NameCensus.

UK surname

Conibear

A surname derived from Old English meaning "rabbit keeper" or "rabbit farmer."

In the 1881 census there were 236 people recorded with the Conibear surname, ranking it #11,540 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 271, ranked #15,874, down from #11,540 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and Morthoe. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Devon, North Devon and The Vale of Glamorgan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Conibear is 355 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.8%.

1881 census count

236

Ranked #11,540

Modern count

271

2016, ranked #15,874

Peak year

1901

355 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Conibear had 236 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,540 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 271 in 2016, ranked #15,874.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 355 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Conibear surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Conibear surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Conibear 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 102 #16,933
1861 historical 141 #16,072
1881 historical 236 #11,540
1891 historical 249 #12,813
1901 historical 355 #10,329
1911 historical 350 #10,262
1997 modern 275 #14,335
1998 modern 284 #14,402
1999 modern 293 #14,175
2000 modern 294 #14,105
2001 modern 280 #14,364
2002 modern 288 #14,373
2003 modern 287 #14,219
2004 modern 283 #14,418
2005 modern 270 #14,822
2006 modern 268 #15,000
2007 modern 268 #15,172
2008 modern 260 #15,648
2009 modern 267 #15,661
2010 modern 268 #15,978
2011 modern 264 #16,016
2012 modern 265 #15,862
2013 modern 274 #15,764
2014 modern 272 #15,949
2015 modern 268 #16,007
2016 modern 271 #15,874

Geography

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Where Conibears are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Morthoe, London parishes and Ilfracombe. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Devon, North Devon and The Vale of Glamorgan. 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 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 Morthoe Devon
4 London parishes London 1
5 Ilfracombe Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Devon 011 Mid Devon
2 North Devon 004 North Devon
3 Mid Devon 010 Mid Devon
4 North Devon 006 North Devon
5 The Vale of Glamorgan 013 Vale of Glamorgan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Conibear

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Conibear

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Conibear surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Conibear 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Conibear 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

Conibear 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

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

Meaning and origin of Conibear

The surname Conibear is believed to have originated in England, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "coni," meaning "rabbit," and "bearu," which translates to "grove" or "wood." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who lived in or near a wooded area where rabbits were abundant.

One of the earliest known references to the name Conibear can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, a census-like record compiled in 1273 during the reign of King Edward I. This document mentions a Roger Conibere, indicating the presence of the name in the region during that time period.

The surname Conibear has also been recorded in various spellings throughout history, such as Conybere, Connybere, and Cunnybere, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common in earlier times.

Among notable individuals bearing the surname Conibear is John Conibear, a 17th-century English scholar and clergyman who served as the Rector of Brixworth in Northamptonshire. He was born in 1628 and played a significant role in the intellectual and religious circles of his time.

Another figure of historical significance was William Conibear, an 18th-century English inventor and manufacturer. He is credited with developing the Conibear trap, a humane and efficient trap for capturing small animals, which was widely used by trappers and fur traders.

In the literary realm, William Daniel Conibear, born in 1825, gained recognition as a British author and editor. He was the editor of the Quarterly Review and contributed to various publications, including the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

The name Conibear has also been associated with place names in England, such as Conibear Wood in Somerset and Conibear Park in Devon, further reinforcing the connection between the surname and wooded areas.

It is worth noting that the Conibear family has a long-standing presence in areas like Gloucestershire and Somerset, where variations of the name, such as Connybere and Cunninbeare, were more commonly found in historical records.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Conibear families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Conibear 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. Devon leads with 165 Conibears recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.29x.

County Total Index
Devon 165 34.29x
Glamorgan 46 11.43x
Middlesex 5 0.22x
Cornwall 4 1.53x
Worcestershire 4 1.33x
Carmarthenshire 3 3.08x
Lancashire 2 0.07x
Leicestershire 2 0.78x
Somerset 2 0.54x
Staffordshire 1 0.13x
Surrey 1 0.09x
Sussex 1 0.26x
Warwickshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ilfracombe in Devon leads with 54 Conibears recorded in 1881 and an index of 1090.91x.

Place Total Index
Ilfracombe 54 1090.91x
Exeter Holy Trinity 14 740.74x
Pilton 14 880.50x
Cheriton Fitzpaine 11 1803.28x
Morthoe 10 2941.18x
Braunton 8 490.80x
Combmartin 7 673.08x
Exeter St Sidwell 7 63.52x
Penarth 7 178.12x
Bratton Fleming 6 1463.41x
Llangeinor 6 253.16x
Marwood 6 937.50x
Swansea St Thomas 6 148.51x
Cogan 5 833.33x
Eastdown 5 1785.71x
Llansamlet Higher 5 166.67x
Llantwit Lower 5 141.24x
St Budeaux 5 333.33x
St John Near Swansea 5 100.40x
Swansea Town 5 15.15x
Morchard Bishop 4 400.00x
Redditch 4 65.36x
St Ann Blackfriars London 4 930.23x
Tawstock 4 470.59x
Lanteglos 3 247.93x
Llanelly 3 13.67x
Briton Ferry 2 41.67x
Sherwill 2 606.06x
Whitwick 2 61.35x
Barnstaple 1 13.25x
Barrow In Furness 1 2.68x
Bedminster 1 2.86x
Bow 1 156.25x
Bradford 1 270.27x
Burton Upon Trent 1 5.48x
Dartmouth Townstall 1 51.02x
Devonport 1 18.08x
Edgbaston 1 5.53x
Everton 1 1.14x
Frant 1 36.23x
Georgeham 1 166.67x
Islington London 1 0.45x
Lambeth 1 0.50x
Loxhore 1 588.24x
Newton St Cyres 1 149.25x
St Blazey 1 43.48x
Stoke Rivers 1 625.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Elizabeth 15
Ann 10
Eliza 4
Emily 4
Bessie 3
Ellen 3
Eva 3
Jane 3
Susan 3
Alice 2
Edith 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Lydia 2
Sarah 2
Annie 1
Betsey 1
Cathrine 1
Charlotte 1
Constance 1
Elizth. 1
Esmeralda 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Inez 1
Jessie 1
Jissie 1
Julia 1
Lillian 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
M.A. 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Melinda 1
Rhoda 1
Rosa 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 21
John 20
James 14
George 12
Richard 8
Robert 8
Charles 5
Samuel 4
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Thomas 3
Albert 2
Frank 2
Joshua 2
Abraham 1
Aurther 1
Cornelius 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
F.W.A. 1
Fred 1
Herbert 1
Infant 1
Jonah 1
Joseph 1
Lewis 1
Phillip 1
Ralph 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Conibear surname: questions and answers

How common was the Conibear surname in 1881?

In 1881, 236 people were recorded with the Conibear surname. That placed it at #11,540 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Conibear surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 271 in 2016. That gives Conibear a modern rank of #15,874.

What does the Conibear surname mean?

A surname derived from Old English meaning "rabbit keeper" or "rabbit farmer."

What does the Conibear map show?

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