NameCensus.

UK surname

Coats

An English occupational surname for a tailor, one who makes or sells coats or outerwear.

In the 1881 census there were 1,352 people recorded with the Coats surname, ranking it #3,029 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 940, ranked #6,094, down from #3,029 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Allendale, Blantyre and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Douglas West and North Barlanark and Easterhouse South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coats is 1,626 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 30.5%.

1881 census count

1,352

Ranked #3,029

Modern count

940

2016, ranked #6,094

Peak year

1851

1,626 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coats had 1,352 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,029 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 940 in 2016, ranked #6,094.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,626 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Coats surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coats surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Coats 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 1,626 #1,768
1861 historical 1,508 #1,872
1881 historical 1,352 #3,029
1891 historical 1,136 #3,747
1901 historical 1,166 #4,190
1911 historical 585 #6,965
1997 modern 851 #6,233
1998 modern 918 #6,056
1999 modern 907 #6,163
2000 modern 919 #6,085
2001 modern 879 #6,183
2002 modern 883 #6,272
2003 modern 881 #6,182
2004 modern 863 #6,282
2005 modern 880 #6,123
2006 modern 900 #6,041
2007 modern 897 #6,101
2008 modern 898 #6,140
2009 modern 911 #6,201
2010 modern 943 #6,158
2011 modern 926 #6,190
2012 modern 932 #6,084
2013 modern 931 #6,189
2014 modern 960 #6,078
2015 modern 940 #6,123
2016 modern 940 #6,094

Geography

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Where Coats' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Allendale, Blantyre, Govan Combination, Ilfracombe and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Douglas West, North Barlanark and Easterhouse South, Barrow-in-Furness and North Devon. 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 Allendale Northumberland
2 Blantyre Lanark
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Ilfracombe Devon
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 037 Northumberland
2 Douglas West Dundee City
3 North Barlanark and Easterhouse South Glasgow City
4 Barrow-in-Furness 007 Barrow-in-Furness
5 North Devon 001 North Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Coats

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Coats

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Coats surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Coats household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Coats 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

Coats is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Coats 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 Coats is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Coats

The surname Coats is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "cote," meaning a peasant's cottage or a small dwelling. It is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century as a descriptive name for someone who lived in a small, humble abode or as an occupational name for a person who constructed or maintained such dwellings.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 13th century in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, where it appeared as "de la Cote." This early spelling suggests that the name was initially a locational surname, indicating a person's place of residence or origin.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "atte Cote," "de la Cote," and "Cotte," reflecting the diverse spellings common in those times. One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was John atte Cote, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of Wiltshire in 1332.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the surname underwent further evolution and appeared as "Coates," "Coats," and "Cootes." In the 16th century, the surname became more widespread, with notable figures such as Sir John Coats (1535-1616), a merchant and landowner in Cambridgeshire.

In the 17th century, the Coats family established themselves in Scotland, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. One prominent member was Thomas Coats (1809-1883), a Scottish industrialist and founder of the renowned Coats Thread Company, which played a significant role in the textile industry.

Other notable individuals with the surname Coats include Thomas Coats (1766-1835), a British merchant and philanthropist, and Sir Stuart Coats (1878-1968), a British businessman and chairman of the Coats Thread Company.

Throughout history, the surname Coats has been associated with various places, such as Coats, Gloucestershire, and Coates, Cambridgeshire, both of which likely derived their names from the same Old French word as the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Coats families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coats 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. Lanarkshire leads with 222 Coats' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.20x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 222 5.20x
Durham 132 3.36x
Yorkshire 131 1.00x
Devon 115 4.19x
Lancashire 101 0.64x
Northumberland 86 4.38x
Renfrewshire 80 7.82x
Middlesex 53 0.40x
Cumberland 46 4.05x
Surrey 43 0.67x
Kent 29 0.64x
Gloucestershire 25 0.97x
Staffordshire 25 0.56x
Suffolk 25 1.56x
Lincolnshire 22 1.04x
Glamorgan 19 0.83x
Wiltshire 18 1.54x
Midlothian 17 0.96x
Hampshire 16 0.59x
Ayrshire 15 1.52x
Somerset 15 0.71x
Norfolk 11 0.54x
Warwickshire 8 0.24x
Dorset 7 0.81x
Dunbartonshire 7 1.97x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 3.66x
Sussex 7 0.31x
Angus 6 0.49x
Denbighshire 6 1.20x
Cheshire 5 0.17x
Argyllshire 4 1.09x
Essex 4 0.15x
Kincardineshire 4 2.49x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.95x
Westmorland 4 1.38x
Shropshire 3 0.26x
Stirlingshire 3 0.62x
Wigtownshire 3 1.71x
Worcestershire 3 0.17x
Anglesey 2 0.86x
Derbyshire 2 0.10x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.69x
Inverness-shire 2 0.51x
Leicestershire 2 0.14x
Berkshire 1 0.10x
Buteshire 1 1.25x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.12x
Cornwall 1 0.07x
East Lothian 1 0.57x
Herefordshire 1 0.18x
Hertfordshire 1 0.11x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.33x
Northamptonshire 1 0.08x
Oxfordshire 1 0.12x
Perthshire 1 0.17x
Royal Navy 1 0.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 59 Coats' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.46x.

