NameCensus.

UK surname

Coate

An Old English surname derived from "cot," referring to someone living in small cottages or huts.

In the 1881 census there were 251 people recorded with the Coate surname, ranking it #11,041 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 164, ranked #22,314, down from #11,041 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Combe St Nicholas, Hammoon and Stoke St Gregory. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Taunton Deane, Kensington and Chelsea and Sedgemoor.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coate is 292 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 34.7%.

1881 census count

251

Ranked #11,041

Modern count

164

2016, ranked #22,314

Peak year

1911

292 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coate had 251 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,041 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016, ranked #22,314.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 292 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Coate surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coate surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Coate 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 204 #10,250
1861 historical 224 #10,882
1881 historical 251 #11,041
1891 historical 281 #11,630
1901 historical 252 #13,068
1911 historical 292 #11,674
1997 modern 160 #20,259
1998 modern 170 #20,030
1999 modern 164 #20,621
2000 modern 180 #19,425
2001 modern 166 #20,129
2002 modern 169 #20,307
2003 modern 169 #20,092
2004 modern 164 #20,609
2005 modern 167 #20,296
2006 modern 175 #19,850
2007 modern 169 #20,562
2008 modern 165 #21,056
2009 modern 160 #21,978
2010 modern 174 #21,259
2011 modern 169 #21,499
2012 modern 163 #21,989
2013 modern 156 #23,004
2014 modern 160 #22,824
2015 modern 163 #22,407
2016 modern 164 #22,314

Geography

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Where Coates are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Combe St Nicholas, Hammoon, Stoke St Gregory, Curry, North and Langport, Drayton with Middleney, Curry Rivell, Swell, Aller. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Taunton Deane, Kensington and Chelsea, Sedgemoor and Greenwich. 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 Combe St Nicholas Somerset
2 Hammoon Dorset
3 Stoke St Gregory Somerset
4 Curry, North Somerset
5 Langport, Drayton with Middleney, Curry Rivell, Swell, Aller Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Taunton Deane 005 Taunton Deane
2 Kensington and Chelsea 017 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Sedgemoor 014 Sedgemoor
4 Greenwich 029 Greenwich
5 Sedgemoor 007 Sedgemoor

Forenames

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First names often paired with Coate

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Coate

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Coate, 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 Coate surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Coate 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Coate is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Coate is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Coate falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Coate is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Coate

The surname Coate has its origins in medieval England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "cot," which referred to a small dwelling or cottage. This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive term for someone who lived in a modest home or a cotter.

One of the earliest known references to the name Coate can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, a census-like record from 1273. The document mentions a Robert de la Cote, suggesting the name's connection to a particular location or dwelling.

Over time, the name evolved through various spellings, including Cote, Coate, and Cootes. It is possible that the name also has connections to place names such as Coates in Gloucestershire or Coates in Cambridgeshire, where the surname may have originated or been associated with specific families or estates.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Coate include:

1. Sir John Coate (1540-1604), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire. 2. Benjamin Coate (1670-1753), a prominent Quaker minister and author from Pennsylvania, known for his religious writings and advocacy for abolition. 3. Robert Coate (1772-1859), a British naval officer and explorer who served as a captain in the Royal Navy and participated in several voyages of exploration in the Pacific. 4. Mary Coate (1832-1916), an American author and lecturer who wrote about women's rights and social reform. 5. Walter Coate (1902-1981), an English cricketer who played for Warwickshire County Cricket Club in the 1920s and 1930s.

While the Coate surname may not be among the most widespread or prominent, it has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval England and the humble origins of those who lived in modest dwellings or cottages. The name's evolution and variations reflect the cultural and linguistic changes that have shaped English surnames over centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Coate families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coate 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. Somerset leads with 126 Coates recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.10x.

