NameCensus.

UK surname

Coney

A surname derived from Old English, referring to a seller or keeper of rabbits or rabbit furs.

In the 1881 census there were 844 people recorded with the Coney surname, ranking it #4,467 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 874, ranked #6,431, down from #4,467 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Cheshunt St Mary, London parishes and Alford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, East Lindsey and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coney is 928 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.6%.

1881 census count

844

Ranked #4,467

Modern count

874

2016, ranked #6,431

Peak year

2010

928 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coney had 844 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,467 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 874 in 2016, ranked #6,431.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 896 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Coney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coney surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Coney 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 684 #3,802
1861 historical 613 #4,341
1881 historical 844 #4,467
1891 historical 798 #5,045
1901 historical 875 #5,242
1911 historical 896 #4,971
1997 modern 884 #6,042
1998 modern 899 #6,167
1999 modern 906 #6,169
2000 modern 884 #6,252
2001 modern 875 #6,197
2002 modern 908 #6,159
2003 modern 878 #6,193
2004 modern 898 #6,097
2005 modern 862 #6,243
2006 modern 875 #6,169
2007 modern 889 #6,144
2008 modern 892 #6,163
2009 modern 886 #6,341
2010 modern 928 #6,230
2011 modern 912 #6,267
2012 modern 880 #6,349
2013 modern 885 #6,425
2014 modern 892 #6,417
2015 modern 878 #6,430
2016 modern 874 #6,431

Geography

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Where Coneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Cheshunt St Mary, London parishes, Alford, St Marylebone and Worcester St Peter. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, East Lindsey, Rotherham, Harlow and Lincoln. 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 Cheshunt St Mary Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Alford Lincolnshire
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Worcester St Peter Worcestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 051 County Durham
2 East Lindsey 003 East Lindsey
3 Rotherham 027 Rotherham
4 Harlow 006 Harlow
5 Lincoln 011 Lincoln

Forenames

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First names often paired with Coney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Coney

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Coney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Coney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Coney is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Coney 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

Coney falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Coney 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Coney

The surname Coney is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "coney" or "conig," which referred to a rabbit or small animal resembling a rabbit. This name likely emerged as an occupational surname, possibly given to someone who raised or traded rabbits or other small furry animals.

The name can be traced back to the late 12th century, with records showing its use in various parts of England, particularly in the southern and eastern regions. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from 1195, where a person named William Coney is mentioned.

Coney is also believed to have originated as a topographic surname, referring to someone who lived near a place where rabbits were abundant or in a location with a name derived from the Old English word "coney." For example, the village of Coningsby in Lincolnshire is thought to be named after the abundance of rabbits in the area.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record from the reign of King Edward I, there is a mention of a Hugo Cony in Oxfordshire. This early documentation suggests that the name had already become established in various regions of England by the 13th century.

Among notable figures with the surname Coney, John Coney (1786-1833) was an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on the history and antiquities of the county of Norfolk. Another noteworthy individual was Thomas Coney (c. 1675-1751), an English printer and publisher who established a successful printing business in London.

Other historically significant individuals with the surname include Sir William Coney (1632-1695), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament, and William Coney (1796-1868), an English ornithologist and naturalist known for his contributions to the study of bird life in Norfolk.

