NameCensus.

UK surname

Coffin

An occupational surname referring to a basket maker or someone who made or sold chests and boxes.

In the 1881 census there were 722 people recorded with the Coffin surname, ranking it #5,047 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 639, ranked #8,280, down from #5,047 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Henstridge. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Dorset, North Dorset and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coffin is 918 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.5%.

1881 census count

722

Ranked #5,047

Modern count

639

2016, ranked #8,280

Peak year

1911

918 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coffin had 722 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,047 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 639 in 2016, ranked #8,280.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 918 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Coffin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coffin surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Coffin 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 644 #4,032
1861 historical 488 #5,352
1881 historical 722 #5,047
1891 historical 792 #5,075
1901 historical 865 #5,295
1911 historical 918 #4,875
1997 modern 710 #7,174
1998 modern 753 #7,075
1999 modern 763 #7,047
2000 modern 765 #6,999
2001 modern 747 #7,006
2002 modern 731 #7,248
2003 modern 720 #7,221
2004 modern 705 #7,350
2005 modern 681 #7,508
2006 modern 675 #7,585
2007 modern 687 #7,535
2008 modern 680 #7,655
2009 modern 696 #7,673
2010 modern 697 #7,805
2011 modern 681 #7,852
2012 modern 662 #7,949
2013 modern 671 #7,997
2014 modern 656 #8,194
2015 modern 644 #8,260
2016 modern 639 #8,280

Geography

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Where Coffins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Henstridge and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Dorset, North Dorset, South Somerset and Torbay. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Henstridge Somerset
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Dorset 002 West Dorset
2 North Dorset 003 North Dorset
3 South Somerset 008 South Somerset
4 Torbay 013 Torbay
5 North Dorset 004 North Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Coffin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Coffin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Coffin, 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 Coffin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Coffin 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Coffin 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

Coffin is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Coffin

The surname Coffin originated in England, likely in the 12th or 13th century. It is derived from the Old French "cofin," meaning a basket or small case. This word is thought to have come from the Latin "cophinus," which had a similar meaning. The name may have referred to someone who made or sold baskets or cases.

The earliest known record of the name Coffin is in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, England, from 1273, where a William Coffyn is mentioned. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, contains no mention of the name, suggesting it arose after the Norman Conquest.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms, such as Coffyn, Cophyn, and Coffyne. These variants likely reflect regional pronunciations and spellings. The modern spelling of Coffin became more standardized in the 16th and 17th centuries.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir Richard Coffin, who was born around 1350 in Somerset, England. He served as a Member of Parliament and was knighted for his military service in the Hundred Years' War.

Another notable figure was Tristram Coffin, born in 1609 in Brixton, England. He was one of the first settlers of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, in 1659, and his descendants became prominent figures in the whaling industry.

In the 17th century, the name Coffin was associated with the village of Portledge, Devon, England, which was once known as Coffinswell or Coffin's Well, possibly referring to a former landowner or resident with the surname.

Sir Isaac Coffin, born in 1759 in Boston, Massachusetts, was a British naval officer who achieved the rank of admiral. He played a significant role in the War of 1812 against the United States.

Robert A. Coffin, born in 1892 in Brunswick, Maine, was an acclaimed American poet and writer. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1936 for his book "Strange Holiness."

