NameCensus.

UK surname

Cannon

An occupational surname referring to a maker or user of cannons or guns.

In the 1881 census there were 5,295 people recorded with the Cannon surname, ranking it #840 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 9,424, ranked #685, up from #840 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Edinburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl, Eden and Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cannon is 9,849 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 78.0%.

1881 census count

5,295

Ranked #840

Modern count

9,424

2016, ranked #685

Peak year

2010

9,849 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cannon had 5,295 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #840 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 9,424 in 2016, ranked #685.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,884 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Cannon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cannon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cannon 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 3,173 #912
1861 historical 3,326 #857
1881 historical 5,295 #840
1891 historical 5,453 #860
1901 historical 6,884 #805
1911 historical 6,610 #783
1997 modern 9,186 #682
1998 modern 9,469 #691
1999 modern 9,584 #688
2000 modern 9,558 #685
2001 modern 9,272 #691
2002 modern 9,453 #696
2003 modern 9,170 #700
2004 modern 9,213 #695
2005 modern 9,069 #698
2006 modern 9,137 #692
2007 modern 9,219 #692
2008 modern 9,336 #680
2009 modern 9,577 #678
2010 modern 9,849 #669
2011 modern 9,623 #679
2012 modern 9,390 #684
2013 modern 9,539 #688
2014 modern 9,594 #685
2015 modern 9,446 #688
2016 modern 9,424 #685

Geography

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Where Cannons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Edinburgh, Manchester and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl, Eden, Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig, Machars South and Carlisle. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl Inverclyde
2 Eden 006 Eden
3 Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig Inverclyde
4 Machars South Dumfries and Galloway
5 Carlisle 011 Carlisle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cannon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cannon

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cannon, 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 Cannon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cannon 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, Cannon 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

Cannon 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

Cannon 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 Cannon 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 Cannon, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cannon

The surname Cannon is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "cann" and "canne," which referred to a vessel or container for liquids. The name first emerged in the 12th century and was likely an occupational name for someone who made or sold cans or containers.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, compiled by order of William the Conqueror, there are several references to individuals with the surname Cannon or variations such as Canun and Canunn. These early records indicate that the name was already established in various parts of England by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, which mention a William Cannon. Another early bearer of the name was John Cannon, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275.

The surname Cannon is also closely associated with several notable historical figures. One such figure was Thomas Cannon (1509-1570), an English churchman and academic who served as the Master of the Free School in Coventry and later became a canon of Windsor.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Richard Cannon (1779-1865), an English composer and organist who served as the Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal and was known for his church music compositions.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname Cannon was William Cannon, who was born in 1609 in Somerset, England, and later emigrated to Virginia in the 1630s. His descendants went on to become prominent citizens in various parts of the country.

Other notable individuals with the surname Cannon include Annie Jump Cannon (1863-1941), an American astronomer who cataloged hundreds of thousands of stars and developed a system for classifying stellar spectra, and Walter Bradford Cannon (1871-1945), an American physiologist who conducted pioneering research on the human stress response and introduced the concept of homeostasis.

Throughout history, the surname Cannon has also been associated with various place names, such as Cannon Street in London and Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham, England. These place names likely originated from individuals with the surname Cannon who once lived or worked in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cannon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cannon 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. Middlesex leads with 979 Cannons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.85x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 979 1.85x
Lancashire 650 1.04x
Surrey 534 2.07x
Hertfordshire 373 10.23x
Yorkshire 243 0.46x
Kent 186 1.03x
Buckinghamshire 175 5.47x
Essex 165 1.58x
Cumberland 134 2.94x
Isle of Man 133 13.54x
Midlothian 121 1.71x
Somerset 106 1.25x
Lanarkshire 104 0.61x
Berkshire 100 2.52x
Devon 85 0.77x
Cheshire 83 0.71x
Staffordshire 82 0.46x
Westmorland 82 7.05x
Durham 74 0.47x
Hampshire 61 0.56x
Warwickshire 55 0.41x
Kirkcudbrightshire 53 6.92x
Lincolnshire 50 0.59x
Sussex 48 0.54x
Cornwall 44 0.73x
Huntingdonshire 42 4.00x
Renfrewshire 42 1.02x
Bedfordshire 40 1.46x
Glamorgan 38 0.41x
Gloucestershire 34 0.33x
Nottinghamshire 34 0.48x
Northumberland 33 0.42x
Cambridgeshire 32 0.96x
Aberdeenshire 31 0.63x
Derbyshire 31 0.37x
Worcestershire 31 0.45x
Dunbartonshire 28 1.97x
Norfolk 24 0.30x
Flintshire 22 1.55x
Wiltshire 22 0.47x
Angus 20 0.41x
Ayrshire 18 0.45x
Northamptonshire 18 0.36x
Suffolk 16 0.25x
Oxfordshire 15 0.46x
Wigtownshire 15 2.14x
Dumfriesshire 14 1.20x
Leicestershire 13 0.22x
Stirlingshire 13 0.67x
East Lothian 12 1.71x
Dorset 11 0.32x
Monmouthshire 9 0.24x
Perthshire 9 0.38x
Royal Navy 9 1.43x
Ross-shire 8 0.55x
Shropshire 7 0.15x
Argyllshire 2 0.14x
Channel Islands 2 0.13x
Kinross-shire 2 1.50x
Anglesey 1 0.11x
Buteshire 1 0.31x
Rutland 1 0.26x
West Lothian 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. Hitchin in Hertfordshire leads with 90 Cannons recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.69x.

