NameCensus.

UK surname

Cannard

A surname derived from the French word "canard," meaning duck.

In the 1881 census there were 67 people recorded with the Cannard surname, ranking it #24,104 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 82, ranked #32,895, down from #24,104 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Gloucestershire, Watford and Sedgemoor.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cannard is 115 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.4%.

1881 census count

67

Ranked #24,104

Modern count

82

2016, ranked #32,895

Peak year

1999

115 bearers

Map years

1

1998 to 1998

Key insights

  • Cannard had 67 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,104 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 82 in 2016, ranked #32,895.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 98 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Cannard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cannard surname density by area, 1998 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cannard 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 39 #26,319
1861 historical 82 #23,321
1881 historical 67 #24,104
1891 historical 93 #24,965
1901 historical 98 #23,119
1911 historical 90 #23,797
1997 modern 112 #25,244
1998 modern 114 #25,589
1999 modern 115 #25,620
2000 modern 107 #26,700
2001 modern 105 #26,620
2002 modern 104 #27,303
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 102 #27,637
2005 modern 94 #28,973
2006 modern 91 #29,725
2007 modern 86 #30,808
2008 modern 86 #31,114
2009 modern 84 #31,842
2010 modern 86 #32,081
2011 modern 91 #31,442
2012 modern 82 #32,701
2013 modern 86 #32,557
2014 modern 89 #32,409
2015 modern 86 #32,604
2016 modern 82 #32,895

Geography

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Where Cannards 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 South Gloucestershire, Watford, Sedgemoor, Bristol and Derbyshire Dales. 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 South Gloucestershire 023 South Gloucestershire
2 Watford 012 Watford
3 Sedgemoor 002 Sedgemoor
4 Bristol 009 Bristol, City of
5 Derbyshire Dales 006 Derbyshire Dales

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cannard

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cannard

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cannard, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Cannard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cannard household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Cannard is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cannard is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cannard falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cannard is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Cannard

The surname CANNARD is believed to have originated in England during the 13th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old French word "canard," meaning "duck." This could suggest that the name was initially given as a nickname to someone who had a duck-like gait or mannerisms.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like record from 1273, which mentions a John Canard. The name also appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, where a Walter Canard is listed.

During the Middle Ages, the CANNARD surname was primarily concentrated in the southern counties of England, particularly Sussex, Surrey, and Kent. It is possible that the name may have originated from a place name that no longer exists or has been lost to history.

In the 16th century, the CANNARD surname began to spread to other parts of England. One notable bearer of the name was John Cannard, a merchant from Bristol who was involved in the Newfoundland trade in the late 1500s.

In the 17th century, the CANNARD family established itself in the county of Somerset. William Cannard, born in 1632, was a prominent landowner and magistrate in the area. His son, also named William Cannard (1670-1741), served as the High Sheriff of Somerset in 1711.

Another notable CANNARD was Sir Thomas Cannard (1788-1855), a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and the Crimean War. He was knighted for his military service in 1855.

In the 19th century, the CANNARD surname gained some prominence in the field of literature. Edward Cannard (1823-1887) was an English poet and playwright, known for his verse dramas and adaptations of Shakespeare's works.

While the CANNARD surname is not among the most common in England, it has a long and varied history, with bearers contributing to various fields, including trade, law, military service, and literature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cannard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cannard 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. Gloucestershire leads with 20 Cannards recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.60x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 20 15.60x
Somerset 15 14.26x
Hampshire 13 9.71x
Sussex 10 9.08x
Glamorgan 3 2.64x
Middlesex 3 0.46x
Kent 2 0.90x
Lancashire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pucklechurch in Gloucestershire leads with 10 Cannards recorded in 1881 and an index of 3448.28x.

Place Total Index
Pucklechurch 10 3448.28x
Henbury 9 1428.57x
Durley 7 6363.64x
Brighton 5 22.49x
Long Ashton 5 961.54x
Nailsea 5 1190.48x
South Stoneham 5 171.82x
Eastbourne 4 78.90x
Bromley London 3 20.86x
Bedminster 2 20.24x
Compton Martin 2 2222.22x
Deptford St Paul 2 11.63x
Llandaff 2 52.77x
Botley 1 416.67x
Clase 1 23.64x
Clifton 1 15.43x
Portishead 1 128.21x
Preston 1 52.08x
Salford 1 4.38x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 6
John 5
William 4
Joseph 3
Alfred 2
Charles 2
James 2
Aaron 1
Colus 1
Henry 1
Richard 1
Sydney 1
Thomas 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 Cannard households.

FAQ

Cannard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cannard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 67 people were recorded with the Cannard surname. That placed it at #24,104 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cannard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 82 in 2016. That gives Cannard a modern rank of #32,895.

What does the Cannard surname mean?

A surname derived from the French word "canard," meaning duck.

What does the Cannard map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cannard 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.