UK surname
A surname of French origin referring to someone who lived near a corner or bend in a road.
In the 1881 census there were 104 people recorded with the Coil surname, ranking it #19,296 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8, ranked #37,829, down from #19,296 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Bothwell and Workington (Workington), Clossocks. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coil is 202 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 92.3%.
1881 census count
104
Ranked #19,296
Modern count
8
2016, ranked #37,829
Peak year
1851
202 bearers
Map years
3
1851 to 1881
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Coil surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Coil surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 202 | #10,323 |
| 1861 | historical | 163 | #14,242 |
| 1881 | historical | 104 | #19,296 |
| 1891 | historical | 67 | #28,424 |
| 1901 | historical | 27 | #31,057 |
| 1911 | historical | 13 | #32,172 |
| 1997 | modern | 1 | #38,839 |
| 1999 | modern | 2 | #38,551 |
| 2000 | modern | 1 | #38,790 |
| 2001 | modern | 1 | #38,647 |
| 2004 | modern | 1 | #38,771 |
| 2005 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 2006 | modern | 2 | #38,590 |
| 2007 | modern | 1 | #38,907 |
| 2008 | modern | 1 | #38,949 |
| 2009 | modern | 2 | #38,725 |
| 2010 | modern | 5 | #38,186 |
| 2011 | modern | 4 | #38,338 |
| 2012 | modern | 5 | #38,167 |
| 2013 | modern | 7 | #37,909 |
| 2014 | modern | 7 | #37,929 |
| 2015 | modern | 6 | #38,076 |
| 2016 | modern | 8 | #37,829 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Bothwell, Workington (Workington), Clossocks, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside | Durham |
| 2 | Bothwell | Lanark |
| 3 | Workington (Workington), Clossocks | Cumberland |
| 4 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 5 | Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry | Forfar |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Coil surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Coil, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Coil surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Coil household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Coil is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Coil is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Coil, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Coil is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest known use dating back to the 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "col," which means "charcoal" or "coal." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who worked as a coal miner or a charcoal burner.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Coil surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like record compiled in 1273. The name is spelled as "Cole" in this document, which is likely an early variation of the modern spelling.
In the 14th century, the surname Coil appeared in various forms, including "Coll," "Colle," and "Colles," in various records from different parts of England. These variations reflect the phonetic spelling practices of the time, as well as regional differences in pronunciation.
The Coil surname has also been associated with several place names in England. For example, there is a village called Coleshill in Warwickshire, which may have been the origin of some Coil families. Similarly, the village of Colinton in Midlothian, Scotland, might have contributed to the surname's spread in that region.
One notable figure bearing the Coil surname was William Coil, who lived in the late 16th century and was a member of the Company of Merchant Adventurers in York, England. Another early example is John Coil, a landowner in Oxfordshire, who was mentioned in records from the early 17th century.
In the 18th century, the Coil surname gained prominence through the work of Charles Coil, a renowned clockmaker from London, who was born in 1707 and died in 1784. His clocks and watches were highly sought after by the nobility and wealthy merchants of the time.
Another notable Coil was Sir John Coil, a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in 1773 and died in 1840, and his exploits at sea earned him a knighthood and several military honors.
The Coil surname also has connections to the United States, with one of the earliest recorded examples being that of James Coil, who emigrated from England to Virginia in the late 17th century. His descendants went on to establish themselves in various parts of the country, contributing to the spread of the name in the New World.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coil surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 14 Coils recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.45x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 14 | 1.45x |
| Dunbartonshire | 13 | 49.60x |
| Durham | 13 | 4.48x |
| Northumberland | 11 | 7.58x |
| Lancashire | 10 | 0.86x |
| Ayrshire | 5 | 6.85x |
| Cheshire | 5 | 2.32x |
| Glamorgan | 5 | 2.94x |
| Lanarkshire | 4 | 1.27x |
| Cumberland | 3 | 3.57x |
| Kirkcudbrightshire | 3 | 21.25x |
| Middlesex | 3 | 0.31x |
| Wigtownshire | 3 | 23.17x |
| Angus | 2 | 2.21x |
| Surrey | 2 | 0.42x |
| Dumfriesshire | 1 | 4.64x |
| Renfrewshire | 1 | 1.32x |
| Ross-shire | 1 | 3.73x |
| West Lothian | 1 | 6.81x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barrow In Furness in Lancashire leads with 6 Coils recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.12x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Barrow In Furness | 6 | 38.12x |
| Kirkintilloch | 6 | 168.54x |
| Morpeth | 6 | 350.88x |
| Birkenhead | 5 | 29.14x |
| Cardiff St Mary | 5 | 53.42x |
| Kilmarnock | 5 | 57.54x |
| Scarborough | 5 | 56.95x |
| Bonhill | 4 | 95.01x |
| Hedworth Monkton Jarrow | 4 | 31.82x |
| Linthorpe | 4 | 69.32x |
| Wakefield | 4 | 53.91x |
| Dumbarton | 3 | 82.19x |
| Kirkcudbright | 3 | 256.41x |
| Wigtown | 3 | 405.41x |
| Birtley | 2 | 169.49x |
| Elswick | 2 | 17.27x |
| Gateshead | 2 | 9.20x |
| Hamilton | 2 | 22.73x |
| Southwark St George Martyr | 2 | 10.19x |
| Spitalfields London | 2 | 27.25x |
| Tynemouth | 2 | 25.74x |
| Workington | 2 | 41.58x |
| Alston | 1 | 64.52x |
| Barmston | 1 | 454.55x |
| Barton Upon Irwell | 1 | 11.48x |
| Blantyre | 1 | 30.49x |
| Dalziel | 1 | 29.50x |
| Dawdon | 1 | 28.01x |
| Dumfries | 1 | 46.95x |
| Dundee | 1 | 2.96x |
| Killearnan | 1 | 285.71x |
| Linlithgow | 1 | 53.19x |
| Montrose | 1 | 18.25x |
| Moss Side | 1 | 16.42x |
| Newcastle On Tyne St | 1 | 13.30x |
| Port Glasgow | 1 | 27.40x |
| Ryhope | 1 | 49.75x |
| Shincliffe | 1 | 312.50x |
| St George Hanover Square | 1 | 5.82x |
| Toxteth Park | 1 | 2.55x |
| Usworth | 1 | 64.94x |
| West Derby | 1 | 2.95x |
| York St Margaret | 1 | 166.67x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Coil surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Coil surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Coil households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 8 |
| Labourer | 3 |
| Servant | 3 |
| Coal Miner | 2 |
| General Serv Domestic | 2 |
| Laborer | 2 |
| Riveter (Artz) | 2 |
| Blacksmith | 1 |
| Boiler Maker | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Chemical Labourer | 1 |
| Chemical Labourer (Manuf) | 1 |
| Clerk (Railway) | 1 |
| Confectioner | 1 |
| Dock Lab | 1 |
| Domest Servant | 1 |
| Driller Shipyard | 1 |
| General Laborer | 1 |
| General Serv | 1 |
| Governess | 1 |
| Hawker | 1 |
| House | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Housemaid Domes Serv | 1 |
| Lab Steel Works | 1 |
| Labourer (Bricklayers) | 1 |
| Labourer At Colliery | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Mariner | 1 |
| Mariners Wife | 1 |
| Messenger (Errand) | 1 |
| Porter | 1 |
| Riviter Laber | 1 |
| Sailmaker | 1 |
| Shop Keeper | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 104 people were recorded with the Coil surname. That placed it at #19,296 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 8 in 2016. That gives Coil a modern rank of #37,829.
A surname of French origin referring to someone who lived near a corner or bend in a road.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Coil bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.