NameCensus.

UK surname

Coop

A surname derived from the Middle English word "coup" meaning a small container or basket.

In the 1881 census there were 979 people recorded with the Coop surname, ranking it #3,972 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 964, ranked #5,964, down from #3,972 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Manchester and Dean. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan and Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coop is 1,275 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.5%.

1881 census count

979

Ranked #3,972

Modern count

964

2016, ranked #5,964

Peak year

1911

1,275 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coop had 979 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,972 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 964 in 2016, ranked #5,964.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,275 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Coop surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coop surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Coop 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 658 #3,943
1861 historical 876 #3,170
1881 historical 979 #3,972
1891 historical 999 #4,155
1901 historical 1,145 #4,245
1911 historical 1,275 #3,724
1997 modern 1,031 #5,350
1998 modern 1,039 #5,490
1999 modern 1,055 #5,459
2000 modern 1,054 #5,450
2001 modern 1,048 #5,375
2002 modern 1,039 #5,517
2003 modern 1,016 #5,519
2004 modern 1,009 #5,556
2005 modern 1,006 #5,521
2006 modern 996 #5,585
2007 modern 990 #5,651
2008 modern 983 #5,728
2009 modern 1,016 #5,691
2010 modern 1,013 #5,828
2011 modern 1,021 #5,721
2012 modern 980 #5,829
2013 modern 978 #5,920
2014 modern 996 #5,881
2015 modern 961 #6,010
2016 modern 964 #5,964

Geography

Back to top

Where Coops are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Manchester, Dean, Bolton-le-Moors and Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan and Bolton. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Dean Lancashire
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 017 Wigan
2 Bolton 031 Bolton
3 Bolton 013 Bolton
4 Wigan 025 Wigan
5 Bolton 028 Bolton

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Coop

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Coop

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Coop 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

Coop is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Coop 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 Coop is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Coop

The surname COOP is of Anglo-Saxon origin, traced back to the 11th century and the regions of northern England. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "copp," referring to a small hill or mound. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or on a small hill.

The earliest known record of the name COOP dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Coppe," likely referring to a place name or a person's occupation. In the 12th century, the name was recorded as "de la Coppe" in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk, indicating its use as a surname among Norman nobility.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname COOP was Willelmus de la Coppe, who was mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Yorkshire in 1208. Another early example is Robertus de Coppe, who was documented in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name appeared in various forms, including "de la Coupp," "atte Coppe," and "Coppe," reflecting the transition from a descriptive phrase to a hereditary surname. In the 15th century, the spelling settled closer to the modern form, with examples like "Coope" and "Coop" appearing in records.

Notable historical figures with the surname COOP include:

1. John Coope (c. 1500 - 1570), an English merchant and member of the Company of Merchant Adventurers in London. 2. Thomas Coop (1660 - 1732), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Jesus College, Cambridge. 3. William Coop (1712 - 1783), a British naval officer and explorer who commanded several voyages to the West Indies and North America. 4. Mary Ann Coop (1795 - 1869), a British author and poet known for her works on religious and moral themes. 5. Sir Jonathan Coop (1820 - 1895), a British industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Coop Engineering Company in Manchester.

