Stewart

Stewart is a surname of Scottish origin, derived from the occupation of a steward—the manager of a household or estate. The name appears in medieval records as Steward and later took the forms Stewart and Stuart, with the latter used by the royal house of Scotland. The Gaelic form is Stiùbhart. Today, Stewart is a common spelling in Scotland, Ireland, and North America, while Stuart remains common in some regions and in historical contexts.

The name has two closely related spellings, Stewart and Stuart, both originating from the same occupational root. The House of Stuart (Stuart) became prominent in the late medieval and early modern periods, contributing to the name’s enduring presence across English-speaking countries. A number of families may bear different variants due to immigration and local practice.

Notable people with the surname Stewart include James Stewart (1908–1997), the American actor known as Jimmy Stewart; Rod Stewart (born 1945), the British rock and pop singer; and Patrick Stewart (born 1940), the British actor. Stewart Copeland (born 1956) is a prominent musician whose given name is Stewart. The name also appears in various fields such as science, business, and sports through individuals bearing Stewart as a surname or given name.

Stewart is also used for place names. Examples include Stewart Island (also known as Rakiura) in New Zealand and Stewart, British Columbia, in Canada. In mathematics, Stewart’s theorem relates the lengths of sides of a triangle to a cevian and is named after the Scottish mathematician Matthew Stewart, reflecting the historical use of the surname in scholarly contexts.