
Hackney London 7 1.19x
Paisley High Church 7 10.77x
Panbride 7 137.80x
Rattray 7 63.58x
Ancrum 6 121.21x
Beath 6 30.44x
Cadder 6 23.85x
Cupar 6 22.12x
Edinburgh St Marys 6 21.87x
Lundie 6 526.32x
Watford 6 10.66x
Dalziel 5 13.64x
Dumbarton 5 12.69x
Perth East Church 5 11.22x
Perth Middle Church 5 28.12x
Rescobie 5 201.61x
St Andrews 5 17.62x
St George Hanover 5 3.64x
Auchterhouse 4 166.67x
Blairgowrie 4 21.39x
East Budleigh 4 38.72x
Glamis 4 67.91x
Guthrie 4 250.00x
Kirkden 4 65.47x
South Leith 4 2.52x
Balmerino 3 125.52x
Ferry Port On Craig 3 29.24x
Kirkpatrick Durham 3 63.16x
Mains 3 36.19x
Marykirk 3 56.71x
Moulin 3 40.16x
Oathlaw 3 186.34x
Tannadice 3 66.08x
Wolstanton 3 2.78x
Berwick Upon Tweed 2 6.02x
Camberwell 2 0.30x
Carr House Elm Field 2 2222.22x
Cheetham 2 2.15x
Cockpen 2 12.13x
Dalkeith 2 7.18x
Edinburgh St Stephens 2 7.20x
Liverpool 2 0.26x
Lochee 2 22.96x
Maryhill 2 3.00x
Northfleet 2 6.32x
Southampton St Mary 2 1.47x
Westminster St James 2 1.85x
Craig 1 10.60x
Islington London 1 0.10x
Largs 1 5.38x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 5
John 5
David 4
James 4
Robert 3
Alexander 2
Geo. 2
Peter 2
Thomas 2
William 2
Albert 1
Alex 1
Alfred 1
Alie 1
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Bolton 1
G.H. 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Joseph 1
Malcolm 1
Patrick 1
Wallace 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Sturrock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sturrock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,083 people were recorded with the Sturrock surname. That placed it at #3,668 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sturrock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,570 in 2016. That gives Sturrock a modern rank of #3,949.

What does the Sturrock surname mean?

A Scottish habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "house by the shore".

What does the Sturrock map show?

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