NameCensus.

UK surname

Coey

An Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname "Ó Cuadhaidh" meaning descendant of the warlike one.

In the 1881 census there were 23 people recorded with the Coey surname, ranking it #30,339 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 128, ranked #26,401, up from #30,339 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackburn with Darwen, Manchester and Rochdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coey is 128 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 456.5%.

1881 census count

23

Ranked #30,339

Modern count

128

2016, ranked #26,401

Peak year

2016

128 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coey had 23 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,339 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016, ranked #26,401.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 48 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Coey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Coey 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 3 #32,890
1861 historical 27 #30,543
1881 historical 23 #30,339
1891 historical 25 #32,259
1901 historical 48 #28,808
1911 historical 35 #29,478
1997 modern 98 #27,179
1998 modern 103 #27,141
1999 modern 101 #27,617
2000 modern 117 #25,324
2001 modern 106 #26,468
2002 modern 103 #27,443
2003 modern 93 #28,829
2004 modern 99 #28,136
2005 modern 98 #28,325
2006 modern 93 #29,411
2007 modern 98 #29,019
2008 modern 98 #29,355
2009 modern 104 #28,982
2010 modern 114 #28,017
2011 modern 116 #27,477
2012 modern 126 #26,148
2013 modern 121 #27,255
2014 modern 126 #26,781
2015 modern 123 #27,088
2016 modern 128 #26,401

Geography

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Where Coeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blackburn with Darwen, Manchester, Rochdale and Sefton. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blackburn with Darwen 011 Blackburn with Darwen
2 Manchester 042 Manchester
3 Rochdale 019 Rochdale
4 Rochdale 018 Rochdale
5 Sefton 011 Sefton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Coey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Coey

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

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Coey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Coey 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Coey is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Coey 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

Coey 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 Coey 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 Coey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Coey

The surname Coey is of Irish origin, and it is believed to have originated in the northern part of the island during the medieval period. The name is thought to be derived from the Gaelic word "cuach," which means "cup" or "goblet." This suggests that the surname may have initially referred to a person whose occupation involved making or using cups or goblets.

Coey is a variant spelling of the more common Irish surname Quin or Quinn, which has similar roots. The earliest recorded instances of the name Coey date back to the 16th century, when it appeared in various records and manuscripts from counties such as Antrim and Londonderry.

One notable historical reference to the name Coey can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention a person named Cuach O'Donnell, which is believed to be an earlier version of the surname Coey.

Among the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Coey was Patrick Coey, who was born in County Antrim in the late 16th century. He was a landowner and a prominent member of the local community.

In the 17th century, there was a John Coey who was a merchant and trader based in Londonderry. He was involved in the import and export business, trading goods between Ireland and other parts of Europe.

Another notable figure with the surname Coey was William Coey, who was born in County Antrim in the early 18th century. He was a successful farmer and landowner, and his family played an important role in the local agricultural community.

In the 19th century, there was a Robert Coey who was a prominent figure in the linen industry in Ulster. He owned several linen mills and employed hundreds of workers, contributing significantly to the local economy.

One of the most well-known individuals with the surname Coey was James Coey, who was born in County Antrim in the late 19th century. He was a celebrated artist and painter, known for his landscapes and portraits of rural life in Ireland.

Throughout its history, the surname Coey has been associated with various place names and locations in Northern Ireland, such as Coey Township and Coeyhill, both of which are situated in County Antrim. These place names are likely derived from or connected to the surname itself.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Coey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coey 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. Surrey leads with 9 Coeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.23x.

County Total Index
Surrey 9 8.23x
Buckinghamshire 5 36.87x
Middlesex 4 1.78x
Yorkshire 4 1.80x
Glamorgan 1 2.56x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Richmond in Surrey leads with 9 Coeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 588.24x.

Place Total Index
Richmond 9 588.24x
Castle Thorpe 5 16666.67x
Chelsea London 4 59.17x
Leeds 3 23.90x
Aberdare 1 37.31x
York Holy Trinity 1 526.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Carlorin 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Lydia 1
Mary 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Robert 2
William 2
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
George 1
Isaih 1
John 1
Richard 1
Thomas 1

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 Coey households.

FAQ

Coey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 23 people were recorded with the Coey surname. That placed it at #30,339 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016. That gives Coey a modern rank of #26,401.

What does the Coey surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname "Ó Cuadhaidh" meaning descendant of the warlike one.

What does the Coey map show?

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