UK surname
An English habitational surname derived from a place named Cannington.
In the 1881 census there were 50 people recorded with the Cannington surname, ranking it #26,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3, ranked #38,594, down from #26,587 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Dunstan Stepney, Blatherwycke and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cannington is 260 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 94.0%.
1881 census count
50
Ranked #26,587
Modern count
3
2016, ranked #38,594
Peak year
1861
260 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Cannington surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Cannington surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 43 | #25,518 |
| 1861 | historical | 260 | #9,516 |
| 1881 | historical | 50 | #26,587 |
| 1891 | historical | 136 | #19,601 |
| 1901 | historical | 45 | #29,156 |
| 1911 | historical | 46 | #28,224 |
| 1999 | modern | 1 | #38,820 |
| 2009 | modern | 2 | #38,725 |
| 2010 | modern | 2 | #38,775 |
| 2011 | modern | 4 | #38,338 |
| 2012 | modern | 4 | #38,335 |
| 2013 | modern | 3 | #38,526 |
| 2014 | modern | 3 | #38,552 |
| 2015 | modern | 3 | #38,558 |
| 2016 | modern | 3 | #38,594 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Dunstan Stepney, Blatherwycke, Manchester, Sutton, Long or St Mary and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Dunstan Stepney | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | Blatherwycke | Northamptonshire |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Sutton, Long or St Mary | Lincolnshire |
| 5 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Cannington surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cannington, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Cannington surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Cannington household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Cannington is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cannington is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Cannington, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Cannington is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval era. It is derived from the place name Cannington, a village located in Somerset, England. The toponym itself comes from the Old English words "caning" meaning "royal" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement," suggesting that the area may have once been a royal estate or administrative center.
The earliest known record of the name Cannington appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Canindone." This entry indicates that the village and its surrounding lands were held by the Bishop of Coutances during the Norman Conquest.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Cannington was William de Cannington, who lived in Somerset in the 13th century. He is mentioned in various local records from that period, including a land deed dated 1274.
In the 14th century, a prominent figure named John Cannington served as a member of Parliament for Somerset in 1362. He was a wealthy landowner and played an influential role in local affairs during his lifetime.
Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Cannington (c. 1450 - 1522), a courtier and diplomat who served under King Henry VII and King Henry VIII. He was involved in various diplomatic missions to France and Spain and was knighted for his service to the crown.
During the 16th century, a Thomas Cannington (1515 - 1589) gained recognition as a renowned scholar and translator. He studied at Oxford University and later translated several works from Latin into English, including texts by Cicero and Seneca.
In the 17th century, Robert Cannington (1624 - 1701) was a significant figure in the English Civil War. He fought alongside Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentarian forces and played a role in the Battle of Naseby in 1645, which marked a turning point in the conflict.
Throughout the centuries, the Cannington surname has maintained a connection to its geographical roots in Somerset, with many bearers of the name residing in or hailing from the region. While the name has also spread to other parts of England and beyond, its origins can be traced back to the medieval village that gave rise to this distinctive surname.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cannington surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Bedfordshire leads with 8 Canningtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.68x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Bedfordshire | 8 | 31.68x |
| Lancashire | 7 | 1.21x |
| Somerset | 7 | 8.92x |
| Middlesex | 6 | 1.23x |
| Kent | 5 | 3.01x |
| Yorkshire | 5 | 1.03x |
| Devon | 3 | 2.96x |
| Gloucestershire | 3 | 3.14x |
| Northamptonshire | 3 | 6.54x |
| Shropshire | 2 | 4.75x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 1.52x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tempsford in Bedfordshire leads with 8 Canningtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 8888.89x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Tempsford | 8 | 8888.89x |
| Everton | 7 | 37.96x |
| Lewisham | 5 | 56.37x |
| Bedminster | 4 | 54.27x |
| Whitby | 4 | 245.40x |
| Tiverton | 3 | 171.43x |
| Walcot | 3 | 71.77x |
| Bridgnorth St Mary | 2 | 487.80x |
| Kings Cliffe | 2 | 952.38x |
| St Marylebone London | 2 | 7.68x |
| Brington | 1 | 714.29x |
| Bristol St James St Paul | 1 | 31.35x |
| Chelsea London | 1 | 6.81x |
| Chipping Campden | 1 | 322.58x |
| Clerkenwell London | 1 | 8.69x |
| Frampton Cotterell | 1 | 294.12x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 3.69x |
| Poplar London | 1 | 10.87x |
| Radford | 1 | 29.94x |
| Skelbrooke | 1 | 5000.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cannington surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Cannington surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Cannington households.
FAQ
In 1881, 50 people were recorded with the Cannington surname. That placed it at #26,587 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 3 in 2016. That gives Cannington a modern rank of #38,594.
An English habitational surname derived from a place named Cannington.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cannington bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.