NameCensus.

UK surname

Cogan

A surname of Welsh origin meaning "bowman" or "archer," derived from the Welsh word "coch," meaning "red."

In the 1881 census there were 609 people recorded with the Cogan surname, ranking it #5,757 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 851, ranked #6,573, down from #5,757 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Brighton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Northumberland and Middlesbrough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cogan is 905 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.7%.

1881 census count

609

Ranked #5,757

Modern count

851

2016, ranked #6,573

Peak year

1999

905 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cogan had 609 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,757 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 851 in 2016, ranked #6,573.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 742 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Cogan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cogan surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cogan 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 375 #6,361
1861 historical 384 #6,667
1881 historical 609 #5,757
1891 historical 651 #5,962
1901 historical 742 #5,991
1911 historical 684 #6,189
1997 modern 882 #6,061
1998 modern 889 #6,218
1999 modern 905 #6,174
2000 modern 879 #6,283
2001 modern 866 #6,245
2002 modern 865 #6,386
2003 modern 840 #6,393
2004 modern 831 #6,461
2005 modern 829 #6,426
2006 modern 820 #6,486
2007 modern 828 #6,505
2008 modern 835 #6,522
2009 modern 864 #6,490
2010 modern 893 #6,431
2011 modern 867 #6,516
2012 modern 858 #6,478
2013 modern 849 #6,643
2014 modern 871 #6,531
2015 modern 853 #6,581
2016 modern 851 #6,573

Geography

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Where Cogans are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Northumberland, Middlesbrough, North Somerset and Lambeth. 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 Brighton Sussex
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 035 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Northumberland 037 Northumberland
3 Middlesbrough 007 Middlesbrough
4 North Somerset 006 North Somerset
5 Lambeth 002 Lambeth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cogan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cogan

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Cogan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cogan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Cogan 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

Cogan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Cogan

The surname COGAN is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó Cógáin" meaning "descendant of Cógán." The name Cógán is believed to have originated from the Old Irish word "cóc," meaning "cook" or "victor." The surname is thought to have emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century in County Cork, Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals mention a Cógán, son of Toirdhealbhach Ua Conchobhair, who was killed in 1181. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time.

In the 14th century, the COGAN surname appeared in various records, including the Pipe Rolls of County Cork from 1307, where a Patrick COGAN is mentioned. The name is also found in the Fiants of Henry VIII, a collection of records from the reign of Henry VIII, where a John COGAN is referenced in 1536.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the COGAN family held lands in County Cork, particularly in the areas of Bandon and Mallow. Notable figures from this period include Myles COGAN (c. 1590-1640), a landowner and member of the Irish Parliament, and Richard COGAN (c. 1630-1687), a lawyer and judge.

In the 18th century, John COGAN (1711-1787) was a renowned Irish writer and philosopher, best known for his work "The Philosophical Treatise on the Passions." Another prominent individual was Thomas COGAN (1736-1818), a physician and writer who published several works on health and medicine.

Moving into the 19th century, William COGAN (1809-1892) was an Irish-born Australian politician who served as the Premier of New South Wales. In the United States, Thomas COGAN (1856-1927) was a notable labor leader and politician from Missouri.

