NameCensus.

UK surname

Co

A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname Cao, meaning "tall" or "high."

In the 1881 census there were 40 people recorded with the Co surname, ranking it #28,011 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 145, ranked #24,293, up from #28,011 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southwark, Darlington and Hounslow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Co is 145 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 262.5%.

1881 census count

40

Ranked #28,011

Modern count

145

2016, ranked #24,293

Peak year

2016

145 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Co had 40 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,011 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 145 in 2016, ranked #24,293.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 40 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Co surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Co surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Co 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 1 #33,412
1881 historical 40 #28,011
1901 historical 4 #33,876
1997 modern 30 #34,701
1998 modern 25 #35,365
1999 modern 23 #35,612
2000 modern 19 #36,007
2001 modern 16 #36,160
2002 modern 15 #36,381
2003 modern 19 #36,011
2004 modern 27 #35,444
2005 modern 25 #35,752
2006 modern 31 #35,467
2007 modern 34 #35,410
2008 modern 41 #35,067
2009 modern 44 #35,028
2010 modern 66 #33,791
2011 modern 60 #34,202
2012 modern 82 #32,701
2013 modern 91 #32,020
2014 modern 104 #30,365
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 145 #24,293

Geography

Back to top

Where Cos 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 Southwark, Darlington, Hounslow and South Gloucestershire. 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 Southwark 004 Southwark
2 Darlington 012 Darlington
3 Hounslow 016 Hounslow
4 Southwark 019 Southwark
5 South Gloucestershire 012 South Gloucestershire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Co

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Co

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Co surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Co household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Co is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Co 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

Co falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Co 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Co

The surname Co has its origins in northern Italy, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "collo," meaning "neck" or "hill." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived on a hill or a person with a distinctive neck.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Co can be found in the Codice Diplomatico Longobardo, a collection of legal documents from the Lombard period in Italy, which dates back to the 8th century. The name appears in various forms, such as "Collo" and "Colo."

In the 13th century, the name Co gained prominence in the city of Genoa, where several notable individuals bore this surname. One of the earliest recorded examples is Giovanni Co, a merchant and banker who lived in the late 1200s. Another notable figure was Marco Co, a renowned navigator and explorer who participated in several expeditions to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea in the early 14th century.

The surname Co also has strong ties to the island of Sardinia, where it is believed to have originated from the Sardinian word "coghiu," meaning "hill" or "slope." In the 15th century, the name appears in several historical records from the region, including the Codice Cartaceo di Arborea, a collection of documents related to the Giudicato of Arborea, a sovereign state that existed on the island from the 10th to the 15th century.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Co was Girolamo Co, a Sardinian poet and playwright who lived in the late 16th century. His works, such as the pastoral play "S'Arrescogghida," are considered among the earliest examples of Sardinian literature.

In the 17th century, the name Co spread to other parts of Italy, including the regions of Lombardy and Veneto. Notable figures from this period include Giacomo Co, a Venetian architect who designed several notable buildings in the city, including the Church of Santa Maria dei Derelitti.

Other notable individuals with the surname Co throughout history include Vincenzo Co, an Italian painter and sculptor from the 18th century, known for his works in the Baroque style; Antonio Co, a 19th-century Italian mathematician and physicist who made significant contributions to the study of electromagnetism; and Emilio Co, a 20th-century Italian footballer who played for several clubs in Italy and represented the national team in the 1930s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Co families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Co 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. Derbyshire leads with 4 Cos recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.72x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 4 43.72x
Cheshire 1 7.75x
Middlesex 1 1.71x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mickleover in Derbyshire leads with 4 Cos recorded in 1881 and an index of 13333.33x.

Place Total Index
Mickleover 4 13333.33x
St George Hanover Square 1 97.09x
Tarporley 1 3333.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
M. 2
E. 1
Elizabeth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
H. 1
Joseph 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 Co households.

FAQ

Co surname: questions and answers

How common was the Co surname in 1881?

In 1881, 40 people were recorded with the Co surname. That placed it at #28,011 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Co surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 145 in 2016. That gives Co a modern rank of #24,293.

What does the Co surname mean?

A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname Cao, meaning "tall" or "high."

What does the Co map show?

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