NameCensus.

UK surname

Cogdell

A surname derived from the Old English words "cog" meaning small hill and "dell" meaning valley.

In the 1881 census there were 50 people recorded with the Cogdell surname, ranking it #26,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 161, ranked #22,606, up from #26,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Willesden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, Partickhill and Hyndland and Newport.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cogdell is 195 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 222.0%.

1881 census count

50

Ranked #26,587

Modern count

161

2016, ranked #22,606

Peak year

2002

195 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cogdell had 50 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 161 in 2016, ranked #22,606.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 108 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Cogdell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cogdell surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cogdell 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 33 #27,390
1861 historical 43 #28,562
1881 historical 50 #26,587
1891 historical 83 #26,376
1901 historical 108 #21,836
1911 historical 108 #21,736
1997 modern 173 #19,295
1998 modern 180 #19,298
1999 modern 179 #19,539
2000 modern 182 #19,300
2001 modern 180 #19,161
2002 modern 195 #18,590
2003 modern 181 #19,277
2004 modern 179 #19,523
2005 modern 169 #20,153
2006 modern 171 #20,131
2007 modern 164 #20,973
2008 modern 163 #21,238
2009 modern 169 #21,190
2010 modern 178 #20,965
2011 modern 176 #20,957
2012 modern 173 #21,135
2013 modern 178 #21,108
2014 modern 175 #21,477
2015 modern 162 #22,509
2016 modern 161 #22,606

Geography

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Where Cogdells are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Westminster, Partickhill and Hyndland, Newport and Hammersmith and Fulham. 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 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Hitchenden or Hughenden Buckinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Westminster 014 Westminster
2 Partickhill and Hyndland Glasgow City
3 Newport 006 Newport
4 Newport 015 Newport
5 Hammersmith and Fulham 025 Hammersmith and Fulham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cogdell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cogdell

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Cogdell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Cogdell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Cogdell is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cogdell 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

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

Meaning and origin of Cogdell

The surname Cogdell is of English origin, and its roots can be traced back to the medieval period in the county of Devon. The name is believed to have derived from a combination of the Old English words "cocc," meaning a small hill or ridge, and "dell," referring to a valley or dell.

The earliest recorded instances of the Cogdell name date back to the late 13th century, where it appeared in various spellings, such as Cokedell, Cokdell, and Cogdell. These variations were common due to the inconsistencies in spelling and record-keeping during that era.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Walter de Cokedell, who was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Devon in 1297. This document recorded the transfer of land ownership and was an important legal record in medieval England.

In the 14th century, the Cogdell family had established a presence in the village of Staverton, near Totnes in Devon. This area was likely the original location from which the name derived, with the family potentially residing near a small hill or ridge overlooking a valley.

During the Tudor period, a notable figure bearing the Cogdell name was John Cogdell, a merchant and alderman who lived in the city of Exeter in the late 15th century. He played a significant role in the local community and served as the Mayor of Exeter in 1499.

Another prominent individual was Sir William Cogdell, who lived during the reign of King James I in the early 17th century. He was a member of the gentry and held land in the parish of Swimbridge, near Barnstaple in North Devon.

In the 18th century, the Reverend John Cogdell (1696-1767) was a notable clergyman and author. He served as the Rector of Alphington near Exeter and wrote several religious works, including a commentary on the Book of Job.

Meanwhile, in the American colonies, the Cogdell name appeared in Virginia as early as the late 17th century. Thomas Cogdell (1655-1729) was among the first recorded bearers of the name in the New World and settled in Charles City County, Virginia.

Throughout history, the Cogdell surname has been associated with various locations in Devon, such as Staverton, Swimbridge, and Exeter, reflecting the family's deep roots in that region. While the name may have evolved in its spelling over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period and the distinctive geographical features of the Devon countryside.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cogdell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cogdell 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. Buckinghamshire leads with 17 Cogdells recorded in 1881 and an index of 57.67x.

County Total Index
Buckinghamshire 17 57.67x
Middlesex 13 2.67x
Surrey 8 3.37x
Cheshire 5 4.65x
Gloucestershire 4 4.18x
Lancashire 2 0.35x
Hertfordshire 1 2.98x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hughenden in Buckinghamshire leads with 10 Cogdells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3333.33x.

Place Total Index
Hughenden 10 3333.33x
Battersea 8 44.59x
Chesham 6 550.46x
Monks Coppenhall 5 123.15x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 44.44x
Hampstead London 4 52.70x
Hammersmith London 3 24.98x
Liverpool 2 5.69x
Paddington London 2 11.15x
Willesden 2 43.48x
Clerkenwell London 1 8.69x
St George Hanover Square 1 11.64x
Watford 1 38.31x
Wycombe 1 45.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 5
Elizabeth 4
Sarah 4
Agnes 2
Mary 2
A.Ellen 1
Ann 1
Ella 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Henrietta 1
Hetty 1
Isabella 1
Louiza 1
Maryann 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 5
William 4
Charles 3
Alfred 2
Edward 1
Ernest 1
George 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
John 1
T.Charles 1
Thomas 1
Willm.George 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 Cogdell households.

FAQ

Cogdell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cogdell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 50 people were recorded with the Cogdell surname. That placed it at #26,587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cogdell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 161 in 2016. That gives Cogdell a modern rank of #22,606.

What does the Cogdell surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English words "cog" meaning small hill and "dell" meaning valley.

What does the Cogdell map show?

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