Stuart is a surname which was also adopted as a given name, traditionally for men. It is the French form of the Scottish surname Stewart. The French form of the name was brought to Scotland from France by Mary Stuart, in the 16th century.[1]

The surname Stewart is an occupational name for the administrative official of an estate. The name is derived from the Middle English stiward, and Old English stigweard, stiweard. The Old English word is composed of the elements stig, meaning 'house(hold)'; and weard, meaning 'guardian'.

In England prior to the Norman Conquest, a steward was an officer who controlled the domestic affairs of a household, especially of a royal household. After the Conquest, the term was used as an equivalent of Seneschal, a steward of a manor or estate.[2]

A variant form of the given name is Stewart. Pet forms of the given name are Stu, Stew and Stewie.[1]

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References

  1. 1 2 Hanks, Patrick; Hodges, Flavia (2006). Hardcastle, Kate (ed.). Oxford Dictionary of Names (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 253. ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1.
  2. "Stewart Name Meaning and History". Ancestry.com. Retrieved 9 August 2009. For the etymology of the surname Stewart this web page cites: Dictionary of American Family Names.
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