Throughout its history, the surname COOP has also been associated with various place names, such as Coop Green in Cheshire, Coop Hill in Gloucestershire, and Coop's Cross in Staffordshire, further reinforcing its connection to geographical features.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Coop families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coop 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. Lancashire leads with 677 Coops recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.97x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 677 5.97x
Yorkshire 138 1.46x
Lincolnshire 30 1.96x
Cheshire 27 1.28x
Warwickshire 18 0.75x
Buckinghamshire 15 2.60x
Brecknockshire 13 6.81x
Glamorgan 13 0.78x
Staffordshire 11 0.34x
Surrey 10 0.21x
Middlesex 6 0.06x
Bedfordshire 4 0.81x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.23x
Somerset 3 0.20x
Sussex 3 0.19x
Oxfordshire 2 0.34x
Devon 1 0.05x
Hampshire 1 0.05x
Kent 1 0.03x
Leicestershire 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 0.88x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 88 Coops recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.06x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 88 24.06x
Westhoughton 88 291.01x
Hunslet 43 29.14x
Tottington Lower End 43 79.85x
Great Bolton 41 27.32x
Manchester 37 7.26x
Failsworth 27 104.13x
Little Bolton 24 16.47x
Halliwell 23 55.77x
Ashton Under Lyne 20 8.08x
Chadderton 20 36.10x
Elton 19 48.53x
Bury 18 13.91x
Layton With Warbreck 16 38.48x
Heap 15 24.96x
Leeds 13 2.43x
Llangunider 13 109.24x
North Meols 13 11.72x
Atherton 12 29.09x
Prestwich 11 38.91x
Birmingham 10 1.25x
Bramley In Bramley 10 27.60x
Dewsbury 10 10.30x
Lostock 10 390.63x
Butterworth 9 32.60x
Crompton 8 24.79x
Newington 8 2.27x
North Scarle 8 476.19x
Pendleton In Salford 8 5.93x
Tonge With Haulgh 8 36.26x
Warwick St Nicholas 8 45.30x
Wetherby 8 129.66x
Wolverton 8 66.95x
Ardwick 7 6.85x
Bradwell 7 86.10x
Newcastle Higher 7 62.00x
Newton 7 8.01x
Stockport 7 6.45x
Windle 7 10.98x
Audley 6 18.81x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 3.33x
Gelligaer 6 15.80x
Great Lever 6 49.92x
Hindley 6 12.42x
Mexborough 6 31.95x
Newton Upon Trent 6 582.52x
Thorpe On The Hill 6 645.16x
West Derby 6 1.81x
Kirkdale 5 2.62x
Newington 5 19.19x
Tonge 5 21.03x
Tottington Higher End 5 38.76x
Waddington 5 179.21x
Bedford St Mary 4 31.40x
Blackburn 4 1.33x
Hollingworth 4 46.03x
Lockwood 4 11.75x
Rainford 4 32.63x
Salford 4 1.20x
Stretford 4 6.42x
Toxteth Park 4 1.04x
Turton 4 21.56x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 4 12.26x
Worsley 4 5.73x
Batley 3 3.34x
Bradford 3 1.31x
Broxton 3 176.47x
Congleton 3 8.24x
Eastbourne 3 4.05x
Frome 3 8.16x
Islington London 3 0.32x
Rothwell 3 15.70x
Saddleworth 3 4.11x
Sharples 3 24.41x
Sowerby In Thirsk 3 52.63x
Spotland 3 2.38x
Tranmere 3 3.87x
Wolverhampton 3 1.21x
Brightside Bierlow 2 1.08x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 2 4.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 68
Sarah 52
Elizabeth 41
Alice 33
Ann 23
Jane 23
Ellen 19
Annie 18
Emma 15
Esther 13
Margaret 11
Betty 9
Martha 9
Hannah 8
Eliza 7
Catherine 5
Charlotte 5
Emily 5
Ruth 5
Anne 4
Betsy 4
Elizth. 4
Fanny 4
Harriet 4
Nancy 4
Rebecca 4
Ada 3
Maria 3
Priscilla 3
Rachel 3
Susannah 3
Amelia 2
Bessie 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Grace 2
Isabella 2
Matilda 2
Minnie 2
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Bethea 1
Elizath.E. 1
Ellin 1
Harriett 1
Jemmima 1
Jessie 1
Judith 1
V...ly 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 71
William 59
James 46
Thomas 35
Joseph 28
Samuel 22
George 18
Henry 17
Charles 16
Walter 12
Robert 11
Richard 10
Herbert 7
Albert 6
Alfred 6
Edward 6
Fred 5
Harry 5
Benjamin 4
Edwin 4
Joshua 4
Timothy 4
Arthur 3
Edmund 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
David 2
Francis 2
Geo. 2
Harold 2
Isaac 2
Josiah 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Wright 2
Ambrose 1
Benjm. 1
Benjn. 1
Caleb 1
Edwd. 1
Elizabeth 1
Evan 1
Festus 1
Isacher 1
Israel 1
Young 1

FAQ

Coop surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coop surname in 1881?

In 1881, 979 people were recorded with the Coop surname. That placed it at #3,972 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coop surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 964 in 2016. That gives Coop a modern rank of #5,964.

What does the Coop surname mean?

A surname derived from the Middle English word "coup" meaning a small container or basket.

What does the Coop map show?

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