NameCensus.

UK surname

Cahoon

A Cornish surname derived from the place name Cahon, meaning "a ravine or deep valley."

In the 1881 census there were 9 people recorded with the Cahoon surname, ranking it #32,416 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 124, ranked #26,975, up from #32,416 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Preston, Salford and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cahoon is 124 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1277.8%.

1881 census count

9

Ranked #32,416

Modern count

124

2016, ranked #26,975

Peak year

2016

124 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cahoon had 9 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,416 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 124 in 2016, ranked #26,975.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 11 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Cahoon surname distribution map

The map shows where the Cahoon surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Cahoon surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cahoon over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 9 #31,675
1861 historical 10 #32,589
1881 historical 9 #32,416
1891 historical 11 #33,268
1901 historical 9 #33,154
1911 historical 8 #32,903
1997 modern 99 #27,039
1998 modern 102 #27,314
1999 modern 107 #26,754
2000 modern 100 #27,695
2001 modern 97 #27,823
2002 modern 96 #28,534
2003 modern 92 #28,974
2004 modern 102 #27,637
2005 modern 101 #27,854
2006 modern 100 #28,283
2007 modern 101 #28,505
2008 modern 105 #28,180
2009 modern 101 #29,445
2010 modern 105 #29,453
2011 modern 102 #29,759
2012 modern 113 #28,016
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 119 #27,813
2015 modern 123 #27,088
2016 modern 124 #26,975

Geography

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Where Cahoons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Preston, Salford and Liverpool. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Preston 007 Preston
2 Preston 009 Preston
3 Salford 021 Salford
4 Liverpool 024 Liverpool
5 Preston 012 Preston

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cahoon

These lists show first names that appear often with the Cahoon surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cahoon

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cahoon, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Cahoon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Cahoon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cahoon is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cahoon is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cahoon falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cahoon is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Cahoon, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cahoon

The surname Cahoon has its origins in Ireland and is believed to have originated from the Gaelic word "cathún," which means "little cat." This moniker was likely bestowed upon someone who possessed feline-like characteristics or had an affinity for cats.

The earliest known record of the name Cahoon dates back to the 16th century in County Antrim, Ireland. It is believed that the name may have been anglicized from the Irish Gaelic spelling "Ó Catháin" or "Mac Catháin," meaning "descendant of Cathán."

One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient chronicle that recorded events in Ireland from the 5th to the 16th century. The annals mention a Niall Ó Catháin, who was a prominent chieftain in the 14th century.

In the 17th century, during the plantation of Ulster, many Irish families with the surname Cahoon were displaced and forced to migrate to other parts of Ireland, as well as to Scotland and the American colonies.

One notable bearer of the Cahoon name was Robert Cahoon (1750-1838), an American Revolutionary War soldier from Virginia. He fought in several key battles, including the Battle of Brandywine and the Battle of Monmouth.

Another prominent figure was Daniel Cahoon (1766-1848), a sea captain from Massachusetts who played a crucial role in the War of 1812. He commanded several privateers and captured numerous British ships during the conflict.

In the realm of literature, Mary Cahoon (1833-1911) was a renowned American poet and writer from Vermont. Her works often focused on rural life and the natural beauty of her home state.

The name Cahoon has also been associated with various place names, such as Cahoon Hollow in New York and Cahoon Memorial Park in Ohio, which were named after early settlers or landowners bearing the surname.

Furthermore, variations of the name, such as Cahoon, Cahoon, and Cahoun, can be found throughout historical records, reflecting the evolution and adaptation of the name across different regions and cultures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cahoon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cahoon surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Durham leads with 6 Cahoons recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.02x.

County Total Index
Durham 6 23.02x
Ayrshire 3 45.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hartlepool in Durham leads with 6 Cahoons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1621.62x.

Place Total Index
Hartlepool 6 1621.62x
Kilbirnie 3 1875.00x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cahoon surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Jane 1
Mary 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Cahoon surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mathew 2
Robert 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Cahoon households.

FAQ

Cahoon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cahoon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 9 people were recorded with the Cahoon surname. That placed it at #32,416 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cahoon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 124 in 2016. That gives Cahoon a modern rank of #26,975.

What does the Cahoon surname mean?

A Cornish surname derived from the place name Cahon, meaning "a ravine or deep valley."

What does the Cahoon map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cahoon bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.