NameCensus.

UK surname

Cofie

A surname originating from Ghana, possibly derived from the Akan word for "palmwine tapper".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Haringey, Kensington and Chelsea and Brent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cofie is 131 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

120

2016, ranked #27,563

Peak year

2010

131 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 120 in 2016, ranked #27,563.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 13 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Cofie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cofie surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cofie 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
1861 historical 13 #32,208
1997 modern 67 #30,915
1998 modern 60 #31,931
1999 modern 66 #31,509
2000 modern 66 #31,553
2001 modern 73 #30,699
2002 modern 90 #29,314
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 103 #27,503
2005 modern 114 #25,837
2006 modern 122 #25,010
2007 modern 123 #25,208
2008 modern 125 #25,249
2009 modern 126 #25,686
2010 modern 131 #25,656
2011 modern 128 #25,793
2012 modern 110 #28,514
2013 modern 121 #27,255
2014 modern 120 #27,646
2015 modern 120 #27,561
2016 modern 120 #27,563

Geography

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Where Cofies 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 Haringey, Kensington and Chelsea, Brent, Lambeth and Newham. 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 Haringey 021 Haringey
2 Kensington and Chelsea 020 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Brent 018 Brent
4 Lambeth 011 Lambeth
5 Newham 002 Newham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cofie

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cofie

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Cofie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Cofie 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 often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Cofie is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cofie is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cofie falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cofie is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Black - African

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

Meaning and origin of Cofie

The surname COFIE has its origins in Ghana, West Africa. It is derived from the Akan word "kofi" which means "born on Friday." The name likely originated in the 17th century or earlier as a day-name given to children born on Fridays.

COFIE was a common surname among the Akan people, particularly the Fante and Asante ethnic groups. It is found in historical records from the British colonial era in the Gold Coast region, which later became modern-day Ghana.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the COFIE surname can be found in the journal of William Bosman, a Dutch traveler who visited the Gold Coast in the late 17th century. He mentioned an Akan chief named Cofie Amba who ruled over the coastal town of Amba (now called Ningo) in the 1680s.

In the 19th century, a prominent Fante merchant and landowner named John Cofie played a significant role in the development of Cape Coast, a major trading center in the Gold Coast. He was born in 1820 and lived until 1892.

Another notable figure bearing the COFIE surname was Kwame Cofie, a Ghanaian politician and diplomat who served as the country's ambassador to the United Nations from 1957 to 1962. He was born in 1908 and died in 1987.

Kofi Annan, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, was also born in Ghana with the given name Kofi, which is related to the COFIE surname. He was born in 1938 and passed away in 2018.

In more recent times, Kwadwo Cofie, a Ghanaian footballer who played for various clubs in Europe, including Genoa and Chievo Verona in Italy, carried the COFIE surname. He was born in 1992 and is still active in his career.

While the COFIE surname has its roots in Ghana, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. Individuals with this surname can be found in countries like the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, among others.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Cofie surname: questions and answers

How common is the Cofie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 120 in 2016. That gives Cofie a modern rank of #27,563.

What does the Cofie surname mean?

A surname originating from Ghana, possibly derived from the Akan word for "palmwine tapper".

What does the Cofie map show?

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