NameCensus.

UK surname

Coar

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic word "comhair" meaning assembly or gathering.

In the 1881 census there were 80 people recorded with the Coar surname, ranking it #22,225 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 125, ranked #26,827, down from #22,225 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Preston and Whalley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ribble Valley, Preston and Isle of Wight.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coar is 140 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.3%.

1881 census count

80

Ranked #22,225

Modern count

125

2016, ranked #26,827

Peak year

1911

140 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coar had 80 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,225 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016, ranked #26,827.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 140 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Coar surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coar surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Coar 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 91 #18,187
1861 historical 93 #22,009
1881 historical 80 #22,225
1891 historical 89 #25,542
1901 historical 116 #20,933
1911 historical 140 #18,657
1997 modern 109 #25,650
1998 modern 114 #25,589
1999 modern 110 #26,315
2000 modern 122 #24,698
2001 modern 113 #25,489
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 105 #26,940
2004 modern 104 #27,338
2005 modern 108 #26,736
2006 modern 115 #25,969
2007 modern 120 #25,606
2008 modern 124 #25,371
2009 modern 125 #25,823
2010 modern 132 #25,519
2011 modern 130 #25,547
2012 modern 120 #26,961
2013 modern 128 #26,336
2014 modern 126 #26,781
2015 modern 124 #26,944
2016 modern 125 #26,827

Geography

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Where Coars are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Preston, Whalley and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ribble Valley, Preston and Isle of Wight. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Preston Lancashire
3 Whalley Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ribble Valley 008 Ribble Valley
2 Preston 001 Preston
3 Ribble Valley 001 Ribble Valley
4 Isle of Wight 018 Isle of Wight
5 Preston 002 Preston

Forenames

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First names often paired with Coar

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Coar

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Coar surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Coar household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Coar is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Coar is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Coar falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Coar 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 Coar, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Coar

The surname Coar is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest known roots dating back to the 13th century. Some historians suggest that the name is derived from the Old English word "cor," meaning a small cottage or dwelling. It is thought to have been an occupational surname given to those who lived in or worked in such humble abodes.

Records from the 14th century indicate that the name was prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, where it was often spelled as "Coare" or "Coor." The earliest known bearer of the name was Richard Coor, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1327.

The Coar surname also appears in several historical documents, including the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire from the reign of Edward III (1312-1377). One notable entry mentions a John Coare, who was a landowner in the village of Woodstock during this period.

In the 16th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of Sir John Coar (1520-1589), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London. He was known for his involvement in the English cloth trade and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1573.

Another notable figure was Thomas Coar (1670-1738), a renowned clockmaker from the village of Compton Bassett in Wiltshire. His clocks were highly prized for their craftsmanship and accuracy, and some of his works are still preserved in museums today.

During the 18th century, the Coar surname appeared in various parish records across England, with concentrations in the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. One notable bearer was William Coar (1745-1823), a successful farmer and landowner in the village of Bampton, Oxfordshire.

In the 19th century, the name was found in various parts of the United Kingdom, with many Coar families residing in the industrial cities of the Midlands and the North of England. One notable figure from this era was Samuel Coar (1810-1889), a prominent businessman and philanthropist from Manchester, who made significant contributions to the city's social and cultural development.

As the centuries progressed, the Coar surname continued to be represented across various fields, including literature, politics, and academia. However, it remained a relatively uncommon name, with its roots firmly grounded in the rural communities of England's heartland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Coar families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coar 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. Lancashire leads with 64 Coars recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.91x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 64 6.91x
Essex 6 3.90x
Hampshire 4 2.50x
Yorkshire 4 0.52x
Northumberland 1 0.86x
Sussex 1 0.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 15 Coars recorded in 1881 and an index of 60.90x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 15 60.90x
Tockholes 10 7692.31x
Livesey 9 552.15x
Burnley 8 102.56x
Colchester St Leonard 6 1200.00x
Osbaldeston 6 15000.00x
Habergham Eaves 5 59.10x
Castleford 4 141.84x
Mellor 4 1379.31x
Ryde 4 116.28x
Clayton Le Dale 2 2500.00x
Pleasington 2 1666.67x
Balderstone 1 769.23x
Eastbourne 1 16.53x
Newchurch 1 13.21x
Tynemouth 1 16.08x
Witton 1 86.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Alice 5
Sarah 4
Charlotte 2
Ann 1
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emiley 1
Ethel 1
Ida 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Judith 1
Lillian 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Naomi 1
Susannah 1
Violet 1
Zor 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
James 6
Edward 5
William 5
Alfred 2
Richard 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Charles 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Infant 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Coar surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coar surname in 1881?

In 1881, 80 people were recorded with the Coar surname. That placed it at #22,225 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016. That gives Coar a modern rank of #26,827.

What does the Coar surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic word "comhair" meaning assembly or gathering.

What does the Coar map show?

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