Find out how popular the last name Steward is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Steward.

Steward, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Steward surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Steward in America

Steward is the 1610th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Steward surname appeared 22,318 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Steward.

We can also compare 2010 data for Steward to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Steward

The surname "STEWARD" is of English origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "stigweard," which means "house guardian" or "keeper of the hall." The earliest recorded spelling of the name is "Stiward," which appears in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1176.

The name "STEWARD" was initially used as an occupational surname for someone who was responsible for managing a household or estate. It was a position of great importance and trust, as the steward oversaw the daily operations and finances of a noble family or landowner.

During the Middle Ages, the role of the steward became more formalized, and many prominent families employed stewards to manage their estates and affairs. The name "STEWARD" can be found in various historical records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists several landowners with the name in various counties of England.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname "STEWARD" was William le Stiward, who lived in Cambridgeshire around 1210. Another notable bearer of the name was Sir John Stewart, who was born in 1360 and served as High Steward of Scotland during the reign of King Robert II.

In the 14th century, the Stewart family became one of the most powerful dynasties in Scotland, eventually ascending to the Scottish throne. Robert II, who ruled from 1371 to 1390, was the first monarch of the House of Stewart. Other notable individuals with the surname "STEWARD" include Sir Thomas Steward (1555-1615), an English diplomat and Member of Parliament, and William Steward (1573-1645), a prominent English sculptor and architect.

The surname "STEWARD" also has variations in spelling, including Stewart, Stuart, and Stuard, which were derived from the Old French word "estuart." These variations were particularly common in Scotland and Ireland, where the name was adopted by many noble families.

Throughout history, the surname "STEWARD" has been associated with positions of authority, responsibility, and trust, reflecting its origins as an occupational name for a household manager. While the name has evolved over time, it continues to carry a sense of stewardship and guardianship.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Steward

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Steward.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Steward was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Steward has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Steward was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Steward, please contact us.

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