Explore the Family Name Stead
The meaning of Stead
English (West Yorkshire and Lancashire): 1. in Yorkshire and Lancashire, a habitational name primarily from Stead near Storiths in Hazlewood (Skipton, Yorkshire), which became a grange of Bolton Priory. Alternative origins might include Stead Farm in Nether Hoyland (Yorkshire), and Stidd in Ribchester (Lancashire), but it is not known if this latter produced a surviving hereditary surname. Across England, the name may arise from one or other minor places which were also named with Middle English stede ‘farm, estate; hamlet’ (Old English stede); for example, The Stude in Church Lawford (Warwickshire). The word was especially common in minor names and field names in south and southeastern England. 2. variant of Steed.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Stead in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Stead experienced a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The ranking of the surname fell from 10,802 in 2000 to 11,257 in 2010, marking a 4.21% drop. However, there was a minor increase in the number of people with this surname, from 2,710 in 2000 to 2,808 in 2010, showing a growth of 3.62%. Despite the growth in count, the proportion per 100,000 decreased by 5.0%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,802 | #11,257 | -4.21% |
| Count | 2,710 | 2,808 | 3.62% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1 | 0.95 | -5% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Stead
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Stead. In 2010, the majority of individuals with the surname identified as White, although the percentage decreased slightly from 90.26% in 2000 to 88.89%. The next largest group is those who identify as American Indian and Alaskan Native, but this group also saw a decrease from 3.73% to 3.28%. The percentages of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic significantly increased, with the former rising from 0.33% to 0.75% and the latter from 1.73% to 3.13%. Those identifying as Black or belonging to two or more races saw changes as well, with the former decreasing from 2.21% to 1.92%, and the latter increasing from 1.73% to 2.03%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.26% | 88.89% | -1.52% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 3.73% | 3.28% | -12.06% |
| Hispanic | 1.73% | 3.13% | 80.92% |
| Two or More Races | 1.73% | 2.03% | 17.34% |
| Black | 2.21% | 1.92% | -13.12% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.33% | 0.75% | 127.27% |
Stead ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Stead is British & Irish, which comprises 60.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (23.5%) and Scandinavian (4.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Indigenous American, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 60.4% |
| French & German | 23.5% |
| Scandinavian | 4.6% |
| Other | 11.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Stead
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Stead have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Belfast, United Kingdom | 94.40% |
| County Durham, United Kingdom | 93.30% |
| South Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 93.30% |
| Kent, United Kingdom | 91.10% |
| Edinburgh, United Kingdom | 90.00% |
What Stead haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Stead is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-M170 and R-L48, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Beaumont, Liddle, Watterson, Broadbent, Towers, Tedder, Messick, Peckham, Howells, Ferrier.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Stead surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Stead have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Stead" Surname 66.7%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Stead" Surname 41.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Stead" Surname 21.2%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Stead" Surname 19.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Stead?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Stead are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition