Origins of the Stewart surname

What does the name Stewart mean?

Stewart is a Scottish surname, where it is still relatively common. The surname Stewart is thought to be occupational, deriving from the Old English word 'stiward' (sty-warden) and refers to the person who looked after domestic animals. This meaning shifted over time to become the person who was in charge of a household, becoming a prestigious title. The most notable Stewarts are believed to have descended from a Breton knight, Alan fitz Flaad, whose son Walter fitz Alan relocated to Scotland and became the High Steward of the nation.

Alternative variations of the name Stewart

Stewart, Stuart, Steward, Stuwart, Stuard

Start free trial
“
I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1500s! I can’t believe it! Utterly engrossing and I have uncovered some quite moving and heartbreaking stories attached to various ancestors. You don’t need any qualifications to start - just time patience, and some information.
SS
Stuart
Trustpilot logoTrustpilot 5 stars
1 of 3

Start your family tree

Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Stewarts.

Sign up to get started

Delve deeper into the Stewart family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 2169North West 629Isle of Man 39Yorkshire 1299East Midlands 200West Midlands 249East 748London 3389South East 1503South West 318South Wales 187Mid Wales 31West Wales 4North Wales 57Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Stewarts lived in london

Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

160,000 Stewart Travel & migration records
360,000 Stewarts found in all Census records

Interesting facts about Stewart

How common is your surname?

81st most common surname in the UK

We have for the Stewart surname. The oldest one dates back to 1100.

Who were Stewarts most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Stewarts.

What are the most common Stewart first names?

John

James

Mary

Margaret

Our tell us the names of Stewart family members
Man with milk churns and census card collage
Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Stewarts

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common female occupations for Stewarts in 1921

Dressmaker

2,067

Domestic Servant

1,815

F S

1,367

Housekeeper

1,327

House Keeper

926

Common male occupations for Stewarts in 1921

Coal Miner

1,876

Farmer

1,705

Tailor

1,454

Farm Servant

1,299

General Labourer

1,236

We found over 850,000 family trees with the Stewart surname

Trace your family back in time and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Stewarts.

Search for a relative in our family trees

Learn more about the lives of Stewart family members

How rare is your surname?

Have you ever wondered if your family na...

The rise and fall of these disappearing British surnames

Could your surname be on the brink of di...

English surnames explained: The seven types of last names you should know

Ever wondered where our last names come...

How to find the maiden names of women in your family tree

Try these simple tricks to pinpoint your...

4 simple steps to starting your family history journey

Starting your family history journey is...

Share your discoveries

Share to WhatsApp

Share to Facebook

Look for a different surname

Paper tear line

Find out more about your family in our records

    or try an advanced search