County Total Index
Somerset 126 32.10x
Middlesex 21 0.86x
Dorset 18 11.25x
Surrey 14 1.18x
Sussex 10 2.43x
Hampshire 9 1.80x
Durham 8 1.10x
Staffordshire 6 0.73x
Kent 5 0.60x
Yorkshire 5 0.21x
Glamorgan 4 0.94x
Gloucestershire 4 0.84x
Monmouthshire 4 2.27x
Suffolk 4 1.35x
Devon 3 0.59x
Essex 2 0.42x
Lancashire 2 0.07x
Berkshire 1 0.55x
Lincolnshire 1 0.26x
Midlothian 1 0.31x
Oxfordshire 1 0.66x
Sutherland 1 5.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke St Gregory in Somerset leads with 27 Coates recorded in 1881 and an index of 2268.91x.

Place Total Index
Stoke St Gregory 27 2268.91x
North Curry 13 970.15x
Charlton Adam 9 2571.43x
Combe St Nicholas 9 947.37x
Middlezoy 9 1875.00x
North Petherton 9 283.91x
Portsea 9 9.19x
Kensington London 7 5.16x
Newington 7 7.77x
Westoe 7 17.02x
Curry Rivell 6 458.02x
Mark 6 652.17x
Sherborne 6 127.39x
Swell 6 5000.00x
Bridgewater 5 46.90x
Chelsea London 5 6.80x
Hammoon 5 8333.33x
Kingsbury Episcopi 5 393.70x
Rye 5 127.88x
Wednesbury 5 24.31x
Aller 4 1025.64x
Battersea 4 4.46x
Greenwich 4 10.30x
St Woollos 4 20.34x
Blandford Forum 3 94.94x
Leeds 3 2.20x
Muchelney 3 1428.57x
Salcombe Regis 3 625.00x
Taunton St Mary 3 41.61x
Yeovil 3 37.59x
Barton Mills 2 512.82x
Brighton 2 2.41x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 12.54x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 4.44x
Drayton 2 571.43x
Great Wratting 2 606.06x
Hollington 2 136.99x
Hornsey 2 6.49x
Meare 2 169.49x
Paddington London 2 2.23x
Swansea St Thomas 2 46.84x
Bray 1 18.59x
Broadwinsor 1 95.24x
Burnham 1 33.44x
Camberwell 1 0.64x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 2.18x
Clee With Weelsby 1 11.71x
Cowley 1 21.28x
Croydon 1 1.52x
Edinburgh High Church 1 48.78x
Egham 1 13.72x
Everton 1 1.08x
Fivehead 1 285.71x
Foulness 1 169.49x
Gateshead 1 1.84x
Glastonbury 1 31.25x
Hammersmith London 1 1.66x
Islington London 1 0.42x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 51.55x
Lewisham 1 2.25x
Llandaff 1 7.08x
Loth 1 204.08x
Lyme Regis 1 52.08x
Marnhull 1 85.47x
Merthyr Tydfil 1 2.45x
Northallerton 1 32.47x
Rolleston 1 158.73x
Spitalfields London 1 5.45x
St Anne Soho London 1 7.18x
St Martin In Fields 1 6.85x
Sturminster 1 64.52x
Subdeanery 1 32.05x
Theydon Garnon 1 90.91x
West Lydford 1 454.55x
Westonsuper Mare 1 125.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Sarah 13
Elizabeth 10
Jane 9
Annie 4
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Susan 4
Ann 3
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Anna 2
Caroline 2
Ella 2
Fanny 2
Harriet 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Maud 2
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Blanch 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Emiline 1
Hamit 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Helena 1
Hellen 1
Hester 1
Joan 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lavinia 1
Leah 1
Lousia 1
Mabel 1
Margt. 1
Martha 1
Maryann 1
Matilda 1
Melina 1
Minnie 1
Nellie 1
Paulina 1
Pauline 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
Henry 12
William 11
Charles 9
George 7
James 5
Frederick 4
Walter 4
Alfred 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Robt. 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Chas. 1
Clifford 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Euli 1
Francis 1
Gabriel 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Howard 1
Jacob 1
Jas.Chas. 1
Jethro 1
Mark 1
Marmaduke 1
Matthew 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Thos.Wm. 1
Tom 1
Wm.John 1

FAQ

Coate surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coate surname in 1881?

In 1881, 251 people were recorded with the Coate surname. That placed it at #11,041 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coate surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016. That gives Coate a modern rank of #22,314.

What does the Coate surname mean?

An Old English surname derived from "cot," referring to someone living in small cottages or huts.

What does the Coate map show?

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