NameCensus.

UK surname

Cooling

A surname possibly derived from a place name or occupation related to cooling or refrigeration.

In the 1881 census there were 1,007 people recorded with the Cooling surname, ranking it #3,889 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,265, ranked #4,729, down from #3,889 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, London parishes and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolsover, North Lincolnshire and Leicester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cooling is 1,437 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.6%.

1881 census count

1,007

Ranked #3,889

Modern count

1,265

2016, ranked #4,729

Peak year

1911

1,437 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cooling had 1,007 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,889 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,265 in 2016, ranked #4,729.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,437 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cooling surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cooling surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cooling 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 602 #4,265
1861 historical 589 #4,487
1881 historical 1,007 #3,889
1891 historical 1,092 #3,870
1901 historical 1,276 #3,893
1911 historical 1,437 #3,364
1997 modern 1,300 #4,399
1998 modern 1,320 #4,502
1999 modern 1,349 #4,445
2000 modern 1,306 #4,555
2001 modern 1,285 #4,529
2002 modern 1,310 #4,541
2003 modern 1,271 #4,572
2004 modern 1,256 #4,623
2005 modern 1,237 #4,636
2006 modern 1,240 #4,644
2007 modern 1,262 #4,603
2008 modern 1,260 #4,639
2009 modern 1,301 #4,606
2010 modern 1,313 #4,667
2011 modern 1,268 #4,758
2012 modern 1,253 #4,734
2013 modern 1,281 #4,718
2014 modern 1,288 #4,720
2015 modern 1,269 #4,738
2016 modern 1,265 #4,729

Geography

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Where Coolings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, London parishes, St Werburgh and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolsover, North Lincolnshire, Leicester and Cherwell. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Werburgh Derbyshire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolsover 001 Bolsover
2 North Lincolnshire 015 North Lincolnshire
3 Bolsover 002 Bolsover
4 Leicester 026 Leicester
5 Cherwell 001 Cherwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cooling

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cooling

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cooling, 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 Cooling surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cooling 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Cooling is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Cooling is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Cooling

The surname Cooling is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word 'col,' meaning 'cold,' and the suffix '-ing,' which denotes a place or locality. Thus, the name likely referred to someone who lived in a cold or chilly area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cooling can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as 'Colinge,' which is considered an early variation of the modern spelling.

In the 13th century, records show the name spelled as 'Colingge' and 'Colynge,' variations that reflect the evolution of the English language over time. During this period, the name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk in eastern England.

One notable bearer of the Cooling surname was Sir John Cooling (c. 1480-1557), an English politician who served as a member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire in the 16th century. Another prominent figure was William Cooling (1628-1696), a clergyman and author who published several religious works in the late 17th century.

In the 18th century, the name Cooling was also found in the United States, with records indicating that John Cooling (1721-1794) was an early settler in Pennsylvania. He served as a soldier during the American Revolutionary War.

Another notable American bearing the Cooling surname was Benjamin Cooling (1803-1879), a sea captain and whaler from Nantucket, Massachusetts. He is recorded as having commanded several whaling ships during the mid-19th century.

Throughout history, variations of the name Cooling have also included 'Colling,' 'Collyn,' and 'Coling,' reflecting regional dialects and spelling preferences. Some of these variations may have been influenced by place names, such as Cooling in Kent, England, which could have contributed to the surname's development.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cooling families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cooling 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. Lincolnshire leads with 318 Coolings recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.19x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 318 20.19x
Yorkshire 144 1.47x
Middlesex 86 0.87x
Lancashire 52 0.44x
Surrey 50 1.04x
Derbyshire 49 3.18x
Oxfordshire 48 7.89x
Nottinghamshire 43 3.24x
Kent 42 1.25x
Somerset 41 2.59x
Warwickshire 34 1.37x
Staffordshire 20 0.60x
Wiltshire 12 1.38x
Gloucestershire 10 0.52x
Leicestershire 8 0.73x
Berkshire 7 0.95x
Durham 6 0.20x
Essex 6 0.31x
Worcestershire 6 0.47x
Herefordshire 5 1.24x
Monmouthshire 5 0.70x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.67x
Norfolk 4 0.26x
Hampshire 3 0.15x
Sussex 2 0.12x
Dorset 1 0.15x
Hertfordshire 1 0.15x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.51x
Northamptonshire 1 0.11x
Westmorland 1 0.46x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brightside Bierlow in Yorkshire leads with 24 Coolings recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.53x.