Place Total Index
Barony 59 5.46x
Ilfracombe 53 187.41x
Govan 36 3.41x
Westoe 33 14.83x
Glasgow 31 4.09x
Paisley High Church 30 36.84x
Abbey 26 16.66x
Clitheroe 19 41.21x
Great Little Marsden 19 26.48x
Allendale 18 98.85x
Burnley 16 12.13x
Hamilton 16 13.44x
Heworth 15 19.39x
Kington St Michael 15 721.15x
Tynemouth 15 14.26x
Chirton 13 29.25x
Lambeth 13 1.13x
Blantyre 12 27.00x
Cambusnethan 12 12.66x
East Kilbride 12 65.65x
Kensington London 12 1.64x
West Down 12 500.00x
Crook Billy Row 11 21.88x
Kirkandrews On Esk 11 285.71x
Newington 11 2.26x
Swansea Town 11 5.84x
Yeovil 11 25.48x
Cambuslang 10 23.24x
Medomsley 10 54.59x
Portsea 10 1.89x
Ardwick 9 6.37x
Atwick 9 620.69x
Brampton 9 57.77x
Old Monkland 9 5.31x
Benwell 8 37.28x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 1.12x
Newton Upon Ouse 8 299.63x
Tamworth 8 33.59x
Uttoxeter 8 35.07x
Whaplode 8 111.27x
York St Cuthbert 8 66.83x
Barnstaple 7 16.23x
Berrynarbor 7 223.64x
Dalmellington 7 24.10x
Hammersmith London 7 2.15x
Holmside 7 72.31x
Inverkip 7 29.03x
Lamesley 7 33.13x
Maidstone 7 5.22x
Pinchinthorpe 7 1320.75x
St Marylebone London 7 0.99x
West Auckland 7 48.75x
Bothwell 6 5.18x
Braunton 6 64.38x
Bromley London 6 2.07x
Coberley 6 408.16x
East Greenock 6 6.21x
Fornham All Sts 6 312.50x
Haltwhistle 6 62.96x
Kirkintilloch 6 12.45x
Marske Near Richmond 6 495.87x
Monifieth 6 13.89x
Ormesby 6 17.07x
Pyle 6 141.51x
Yanworth 6 952.38x
Bassenthwaite 5 217.39x
Byker 5 5.15x
Deptford St Paul 5 1.44x
Gateshead 5 1.70x
Gedney 5 58.00x
Great Yarmouth 5 2.97x
Heanton Punchardon 5 248.76x
Manchester 5 0.71x
Mitcham 5 12.30x
Nafferton 5 89.77x
Painswick 5 27.31x
Preston Quarter 5 15.70x
Southowram 5 12.53x
Thetford St Cuthbert 5 68.12x
Wingfield 5 239.23x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 73
John 57
George 39
Thomas 39
James 30
Robert 24
Henry 23
Joseph 20
Richard 12
Arthur 10
Charles 10
Alfred 8
Frederick 8
Walter 7
Edward 6
Tom 5
Herbert 4
Abraham 3
Albert 3
Benjamin 3
David 3
Frank 3
Fred 3
Peter 3
Samuel 3
Adam 2
Charls 2
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Harrison 2
Harry 2
Job 2
Matthew 2
Philip 2
Timothy 2
Wilson 2
Anthony 1
Bryant 1
Cherry 1
Cuthbert 1
Cyrus 1
Danl. 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Enoch 1
Hunter 1
J. 1
Jane 1
Wm.A. 1

FAQ

Coats surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coats surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,352 people were recorded with the Coats surname. That placed it at #3,029 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coats surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 940 in 2016. That gives Coats a modern rank of #6,094.

What does the Coats surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a tailor, one who makes or sells coats or outerwear.

What does the Coats map show?

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