Place Total Index
Hitchin 90 54.69x
Liverpool 86 2.26x
Manchester 83 2.94x
Camberwell 70 2.07x
Lambeth 64 1.39x
Islington London 63 1.23x
Bermondsey 62 3.94x
St Marylebone London 53 1.88x
St Luke London 47 5.54x
West Ham 47 2.04x
Battersea 44 2.26x
Mile End Old Town London 44 3.91x
St Pancras London 44 1.03x
Hammersmith London 42 3.22x
St George Hanover Square 42 4.51x
Bethnal Green London 40 1.74x
Birmingham 38 0.85x
Bromley London 37 3.18x
Leeds 35 1.18x
Southwark St George Martyr 35 3.29x
Workington 35 13.42x
Paddington London 33 1.70x
Poplar London 31 3.11x
Maughold 28 36.94x
Hackney London 27 0.91x
Onchan 27 9.54x
Aberdeen Old Machar 26 2.54x
Blackburn 26 1.56x
Newington 26 1.33x
Quainton 26 165.82x
Croydon 25 1.75x
Ardeley 24 267.86x
Bow London 24 3.56x
Cheshunt 24 18.83x
Everton 24 1.20x
Glasgow 23 0.76x
Oldham 23 1.14x
Shoreditch London 23 1.00x
South Leith 23 2.88x
Tottenham 23 2.73x
Fulham London 22 2.87x
Kirkdale 22 2.08x
Offley 22 92.75x
Bradford 21 1.66x
St George In East London 21 4.22x
Westminster St James 21 3.86x
Berkhampstead 20 24.40x
Cookham 20 16.16x
Edinburgh New North 20 32.43x
Barony 19 0.44x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 19 0.67x
Great Bolton 19 2.29x
Hendon 19 9.98x
Hillingdon 19 11.27x
Kensington London 19 0.65x
Limehouse London 19 3.27x
Wonersh 19 59.10x
Babcary 18 308.75x
Bramley 18 79.30x
Chertsey 18 10.81x
Clerkenwell London 18 1.44x
Lewisham 18 1.87x
Lichfield St Chad 18 44.82x
Luton 18 3.80x
Abbotsley 17 203.59x
Barrow In Furness 17 1.99x
Chigwell 17 17.25x
Cowpen 17 9.38x
Ealing 17 3.60x
Stoke Upon Trent 17 0.90x
Waddesdon 17 111.40x
Westcott 17 402.84x
Woolwich 17 2.55x
Bray 16 13.72x
Kingston On Thames 16 2.58x
Plymouth Charles The 16 3.30x
Portsea 16 0.75x
Stebbing 16 79.13x
Uxbridge 16 26.48x
Wigan 16 1.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 360
Sarah 179
Elizabeth 176
Ann 101
Ellen 94
Jane 93
Emma 79
Annie 70
Eliza 69
Margaret 69
Alice 63
Emily 50
Catherine 47
Martha 41
Louisa 39
Bridget 31
Caroline 30
Hannah 28
Charlotte 27
Lucy 25
Edith 24
Harriet 24
Maria 24
Amelia 23
Fanny 23
Kate 22
Florence 21
Agnes 18
Anne 16
Frances 16
Clara 15
Lydia 15
Susan 15
Harriett 14
Julia 14
Ada 13
Isabella 13
Minnie 13
Rose 12
Esther 11
Matilda 11
Rebecca 11
Sophia 11
Grace 9
Eleanor 8
Susannah 8
Elizth. 7
Ethel 7
Laura 7
Marian 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 307
William 277
James 201
Thomas 168
George 165
Charles 106
Henry 104
Joseph 71
Edward 66
Robert 51
Patrick 45
Arthur 44
Albert 37
Michael 37
Alfred 35
Frederick 32
Walter 31
Harry 28
Richard 24
Samuel 23
Daniel 22
Martin 22
Peter 22
Thos. 21
Frank 20
Herbert 20
Edwin 15
Ernest 15
Francis 15
Wm. 13
Benjamin 12
David 11
Matthew 9
Bernard 8
Stephen 8
Andrew 7
Earnest 7
Fredk. 7
Godfrey 6
Mark 6
Willie 6
Dennis 5
Jno. 5
Owen 5
Fred 4
Fredrick 4
Geo. 4
Jas. 4
Robt. 4
Tom 4

FAQ

Cannon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cannon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,295 people were recorded with the Cannon surname. That placed it at #840 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cannon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 9,424 in 2016. That gives Cannon a modern rank of #685.

What does the Cannon surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a maker or user of cannons or guns.

What does the Cannon map show?

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