NameCensus.

UK surname

Coon

A surname derived from a nickname for a shrewd or sly person, or from an occupational name for a cook.

In the 1881 census there were 160 people recorded with the Coon surname, ranking it #14,860 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 129, ranked #26,270, down from #14,860 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Dennis, St Ewe and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and Allerdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coon is 195 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 19.4%.

1881 census count

160

Ranked #14,860

Modern count

129

2016, ranked #26,270

Peak year

1911

195 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coon had 160 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,860 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 129 in 2016, ranked #26,270.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 195 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Coon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coon surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Coon 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 97 #17,484
1861 historical 133 #16,835
1881 historical 160 #14,860
1891 historical 129 #20,285
1901 historical 180 #16,171
1911 historical 195 #15,197
1997 modern 142 #21,856
1998 modern 144 #22,221
1999 modern 150 #21,826
2000 modern 142 #22,544
2001 modern 140 #22,441
2002 modern 148 #22,087
2003 modern 143 #22,367
2004 modern 145 #22,289
2005 modern 147 #22,057
2006 modern 146 #22,320
2007 modern 150 #22,212
2008 modern 140 #23,511
2009 modern 133 #24,817
2010 modern 149 #23,598
2011 modern 142 #24,182
2012 modern 136 #24,830
2013 modern 131 #25,932
2014 modern 122 #27,358
2015 modern 125 #26,808
2016 modern 129 #26,270

Geography

Back to top

Where Coons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Dennis, St Ewe, St Pancras, St Mewan and St Austell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall and Allerdale. 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 St Dennis Cornwall
2 St Ewe Cornwall
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 St Mewan Cornwall
5 St Austell Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 031 Cornwall
2 Allerdale 007 Allerdale
3 Cornwall 039 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 024 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 041 Cornwall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Coon

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Coon

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Coon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Coon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Coon 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

Coon is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Coon falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Coon 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 Coon, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Coon

The surname COON originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "cuna," which means "a brave man" or "a bold man." The earliest recorded use of this surname dates back to the 13th century in the county of Lincolnshire.

One of the earliest references to the COON surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, an ancient census record from the reign of King Edward I. The name is also mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Leicestershire from 1327, indicating its presence in that region during the 14th century.

In the 15th century, the COON surname appeared in various records across England, including the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 and the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1474. These documents reveal the widespread distribution of the name throughout the country.

Notable individuals with the COON surname include John Coon (1590-1659), a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, best known for his business dealings with the Shakespearean family. Another historical figure was William Coon (1635-1698), a Puritan settler who established one of the first farms in the colony of Massachusetts Bay.

In the 18th century, the COON surname gained recognition through the work of Thomas Coon (1720-1795), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from Oxfordshire. His innovative designs and timepieces were highly sought after by the British aristocracy.

During the 19th century, the COON name was associated with several influential figures, such as Sir Cyril Coon (1825-1892), a British diplomat and politician who served as the Governor of Gibraltar from 1880 to 1888. Additionally, Charles Coon (1842-1927) was a prominent American industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Coon Manufacturing Company, a leading producer of agricultural machinery.

The COON surname has also been linked to various place names throughout history. For instance, the village of Coonhall in Staffordshire is believed to have derived its name from the Old English words "cuna" and "halh," meaning "the hall of the brave man." Similarly, the hamlet of Coonbury in Wiltshire may have originated from the combination of "cuna" and "burh," referring to a fortified settlement.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Coon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coon 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. Cornwall leads with 86 Coons recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.68x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 86 48.68x
Middlesex 28 1.79x
Devon 11 3.39x
Lancashire 8 0.43x
Flintshire 5 11.92x
Yorkshire 5 0.32x
Suffolk 3 1.58x
Warwickshire 3 0.76x
Argyllshire 2 4.60x
Cheshire 2 0.58x
Dorset 1 0.98x
Kent 1 0.19x
Leicestershire 1 0.58x
Northumberland 1 0.43x
Royal Navy 1 5.38x
Shropshire 1 0.74x
Surrey 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Austell in Cornwall leads with 18 Coons recorded in 1881 and an index of 298.01x.

Place Total Index
St Austell 18 298.01x
St Dennis 17 2575.76x
St Ewe 15 2777.78x
Spitalfields London 13 110.73x
St Mewan 10 1851.85x
St Pancras London 9 7.16x
Gerrans 7 1458.33x
Camborne 5 68.68x
Holywell 5 94.88x
St Blazey 5 322.58x
Church 4 153.26x
Dawlish 4 165.29x
East Teignmouth 3 225.56x
Kessingland 3 454.55x
Linthorpe 3 32.50x
St Neot 3 428.57x
St Teath 3 283.02x
Studley 3 178.57x
Barrow In Furness 2 7.94x
Beverley St Mary 2 88.50x
Campbeltown 2 38.17x
St George In East London 2 13.62x
Alnwick 1 25.06x
Brinnington 1 31.06x
Buckland West 1 500.00x
Dunton Bassett 1 454.55x
East Budleigh 1 65.36x
Hackney London 1 1.14x
Halstock 1 416.67x
Heaton Norris 1 9.49x
Lambeth 1 0.73x
Liskeard 1 33.78x
Ludlow St Lawrence 1 37.31x
Madron Penzance 1 15.58x
Minster In Sheppey 1 11.34x
Newton In Makerfield 1 17.64x
Plymouth Charles The 1 6.99x
Royal Navy 1 6.29x
Sandbach 1 34.01x
St Columb Minor 1 67.57x
St George Hanover Square 1 3.64x
St John Zachary London 1 1666.67x
St Marylebone London 1 1.20x
Stoke 1 75.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Ann 7
Elizabeth 7
Annie 3
Ellen 3
Fanny 3
Jane 3
Sarah 3
Alice 2
Dorcus 2
Esther 2
Hetty 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Adelaide 1
Alma 1
Amelia 1
Anna 1
B. 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Catherine 1
Celia 1
Charlotte 1
Critrle 1
Dorcas 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Eunice 1
Eva 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Jemima 1
Joanna 1
Julia 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Maude 1
Rachael 1
Rosalie 1
Rose 1
S. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
John 10
James 8
George 4
Frederick 3
Alfred 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Richard 2
Aaron 1
Alexander 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Charlie 1
Elias 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk.J. 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Joshua 1
Julius 1
Martin 1
Moses 1
Nathan 1
Phillip 1
Samuel 1
Silas 1
Stephen 1
Thomas 1
Wilfred 1
Wm.Jas. 1

FAQ

Coon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 160 people were recorded with the Coon surname. That placed it at #14,860 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 129 in 2016. That gives Coon a modern rank of #26,270.

What does the Coon surname mean?

A surname derived from a nickname for a shrewd or sly person, or from an occupational name for a cook.

What does the Coon map show?

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