Stew Family History

From Middle English stew(e) ‘fish pond’ (Old French estui), this term could refer either to someone who lived near a fish pond or to someone employed to maintain one.

Additionally, the name suggests a historical connection to various occupations related to the management of aquatic resources.

For example, you can see a reference to this term in the record of William le Steweman from 1327 in the Subsidy Rolls (Suffolk).

This illustrates how the occupation and the location can be intertwined within the etymology of the name.

Such historical references provide valuable insights into the significance of fish ponds in medieval society.