Place Total Index
Brightside Bierlow 24 12.53x
St Nicholas Lincoln 22 146.08x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 20 56.40x
Broughton 19 969.39x
Lambeth 16 1.86x
Portishead 16 135.71x
Walton On Thames 16 72.60x
Revesby 15 785.34x
Shoreditch London 14 3.28x
Derby St Werburgh 13 14.60x
Sculcoates 13 8.40x
Alger Kirk Amber Hill 12 1666.67x
Colton 11 180.62x
Hunslet 11 7.23x
Kirkdale 11 5.59x
Rothwell 11 55.78x
Southwell 11 113.75x
Eckington 10 26.69x
St Swithin Lincoln 10 40.37x
Broughton In Salford 9 8.42x
Castle Dykings Lincoln 9 1451.61x
Corsham 9 70.81x
Metheringham 9 143.08x
Wakefield 9 12.01x
Derby All Sts 8 62.11x
Ecclesall Bierlow 8 4.03x
Frampton 8 268.46x
Kelham 8 1568.63x
Leek Lowe 8 18.08x
Spalding 8 25.59x
St Anne Soho London 8 14.22x
St George Hanover Square 8 4.61x
Walcot 8 9.47x
Walcott 8 318.73x
Walton In Gordano 8 473.37x
Bristol St James In 7 24.63x
Burton By Lincoln 7 736.84x
Butlers Marston 7 786.52x
Clarborough 7 70.49x
Filey 7 88.72x
Great Grimsby 7 7.00x
Long Compton 7 296.61x
Neithrop 7 34.23x
Norton Disney 7 1206.90x
Spitalfields London 7 9.45x
Aston 6 0.88x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.40x
Branston 6 124.22x
Coleby 6 410.96x
Epsom 6 25.64x
Fulbeck 6 275.23x
Grantham 6 29.23x
Ingham 6 297.03x
Leeds 6 1.09x
Newark Upon Trent 6 12.57x
North Hincksey 6 731.71x
Ruckinge 6 447.76x
Sedgley 6 4.86x
South Normanton 6 55.35x
St Bartholomew Great 6 66.96x
St Pancras London 6 0.76x
Stranton 6 6.08x
Syston 6 789.47x
Uffington 6 387.10x
Wellingore 6 225.56x
Birmingham 5 0.60x
Brothertoft 5 588.24x
Chelsea London 5 1.68x
Croft 5 195.31x
Deptford St Nicholas 5 18.74x
Hammersmith London 5 2.06x
Kirkby La Thorpe 5 581.40x
Kirtlington 5 206.61x
Leigh 5 32.01x
Ordsall 5 49.16x
Pinchbeck 5 49.51x
Sunbury 5 42.27x
Timberland 5 294.12x
West Ham 5 1.16x
Woolhope 5 198.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 65
John 58
Thomas 43
George 36
Charles 28
Henry 23
Joseph 19
James 16
Alfred 13
Robert 13
Arthur 10
Richard 9
Samuel 9
Walter 9
Edward 8
Edwin 8
Frederick 7
Harry 7
Benjamin 5
Francis 5
Frank 5
Herbert 5
Albert 4
Tom 4
Wm. 4
Abraham 3
Ernest 3
Fred 3
Philip 3
Edmund 2
Enoch 2
Fredrick 2
Jonathan 2
Nathaniel 2
Reuben 2
Robt. 2
Ann 1
Cecil 1
Charley 1
Christopher 1
Clement 1
Ewin 1
Fredk. 1
G.C. 1
Jno. 1
Levi 1
Mark 1
Mathew 1
Michael 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Cooling surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cooling surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,007 people were recorded with the Cooling surname. That placed it at #3,889 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cooling surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,265 in 2016. That gives Cooling a modern rank of #4,729.

What does the Cooling surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from a place name or occupation related to cooling or refrigeration.

What does the Cooling map show?

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