NameCensus.

UK surname

Cockwell

In the 1881 census there were 64 people recorded with the Cockwell surname, ranking it #24,561 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 171, ranked #21,726, up from #24,561 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Iddesleigh, Aston-le-Walls and Poole St James. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Poole, Purbeck and West Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cockwell is 205 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 167.2%.

1881 census count

64

Ranked #24,561

Modern count

171

2016, ranked #21,726

Peak year

1861

205 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cockwell had 64 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,561 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 171 in 2016, ranked #21,726.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 205 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Cockwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cockwell surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cockwell 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 81 #19,457
1861 historical 205 #11,769
1881 historical 64 #24,561
1891 historical 109 #22,701
1901 historical 150 #18,075
1911 historical 173 #16,361
1997 modern 168 #19,642
1998 modern 173 #19,821
1999 modern 180 #19,454
2000 modern 178 #19,570
2001 modern 180 #19,161
2002 modern 174 #19,971
2003 modern 171 #19,953
2004 modern 170 #20,146
2005 modern 166 #20,379
2006 modern 165 #20,634
2007 modern 165 #20,893
2008 modern 161 #21,431
2009 modern 162 #21,791
2010 modern 166 #21,941
2011 modern 176 #20,957
2012 modern 161 #22,157
2013 modern 172 #21,575
2014 modern 175 #21,477
2015 modern 177 #21,220
2016 modern 171 #21,726

Geography

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Where Cockwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Iddesleigh, Aston-le-Walls, Poole St James, Aberavon and Hove. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Poole, Purbeck and West Dorset. 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 Iddesleigh Devon
2 Aston-le-Walls Oxfordshire
3 Poole St James Dorset
4 Aberavon Glamorganshire
5 Hove Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Poole 015 Poole
2 Purbeck 006 Purbeck
3 Purbeck 003 Purbeck
4 Poole 017 Poole
5 West Dorset 011 West Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cockwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cockwell

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cockwell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cockwell is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cockwell falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Cockwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cockwell 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. Devon leads with 45 Cockwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.63x.

County Total Index
Devon 45 34.63x
Glamorgan 7 6.44x
Middlesex 5 0.80x
Dorset 4 9.76x
Gloucestershire 1 0.82x
Kent 1 0.47x
Norfolk 1 1.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberavon in Glamorgan leads with 7 Cockwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 700.00x.

Place Total Index
Aberavon 7 700.00x
Huish 6 30000.00x
Lapford 5 3846.15x
Plymouth Charles The 5 87.26x
Monk Okehampton 4 8000.00x
North Tawton 4 1000.00x
Northam 4 421.05x
Parkstone 4 833.33x
St Pancras London 4 7.96x
Dowland 3 10000.00x
Iddesleigh 3 3333.33x
St Giles In The Wood 3 1578.95x
Stoke Damerel 3 32.97x
Beckenham 1 35.97x
Bow 1 588.24x
Bristol St Augustine 1 50.51x
Farringdon 1 1666.67x
Great Yarmouth 1 12.58x
Langtree 1 625.00x
Mile End Old Town London 1 7.52x
Sandford 1 312.50x
Shebbear 1 500.00x

Top female names

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

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 Cockwell households.

FAQ

Cockwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cockwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 64 people were recorded with the Cockwell surname. That placed it at #24,561 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cockwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 171 in 2016. That gives Cockwell a modern rank of #21,726.

What does the Cockwell map show?

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