Stewart is a Scottish and English surname, also used as a given name. It is possibly derived from the old English word "stigweard", a compound of "stig" meaning household, and "weard", a guardian (ward), or from the Gaelic Stiùbhart meaning steward. Alternative spellings are Stuart, Steward and Steuart. The surname Stewart has large concentrations in the United States (mainly in the Deep South, and the other southern states), United Kingdom (mainly in Scotland, Northern Ireland, North East England, South West England, Cumbria, Lancashire, and Yorkshire), Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Australia and elsewhere that has large Scottish or Ulster Scots diaspora.
The progenitor of the Stewart family was Alan fitz Flaad, a Breton knight who settled in England after the Norman Conquest. His son, Walter fitz Alan, relocated to Scotland during the Anarchy and became the High Steward of Scotland, hence the origin of the surname. In 2014, Stewart was the 66th-most common surname in the United Kingdom. Retrieved 15 October 2014 Retrieved 19 January 2014
House of Stewart
One of the hereditary Stewart stewards, Walter Stewart, married Marjorie Bruce, daughter of King Robert I, and founded the royal House of Stewart, beginning with their son King Robert II. The House of Stewart was the longest serving royal dynasty of Scotland. Mary, Queen of Scots formalised the use of the spelling Stuart, while resident in France, in order to preserve the correct pronunciation. In 1603, the Stewart King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England and Wales by his succession to Queen Elizabeth I. The Stewart dynasty ruled Scotland, England and Wales (with an interruption during Cromwell's Commonwealth after the English Civil War) until 1714, when Queen Anne died and the British Crown passed to the German Electors of Hanover.
The grandson of James II, Prince Charles Edward Stuart, led the last attempt to restore the Stewart dynasty to the British Crown in 1745-6 and became known to history as "Bonnie Prince Charlie". This attempted coup d'état ended in the slaughter of Charles' army at the Battle of Culloden in April, 1746.
Stewart peers In addition to the Royal House of Stuart, various branches of the Stewart family became Scottish peers, at various times holding the Marquisate of Bute, the earldoms of Atholl, Mar, Moray, Angus, Galloway, as well as several Lordships of Parliament. Several families of Stewarts became Highland clans in their own right, including the Stewarts of Appin.
Diaspora Many Stewart emigrants from the lowlands of Scotland settled in the Irish province of Ulster in the seventeenth century. Stewarts also emigrated from other parts of Scotland and settled throughout the rest of Ireland.
People named Stewart
Surname Adam Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Al Stewart (born 1945), Scottish singer-songwriter Alana Stewart (born 1945), American actress, former wife of Rod Stewart Alastair Stewart (born 1952), British journalist and broadcaster Alec Stewart (born 1963), British cricketer, kept wicket for England Alexander P. Stewart (1821–1908), American general and professor Alexander William Stewart (1865–1933), Scottish naval architect, engineer and inventor Alexis Stewart (born 1965), American talk radio host, daughter of Martha Stewart Alice Stewart (1906–2002), British physician and epidemiologist Alice Stewart (commentator) (1966–2024), American political commentator Alison Stewart (born 1966), American journalist Alva Stewart, American politician Amanda Stewart (born 1959), Australian artist Amar Stewart, British painter Amy Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Andy Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Anthony Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people April Stewart (born 1969), American actress ArDarius Stewart (born 1993), American football player Ava Stewart, Canadian artistic gymnast Belle Stewart (1906–1997), Scottish singer Bob Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Booboo Stewart (born 1994), American singer of T-Squad and actor Breanna Stewart (born 1994), American basketball player Brent Stewart, Manitoba judge Brett Stewart (born 1985), Australian rugby league footballer Brian Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Britt Stewart (born 1989), American professional dancer Brock Stewart (born 1991), American baseball player Bryan Stewart (born 1985), English footballer Bryanne Stewart (born 1979), Australian tennis player Cal Stewart, American comedian Calvin Stewart (born 1946), Jamaican footballer Calum Stewart (born 1982), Scottish musician Cam Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Cameron Stewart (born 1975), Canadian comic book creator Cameron Stewart (born 1991), English footballer Cameron Stewart, Australian journalist Camille Stewart, American cybersecurity attorney Candice Stewart, American TV personality and beauty pageant winner Carl Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Carolyn L. Stewart (married name Mazloomi; born 1948), African-American curator, quilter, author, art historian, and aerospace engineer Catherine Mary Stewart, Canadian actress Cathy Stewart, French actress Charles Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Charlotte Stewart, American film and television actress Corbet Page Stewart (1896–1962), Scottish biochemist Corey Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Crystle Stewart, Miss USA 2008 Daniel Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Darrell Stewart (American football) (born 1996), American football player David Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Dennis Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Derek Stewart (footballer) (born 1948), Scottish footballer DJ Stewart (born 1993), American baseball player D.J. Stewart Jr. (born 1999), American basketball player Donald Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Dugald Stewart (1753–1828), Scottish philosopher Duncan Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Dylan Stewart (born 2005), American football player Earnie