Throughout its history, the COGAN surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Coganstown and Coganvillage in County Cork, Ireland. These place names likely originated from the COGAN family's landholdings in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cogan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cogan 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 80 Cogans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.35x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 80 1.35x
Yorkshire 64 1.09x
Gloucestershire 51 4.38x
Lancashire 46 0.65x
Lanarkshire 40 2.09x
Sussex 39 3.90x
Somerset 38 3.98x
Durham 35 1.98x
Surrey 30 1.04x
Cornwall 24 3.57x
Cumberland 20 3.92x
Northamptonshire 12 2.15x
Warwickshire 12 0.80x
Wiltshire 12 2.29x
Cheshire 11 0.84x
Derbyshire 11 1.18x
Devon 11 0.89x
Kent 9 0.44x
Midlothian 9 1.13x
Northumberland 8 0.91x
Hampshire 7 0.58x
Angus 6 1.09x
Denbighshire 5 2.23x
Flintshire 5 3.14x
Essex 3 0.26x
Isle of Man 3 2.72x
Monmouthshire 3 0.70x
Staffordshire 3 0.15x
Glamorgan 2 0.19x
Hertfordshire 2 0.49x
Leicestershire 2 0.30x
Royal Navy 2 2.83x
Dorset 1 0.26x
Norfolk 1 0.11x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St James In in Gloucestershire leads with 29 Cogans recorded in 1881 and an index of 169.49x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St James In 29 169.49x
Brighton 24 11.90x
Leeds 21 6.33x
Lanark 18 116.66x
Clifton 15 25.51x
Islington London 12 2.09x
Aston 11 2.67x
Birkenhead 11 10.54x
Derby St Werburgh 11 20.51x
Glasgow 11 3.23x
Bedminster 10 11.15x
Horton In Bradford 10 10.90x
Bethnal Green London 9 3.49x
Bedlington 8 27.15x
Kingston 8 416.67x
Madron Penzance 8 32.76x
Rotherhithe 8 10.92x
Sculcoates 8 8.59x
Sutton 8 33.90x
Arlecdon 7 51.55x
Dodington 7 3888.89x
Gateshead 7 5.30x
Hackney London 7 2.11x
Hindley 7 23.33x
Holy Trinity 7 4.95x
Kirkdale 7 5.91x
Peterborough 7 17.33x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 5.87x
St Mary Within 7 109.72x
Basingstoke 6 42.92x
Battersea 6 2.75x
Bishop Auckland 6 25.35x
Devizes St Mary 6 113.21x
Dundee 6 2.93x
Govan 6 1.26x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 6 7.85x
Newington 6 37.08x
Rickergate 6 55.56x
Tormoham 6 11.49x
Wolsingham 6 37.31x
Bersham 5 52.30x
Chelsea London 5 2.80x
Hawarden 5 39.94x
Northampton St Sepulchre 5 17.62x
Phillack 5 57.67x
St Ives 5 38.05x
St Marylebone London 5 1.58x
Wavertree 5 22.19x
Dalserf 4 20.90x
East Dean 4 571.43x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 1.25x
Edinburgh St Georges 4 24.26x
Hulme 4 2.72x
Lyncombe Widcombe 4 16.00x
Mile End Old Town London 4 3.17x
Paddington London 4 1.83x
Redruth 4 21.06x
Allerton 3 40.05x
Castleton 3 4.27x
Dawdon 3 13.82x
German 3 49.92x
Great Bedwin 3 80.43x
Iveston 3 36.90x
Keynsham 3 43.73x
Laxton 3 625.00x
Liverpool 3 0.70x
Rotherfield 3 34.09x
Southwark Christchurch 3 10.80x
St Luke London 3 3.15x
West Ham 3 1.16x
Westbury On Trym 3 7.61x
Westhampnett 3 283.02x
Westminster St John 3 4.15x
Whitechapel London 3 5.13x
Wolstanton Knutton 3 24.55x
Crumpsall 2 12.06x
Mile End New Town London 2 17.06x
St Anne Soho London 2 5.90x
Stoke Damerel 2 2.31x
Warleggan 2 434.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 43
William 39
James 30
Thomas 27
Charles 10
Henry 10
George 9
Joseph 8
Patrick 6
Robert 5
Arthur 4
Edward 4
Frederick 4
Michael 4
Wilm. 4
Richard 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Francis 2
Fredk. 2
Philip 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Cornelius 1
Cyrel 1
Danby 1
Denis 1
F.E. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Ignatius 1
Jas. 1
Lancelot 1
Lee 1
Lewis 1
Lionel 1
Mathew 1
Maurice 1
Montague 1
Moses 1
Percie 1
Reginald 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Stanley 1
T.A.B. 1
Thomias 1

FAQ

Cogan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cogan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 609 people were recorded with the Cogan surname. That placed it at #5,757 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cogan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 851 in 2016. That gives Cogan a modern rank of #6,573.

What does the Cogan surname mean?

A surname of Welsh origin meaning "bowman" or "archer," derived from the Welsh word "coch," meaning "red."

What does the Cogan map show?

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