Throughout history, the surname Coffin has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including politicians, military leaders, settlers, writers, and more, spanning multiple countries and continents.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Coffin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coffin 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. Hampshire leads with 148 Coffins recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.15x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 148 10.15x
Dorset 116 24.85x
Middlesex 116 1.63x
Somerset 74 6.46x
Cheshire 40 2.55x
Cornwall 32 3.97x
Devon 32 2.16x
Surrey 30 0.87x
Gloucestershire 25 1.79x
Essex 14 1.00x
Shropshire 14 2.28x
Lancashire 11 0.13x
Sussex 11 0.92x
Yorkshire 11 0.16x
Kent 10 0.41x
Berkshire 5 0.94x
Channel Islands 5 2.37x
Denbighshire 5 1.86x
Glamorgan 5 0.40x
Wiltshire 5 0.80x
Lanarkshire 4 0.17x
Staffordshire 4 0.17x
Derbyshire 3 0.27x
Warwickshire 3 0.17x
Oxfordshire 2 0.46x
Monmouthshire 1 0.19x
Royal Navy 1 1.18x
Suffolk 1 0.12x
Worcestershire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 45 Coffins recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.75x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 45 15.75x
Henstridge 44 1392.41x
Bethnal Green London 29 9.39x
Hampton Bickley 19 1043.96x
Bishops Waltham 17 280.07x
Paddington London 15 5.74x
Plymouth St Andrew 15 13.15x
Saltash 14 224.36x
Sherborne 14 101.82x
Swanage 14 243.06x
Droxford 13 233.81x
Lambeth 12 1.94x
Leyton 11 45.49x
Millbrook 11 29.96x
Stroud 10 36.85x
Walcot 10 16.40x
Hursley 9 266.27x
Leeds 9 2.26x
Bromley London 8 5.11x
Egerton 8 2580.65x
Ellesmere 8 75.83x
Falmouth 8 28.07x
Holwell 8 784.31x
Mile End Old Town London 8 5.29x
St Marylebone London 8 2.11x
Tarrant Gunville 8 919.54x
Wonston 8 473.37x
Cranborne 7 124.11x
Lydlinch 7 804.60x
Manchester 7 1.84x
St Pancras London 7 1.22x
Wimborne Minster 7 92.72x
Wimborne St Giles 7 636.36x
Blandford Forum 6 65.15x
Caterham 6 39.16x
Child Okeford 6 291.26x
Holdenhurst 6 15.69x
Hornsey 6 6.67x
Whippingham 6 54.35x
Ellesmere Penley 5 625.00x
Fulham London 5 4.85x
Monks Coppenhall 5 8.44x
Parkstone 5 91.74x
St Helier 5 7.29x
Stoke Under Hambdon 5 132.98x
Bath St James 4 33.50x
Carisbrooke 4 19.76x
Caundle Stourton 4 439.56x
Chelsea London 4 1.87x
Christchurch 4 12.65x
Clapham 4 4.50x
Durley 4 344.83x
Hackney London 4 1.00x
Llanblethian 4 227.27x
Mylor 4 74.21x
Old Monkland 4 4.38x
St George Bloomsbury 4 9.80x
St Stephens By Saltash 4 115.27x
Tormoham 4 6.39x
Wednesfield 4 11.32x
Westbury On Trym 4 8.47x
Wrexham Regis 4 20.05x
Bedminster 3 2.79x
Binsted 3 53.96x
Bristol St Paul In 3 8.07x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 2.28x
Charlton Next Woolwich 3 11.86x
Eastbourne 3 5.44x
Larktn Duckngtn Ovrtn 3 247.93x
Marnhull 3 88.24x
Melbury Osmond 3 315.79x
Milton Clevedon 3 714.29x
Newington 3 1.14x
Shoreditch London 3 0.97x
South Stoneham 3 9.49x
St George Hanover Square 3 2.39x
St Giles In Fields London 3 8.60x
Stourpaine 3 218.98x
Wickham 3 111.94x
Withycombe Rawleigh 3 38.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 48
Elizabeth 24
Sarah 20
Emma 17
Jane 15
Ellen 13
Emily 13
Eliza 12
Alice 11
Annie 11
Ann 9
Louisa 8
Charlotte 6
Amelia 5
Bessie 5
Caroline 5
Florence 5
Kate 5
Maria 5
Minnie 5
Ada 4
Clara 4
Hannah 4
Harriett 4
Helen 4
Margaret 4
Martha 4
Eleanor 3
Jessie 3
Rebecca 3
Rosa 3
Sophia 3
Beatrice 2
Catherine 2
E. 2
Fanny 2
Flora 2
Frances 2
Lilly 2
Lousia 2
Lydia 2
Marie 2
Naomi 2
Selina 2
Susan 2
Virtue 2
Bertha 1
Eliz.A. 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 42
George 41
John 34
Thomas 29
Henry 27
Charles 26
James 18
Joseph 16
Arthur 10
Frederick 10
Albert 8
Edwin 8
Edward 7
Alfred 6
Richard 5
Robert 5
Ambrose 4
Ernest 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Frank 3
Harry 3
Stephen 3
Wm. 3
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Edgar 2
Herbert 2
Tom 2
Anthony 1
Clarence 1
Claud 1
Clement 1
Eli 1
Fred 1
Freddy 1
Infant 1
J. 1
Joe 1
Martha 1
Morris 1
Nehemiah 1
Noah 1
R. 1
Richd. 1
Roger 1
Sebright 1
Silas 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Coffin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coffin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 722 people were recorded with the Coffin surname. That placed it at #5,047 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coffin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 639 in 2016. That gives Coffin a modern rank of #8,280.

What does the Coffin surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a basket maker or someone who made or sold chests and boxes.

What does the Coffin map show?

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