NameCensus.

UK surname

Corah

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place called Corra in Lanarkshire.

In the 1881 census there were 103 people recorded with the Corah surname, ranking it #19,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 158, ranked #22,904, down from #19,410 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kings Norton, Loughborough and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gedling, Amber Valley and Newark and Sherwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Corah is 180 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.4%.

1881 census count

103

Ranked #19,410

Modern count

158

2016, ranked #22,904

Peak year

1901

180 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Corah had 103 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,410 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016, ranked #22,904.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 180 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Corah surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Corah surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Corah 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 74 #20,443
1861 historical 59 #26,466
1881 historical 103 #19,410
1891 historical 139 #19,311
1901 historical 180 #16,171
1911 historical 179 #16,023
1997 modern 144 #21,660
1998 modern 132 #23,394
1999 modern 141 #22,702
2000 modern 137 #23,048
2001 modern 137 #22,740
2002 modern 146 #22,302
2003 modern 137 #22,939
2004 modern 142 #22,573
2005 modern 141 #22,688
2006 modern 145 #22,420
2007 modern 149 #22,318
2008 modern 150 #22,429
2009 modern 159 #22,072
2010 modern 158 #22,692
2011 modern 159 #22,382
2012 modern 160 #22,260
2013 modern 164 #22,236
2014 modern 165 #22,356
2015 modern 160 #22,701
2016 modern 158 #22,904

Geography

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Where Corahs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kings Norton, Loughborough, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Markfield, Charley, Newton Linford, Broadgate and Kegworth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gedling, Amber Valley, Newark and Sherwood and Melton. 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 Kings Norton Worcestershire
2 Loughborough Leicestershire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Markfield, Charley, Newton Linford, Broadgate Leicestershire
5 Kegworth Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gedling 004 Gedling
2 Gedling 006 Gedling
3 Amber Valley 015 Amber Valley
4 Newark and Sherwood 007 Newark and Sherwood
5 Melton 003 Melton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Corah

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Corah

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

Corah is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Corah falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Corah

The surname Corah is believed to have originated in England. It is likely derived from the Old English words "coru" and "hara," which together mean "dweller near the bend of the river." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name lived in a settlement near a bend in a river.

The name Corah can be traced back to the medieval period in England. Some of the earliest recorded instances of this surname appear in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners and tenants commissioned by William the Conquer after the Norman Conquest.

During the 13th century, the name was found in various forms, such as Corah, Coragh, and Coraugh, in various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. This indicates that the name was well-established and had already spread across different parts of the country.

One notable early bearer of the name was John Corah, who was born in Nottinghamshire in the late 15th century. He was a landowner and played a role in local governance in his area.

In the 16th century, the Corah surname was also found in the records of the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, where it was associated with a family of yeomen farmers. One member of this family, Thomas Corah (c. 1520-1589), was a contemporary of William Shakespeare and is mentioned in some historical accounts of the time.

During the 17th century, the spelling of the name became more standardized as Corah. One prominent individual with this surname was Robert Corah (1622-1683), a merchant and member of the Company of Adventurers of London, which was involved in overseas trade.

In the 18th century, the Corah family established themselves as landowners and gentry in various parts of England. Notable individuals from this period include Sir John Corah (1725-1799), a baronet and Member of Parliament, and his son, Sir Robert Corah (1760-1832), who served as a military officer and was knighted for his service.

Throughout the 19th century, the Corah name continued to be associated with prominent individuals in various fields. For example, Thomas Corah (1818-1892) was a successful industrialist and textile manufacturer in Leicester, while Henry Corah (1847-1921) was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Corah families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Corah 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. Leicestershire leads with 67 Corahs recorded in 1881 and an index of 60.15x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 67 60.15x
Worcestershire 13 9.91x
Lancashire 10 0.84x
Yorkshire 5 0.50x
Nottinghamshire 4 2.95x
Warwickshire 2 0.79x
Middlesex 1 0.10x
Staffordshire 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Loughborough in Leicestershire leads with 23 Corahs recorded in 1881 and an index of 455.45x.

Place Total Index
Loughborough 23 455.45x
Sheepshed 16 1045.75x
Kegworth 11 1486.49x
Yardley 8 238.10x
Gorton 7 62.44x
Knighton 6 952.38x
Kings Norton 5 42.52x
Wortley In Bramley 5 63.45x
Leicester St Margaret 4 14.73x
Markfield 4 727.27x
Belton 3 2142.86x
Edgbaston 2 25.45x
Greasley 2 65.36x
Newark Upon Trent 2 41.07x
West Derby 2 5.73x
Pendleton In Salford 1 7.04x
St Luke London 1 6.21x
Stone 1 23.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 8
William 8
Thomas 7
Charles 4
Arthur 3
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Alfred 2
Edwin 2
Benjamin 1
Edgar 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
George 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Wm.Ernest 1

FAQ

Corah surname: questions and answers

How common was the Corah surname in 1881?

In 1881, 103 people were recorded with the Corah surname. That placed it at #19,410 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Corah surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016. That gives Corah a modern rank of #22,904.

What does the Corah surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place called Corra in Lanarkshire.

What does the Corah map show?

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