The surname Coney has also been found in various spellings throughout history, such as Cony, Conney, and Conye, reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Coney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coney 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 198 Coneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.39x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 198 2.39x
Lincolnshire 126 9.50x
Yorkshire 77 0.94x
Warwickshire 58 2.77x
Lancashire 36 0.37x
Surrey 34 0.84x
Worcestershire 32 2.96x
Kent 27 0.95x
Sussex 27 1.93x
Hampshire 26 1.53x
Durham 23 0.93x
Essex 22 1.34x
Hertfordshire 20 3.50x
Dorset 17 3.12x
Staffordshire 14 0.50x
Devon 11 0.64x
Channel Islands 10 4.07x
Somerset 10 0.75x
Buckinghamshire 9 1.80x
Cheshire 8 0.44x
Suffolk 8 0.79x
Gloucestershire 7 0.43x
Lanarkshire 7 0.26x
Huntingdonshire 6 3.64x
Northumberland 6 0.49x
Leicestershire 5 0.54x
Oxfordshire 5 0.98x
Glamorgan 4 0.28x
Bedfordshire 3 0.70x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.57x
Monmouthshire 3 0.50x
Midlothian 2 0.18x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.76x
Berkshire 1 0.16x
Herefordshire 1 0.29x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.09x
Wigtownshire 1 0.91x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 38 Coneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.45x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 38 5.45x
Hackney London 24 5.16x
Alford 23 279.81x
Bethnal Green London 19 5.28x
Worcester St Peter 19 92.73x
Cheshunt 18 90.09x
Huddersfield 17 14.20x
Paddington London 14 4.59x
Willesden 14 17.91x
Bromley London 13 7.13x
St Marylebone London 13 2.94x
Deptford St Paul 12 5.50x
Manchester 12 2.71x
Shoreditch London 11 3.06x
Fordingbridge 10 108.23x
Fulham London 10 8.32x
Islington London 10 1.24x
Kensington London 10 2.17x
Stoke 10 143.06x
Marsh Gibbon 9 426.54x
Southwick 9 121.79x
St Pancras London 9 1.35x
Welton 9 463.92x
West Ham 9 2.49x
Wimborne St Giles 9 697.67x
Camberwell 8 1.51x
Chelsea London 8 3.20x
Halesworth 8 111.73x
Holy Trinity 8 4.05x
Mile End Old Town London 8 4.53x
Poplar London 8 5.11x
Wellington 8 44.20x
Eastbourne 7 10.88x
Haselor 7 721.65x
Kings Norton 7 7.21x
Leeds 7 1.51x
Oldham 7 2.20x
East Molesey 6 64.03x
Hulme 6 2.92x
Mareham Le Fen 6 287.08x
Millbrook 6 14.02x
Monkwearmouth Shore 6 12.46x
Newfield 6 183.49x
Preston 6 24.58x
Sheffield 6 2.29x
St Neots 6 67.04x
Walesby 6 659.34x
Aldershot 5 8.78x
Barnsley 5 5.90x
Bristol St Peter 5 85.91x
Cranborne 5 75.99x
Glanford Brigg 5 105.71x
Great Steeping 5 666.67x
Greenwich 5 3.79x
Hoole 5 72.25x
Leamington Priors 5 9.72x
Melton Ross 5 1000.00x
South Somercoates 5 413.22x
St Luke London 5 3.76x
St Peter Port 5 11.00x
Stafford St Mary 5 12.62x
Sutton 5 17.11x
Tealby 5 268.82x
West Bromwich 5 3.12x
Chatham 4 5.14x
Chelmsford 4 14.25x
Chester Le Street 4 21.12x
East Ham 4 13.17x
Edgbaston 4 6.17x
Hampton London 4 29.35x
Lambeth 4 0.55x
Revesby 4 248.45x
St George In East London 4 5.13x
St Helier 4 5.00x
Stapleton In Pontefract 4 1176.47x
Ulceby 4 123.84x
West Derby 4 1.39x
Wood Enderby 4 833.33x
Wrangle 4 121.21x
Leicester St Mary 3 4.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 50
Elizabeth 25
Sarah 21
Alice 17
Annie 17
Ann 16
Eliza 16
Ellen 14
Emma 12
Emily 11
Jane 10
Louisa 10
Maria 10
Edith 8
Caroline 7
Charlotte 7
Kate 7
Agnes 6
Esther 6
Harriet 6
Margaret 6
Martha 6
Bridget 5
Eleanor 5
Hannah 5
Ada 4
Fanny 4
Lucy 4
Catherine 3
Florence 3
Isabella 3
Julia 3
Rebecca 3
Rose 3
Susannah 3
Winifred 3
Amy 2
Anne 2
Betsey 2
Blanche 2
Elizth. 2
Ethel 2
Harriett 2
Lillian 2
Lizzie 2
Nellie 2
Susan 2
Susanah 2
Dinah 1
E.A. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 52
William 46
Thomas 36
James 31
George 20
Edward 17
Charles 15
Arthur 13
Joseph 13
Henry 12
Robert 8
Alfred 7
Frederick 7
Herbert 7
Michael 7
Patrick 7
Albert 5
Richard 5
Samuel 5
Alexander 4
Isaac 4
Daniel 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Stephen 3
Thos. 3
Dennis 2
Gerald 2
Harry 2
Louis 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Wm.Alfd. 2
Archibald 1
Arnold 1
Benjamin 1
Benjn.N. 1
Burley 1
Cecil 1
Denis 1
Emmanual 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Hemming 1
Horace 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Jno.E. 1

FAQ

Coney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 844 people were recorded with the Coney surname. That placed it at #4,467 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 874 in 2016. That gives Coney a modern rank of #6,431.

What does the Coney surname mean?

A surname derived from Old English, referring to a seller or keeper of rabbits or rabbit furs.

What does the Coney map show?

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