NameCensus.

UK surname

Cobden

An English place name referring to a valley near the river Cob.

In the 1881 census there were 270 people recorded with the Cobden surname, ranking it #10,484 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 376, ranked #12,437, down from #10,484 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chichester, South Somerset and Stoke-on-Trent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cobden is 389 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.3%.

1881 census count

270

Ranked #10,484

Modern count

376

2016, ranked #12,437

Peak year

2000

389 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cobden had 270 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,484 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 376 in 2016, ranked #12,437.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 336 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cobden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cobden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cobden 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 252 #8,733
1861 historical 178 #13,202
1881 historical 270 #10,484
1891 historical 267 #12,136
1901 historical 328 #10,943
1911 historical 336 #10,563
1997 modern 350 #12,172
1998 modern 384 #11,727
1999 modern 377 #11,954
2000 modern 389 #11,645
2001 modern 373 #11,830
2002 modern 378 #11,939
2003 modern 366 #12,010
2004 modern 372 #11,886
2005 modern 352 #12,315
2006 modern 360 #12,198
2007 modern 361 #12,303
2008 modern 362 #12,384
2009 modern 367 #12,501
2010 modern 368 #12,750
2011 modern 365 #12,694
2012 modern 366 #12,520
2013 modern 376 #12,472
2014 modern 380 #12,449
2015 modern 374 #12,495
2016 modern 376 #12,437

Geography

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Where Cobdens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Portsmouth, Portsea, St Mary Islington and Chichester St Peter the Great. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chichester, South Somerset, Stoke-on-Trent, Winchester and Cheshire West and Chester. 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 3
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 Chichester St Peter the Great Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chichester 013 Chichester
2 South Somerset 009 South Somerset
3 Stoke-on-Trent 017 Stoke-on-Trent
4 Winchester 011 Winchester
5 Cheshire West and Chester 027 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cobden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cobden

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Cobden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cobden 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Cobden is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Cobden is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cobden falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cobden is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Cobden

The surname Cobden is of English origin, derived from a place name in East Sussex, England. The name Cobden is believed to have originated during the Anglo-Saxon period, from the Old English words "cobbe" meaning a headland or a rounded hill, and "dun" meaning a hill or down.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Cobden can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cobedene" and "Cobbedene." This suggests that the name was well-established in the area by the late 11th century.

During the medieval period, the name was often spelled in various ways, including Cobdene, Cobbedene, and Cobbeden, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. The name was primarily associated with the village of Cobden, located in the Wealden district of East Sussex.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Cobden was John Cobden, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. Another notable figure was Robert Cobden (c.1460-1537), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Sussex during the reign of Henry VIII.

In the 19th century, the name gained prominence with the life of Richard Cobden (1804-1865), a renowned English statesman, businessman, and radical and liberal political thinker. He played a significant role in the Anti-Corn Law League, which campaigned for the abolition of the protectionist Corn Laws and free trade policies.

Other notable individuals with the surname Cobden include:

1. Edward Cobden-Ramsay (1866-1921), a British soldier and politician. 2. Mary Cobden-Sanderson (1858-1922), an English artist and bookbinder. 3. Ralph Cobden-Sanderson (1859-1939), an English artist and co-founder of the Doves Press. 4. John Cobden (1882-1968), a British trade unionist and politician. 5. Paul Cobden (1892-1975), an English cricketer who played for Oxford University and Gloucestershire.

The surname Cobden continues to be found predominantly in England, particularly in the counties of Sussex, Kent, and Surrey, reflecting its historical roots and origins in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cobden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cobden 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 79 Cobdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.87x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 79 2.87x
Sussex 41 8.84x
Hampshire 40 7.09x
Staffordshire 29 3.12x
Surrey 17 1.27x
Berkshire 12 5.81x
Channel Islands 11 13.50x
Buckinghamshire 10 6.01x
Gloucestershire 10 1.85x
Yorkshire 8 0.29x
Warwickshire 7 1.01x
Cheshire 6 0.99x
Essex 3 0.55x
Kent 3 0.32x
Dorset 2 1.11x
Durham 2 0.24x
Fife 1 0.61x
Royal Navy 1 3.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 23 Cobdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.36x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 23 23.36x
Islington London 19 7.13x
Portsea 19 17.19x
Tottenham 17 38.80x
St Pancras London 16 7.23x
Shoreditch London 15 12.58x
St Helier 11 41.45x
North Mundham 8 1739.13x
Sompting 8 1250.00x
Birmingham 7 3.03x
Scarborough 7 28.26x
Clifton 6 22.00x
Newcastle Under Lyme 6 36.52x
South Bersted 6 152.28x
Battersea 5 4.94x
Chesham 5 81.57x
Chester St Oswald 5 45.45x
Cliddesden 5 1612.90x
Brighton 4 4.27x
Clapham 4 11.63x
Empshott 4 2666.67x
Great Faringdon 4 134.68x
Littlehampton 4 108.11x
New Windsor 4 57.64x
St Marylebone London 4 2.72x
Steeple Claydon 4 500.00x
Subdeanary 4 320.00x
Binsted 3 139.53x
Clewer 3 35.46x
Newington 3 2.95x
Basingstoke 2 30.86x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 11.12x
Cheltenham 2 4.81x
Church Oakley 2 714.29x
Clerkenwell London 2 3.08x
Dovercourt 2 104.71x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 2 5.64x
Kensington London 2 1.31x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 3.61x
Subdeanery 2 56.82x
Westhampnett 2 408.16x
Woolwich 2 5.77x
Abbotshall 1 16.45x
Banstead 1 27.55x
Beckenham 1 8.15x
Bray 1 16.47x
Buckingham 1 29.59x
Camberwell 1 0.57x
Chichester St Pancras 1 71.94x
Farringdon 1 181.82x
Finchley 1 9.48x
Hound 1 26.11x
Lambeth 1 0.42x
Midhurst 1 65.79x
Millbrook 1 7.04x
Nether Hallam 1 2.71x
Paddington London 1 0.99x
Portsmouth 1 7.70x
Royal Navy 1 3.57x
Sherborne 1 18.80x
Southampton St Mary 1 2.82x
St Luke London 1 2.27x
St Mary Aldermary London 1 1428.57x
Upton In Macclesfield 1 270.27x
West Dean 1 144.93x
West Ham 1 0.83x
Weymouth 1 29.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 14
Charles 12
John 9
George 8
James 7
Richard 7
Edward 6
Harry 5
Henry 5
Thomas 5
Albert 4
Alfred 4
Frederick 3
Herbert 3
Chas. 2
Joseph 2
Mark 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Arthur 1
Beverly 1
Chas.Wm. 1
Christopher 1
Clement 1
Conrad 1
Ebenezer 1
Edwin 1
Elwyn 1
Frerick 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Lacy 1
Gilbert 1
Halsted 1
Jack 1
Joshua 1
Keran 1
Leonard 1
Luke 1
Richd. 1
Robt. 1
Sydney 1
W. 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Cobden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cobden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 270 people were recorded with the Cobden surname. That placed it at #10,484 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cobden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 376 in 2016. That gives Cobden a modern rank of #12,437.

What does the Cobden surname mean?

An English place name referring to a valley near the river Cob.

What does the Cobden map show?

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