Steward
An occupational surname for a household or estate manager — originally someone who kept the lord’s property and provisions in order.
The #1,610 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 13,834 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Steward comes from Old English roots meaning "sty" or animal pen plus "ward" or keeper, so its earliest sense was literally a keeper of livestock or a pen. In Middle English the word broadened to mean a household manager or major domestic officer, especially one in charge of a lord’s estate or supplies. The surname is therefore an occupational name taken from the office itself.
History
Medieval records show the word used both as an office title and as a hereditary surname, sometimes in forms like Stivard or Styward. It is closely related to Stewart/Stuart, and many historical families moved between these spellings or used them interchangeably. The name remained common in Britain and later spread widely in English-speaking countries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Some early forms of the word suggest a very practical origin: a steward was first, quite literally, a keeper of the sty or pen.
From the historical record
“Stephen, q.v. STEWARD \ (EngO Seneschal ; lit. and orig. STEWART J Sty-Ward [M.E. styward, sti- ward, steward, stuard, etc. ; O.E. stiw(e)ard (= O.N. st(uar^S-r) — stigu, sty, animal- enclosure -I- w(e)ard, guardian, keeper] Hugh le Stivfard.— Hund. Rolls. But, shortly, from the castel on a nyght. The lordes…”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)