Stewarts

Stewarts is a surname of Scottish origin derived from the office of high steward of Scotland. The name stems from the word steward, used for an administrator or manager, and was adopted as a hereditary surname in the medieval period after Walter fitz Alan, the first High Steward of Scotland, founded the Stewart line. The family played a central role in Scottish governance and later rose to prominence as a royal dynasty.

By the late 14th century the House of Stewart became the ruling dynasty of Scotland, producing monarchs from Robert II (c. 1371) until the Union of the Crowns in 1603, when James VI of Scotland also became James I of England. In English usage the dynasty is more commonly known as the Stuart, a spelling influenced by French. The Stewart/Stuart monarchs presided over substantial political and cultural changes; the crowns were united under James I of England in 1603, and the Acts of Union in 1707 created the Kingdom of Great Britain. The Stuart line effectively ended with Queen Anne in 1714, after which the throne passed to the House of Hanover.

Today, Stewarts, Stewart, and Stuart are common surnames in the English-speaking world, and the plural “Stewarts” refers to multiple individuals bearing the surname. The modern usage is largely independent of the historical royal house. Notable people with these surnames include actors James “Jimmy” Stewart, Patrick Stewart; actress Kristen Stewart; and musician Rod Stewart, among others.

See also: Stewart (surname); Stuart (surname).