Stewart (born 1969), Dutch-born American soccer player Ed Stewart (1941–2016), British broadcaster Ed Stewart (American football) (born 1972), American football player Edwin C. Stewart (1864–1921), New York politician E. J. Stewart (1877–1929), American college sports coach Elijah Stewart (born 1995), American basketball player in Israeli Basketball Premier League Elinore Pruitt Stewart (1876–1933), American homesteader in Wyoming and memoirist Evan Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people G. Fowler Stewart (1861–1917), businessman in South Australia Frederick Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Gary Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Gay Stewart, American physicist George Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Sir Gershom Stewart (1857–1929), British businessman in China, Conservative MP Glenn Stewart (born 1984), Australian rugby league player Grace Campbell Stewart (died 1863), British painter Grover Stewart (born 1993), American football player Haldane Stewart (1868–1942), English musician and cricketer Harriet Bradford Tiffany Stewart (1798–1830), American missionary Harry Stewart (1908–1956), American comedian Helen Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Henry Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Homer Joseph Stewart (1915–2007), American aeronautical engineer Iain Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Ian Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Isabel Stewart North, American song composer and publisher Isabel Stewart Way (1904–1978), American writer Isabella Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Isaiah Stewart (born 2001), American basketball player Ivan Stewart, American racing driver Jackie Stewart (born 1939), Scottish Formula One driver Jacqueline Stewart (born 1970), American scholar of cinema studies and television host James Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Jane Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Janet Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Jacqueline Stewart (born 1970), American professor and television host Jasmin Stewart (born 1998), Australian rules footballer Jaylin Stewart (born 2005), American basketball player Jean Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Jermaine Stewart (1957–1997), American R&B and pop singer J. I. M. Stewart (1906–1994), Scottish novelist writing as Michael Innes Joffre Stewart (1925–2019), American poet, anarchist and pacifist John Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Jon Stewart (born 1962), American political satirist Jordan Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Jorge Stewart, Argentine rugby union player Josh Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Josaiah Stewart (born 2003), American football player Julius LeBlanc Stewart (1855–1919), American artist Kaleb Stewart (1975–2021), American musician Karen Weldin Stewart, Insurance Commissioner of Delaware Kate Stewart, musical artist Katherine Stewart-Jones (born 1995), Canadian cross-country skier Kathleen Stewart, Australian writer Katie Stewart (writer) (1934–2013), British cookery writer Kevin Stewart (footballer) (born 1993), English football player Kordell Stewart (born 1972), American football player Kristen Stewart (born 1990), American actress Laney Stewart (born 1966), American musical artist Laura A. M. Stewart, British historian LeConte Stewart (1891–1990), American artist Leslie Stewart, Trinidad and Tobago boxer Leslie Stewart (born 1949), British writer Linda Stewart, American politician Lizbeth Stewart (1948–2013), American ceramist Lori Stewart Gonzalez (born 1957), American speech pathologist and academic administrator Lou Stewart, labor activist Louis Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Loy Stewart, Australian rules footballer Lynne Stewart (1939–2017), American lawyer and criminal Lynne Marie Stewart (1946–2025), American actress M. J. Stewart (born 1995), American football player Malcolm Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Manuel Stewart, American baseball player Martha Stewart (born 1941), American businesswoman, writer and television personality Marvin Stewart (1912–2009), American football player Marvin Stewart (basketball), American basketball player Mary Stuart (disambiguation), multiple people Matthew Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Max Stewart, Australian racing driver Max Stewart (born 1993), Jamaican judoka Maya Stewart, rugby player Michael Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Monica Faith Stewart (born 1952), American politician Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, English actor Nellie Stewart (1858–1931), Australian stage actress Nellie Stewart (politician) (1882–1946), American politician Nels Stewart (1899–1957), Canadian ice hockey player Noah Stewart (born 1978), American opera singer Nora Stewart Coleman (1920–2005), First Lady of American Samoa Norm Stewart, American basketball coach and player Oliver Stewart (1896–1976), British World War II pilot Oliver W. Stewart (1867–1937), American politician Pam Stewart, Florida government official Patrick Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Paul Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Paula Stewart, American actress Payne Stewart (1957–1999), American golfer Perez M. Stewart (1858–1924), New York politician Potter Stewart (1915–1985), US Supreme Court justice R. K. Stewart, American architect Rab Stewart, Scottish footballer Rab Stewart (born 1962), Scottish footballer Randall Steward Pitchford II (born 1971), American businessman Randy Stewart, American sports shooter Ray Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Rayna Stewart (born 1973), American football player and coach Reba Stewart, Australian martial artist Redd Stewart, American singer-songwriter Reginald Stewart (disambiguation), multiple people Rena Stewart (1923–2023), Scottish World War II codebreaker and journalist Rex Stewart (1907–1967), American jazz cornetist Richard Stewart (born 1959) mayor of Coquitlam, British Columbia