Story
A surname that likely began as a Scandinavian or northern nickname name, and in some cases may also relate to a “stout” or “bold” root.
The #1,867 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 16,065 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The historical sources do not agree completely on this surname. One line of explanation, given by Lower, connects Story with the Scandinavian personal name Stori, which is related to an old word meaning “large” or “big,” and suggests that early bearers may have been of Danish blood. Harrison, by contrast, links Story with northern forms such as Stotte/Stote and ultimately with a nickname meaning “stout” or “bold,” with a diminutive ending. On the evidence available here, Story is best treated as a surname of northern and Scandinavian background with a likely nickname or personal-name origin.
History
Lower notes that forms such as Stori and Storius appear before Domesday, which points to an early medieval personal-name background in England. The surname is long established in northern Britain, especially in areas with strong Scandinavian influence. Later spellings and local records show the name persisting as a hereditary surname into the early modern period.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The name has an old medieval pedigree: Lower says forms like Stori and Storius are attested before Domesday Book.
From the historical record
“Cp. Start. STORY = Store (q.v.) -t- the E. dim. suff. -y. STOTE (Eng.) a nickname or sign-name Irom the Stot [v. Stott] (A.-Fr.-Teut.) Stout, Bold [O.Fr. esto{u)t : V. under Stout] ItOTHARt) (^°S-) Stot-Herd [v. under ItStHERD Stott, and + M.E. herde, O.E”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)