NameCensus.

UK surname

Cordner

A variant spelling of the occupational surname Cordner, referring to a maker or seller of cords.

In the 1881 census there were 86 people recorded with the Cordner surname, ranking it #21,449 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 369, ranked #12,617, up from #21,449 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Armadale South, Broadland and Armadale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cordner is 369 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 329.1%.

1881 census count

86

Ranked #21,449

Modern count

369

2016, ranked #12,617

Peak year

2016

369 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cordner had 86 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,449 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 369 in 2016, ranked #12,617.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 147 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Cordner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cordner surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Cordner 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 49 #24,448
1861 historical 82 #23,321
1881 historical 86 #21,449
1891 historical 141 #19,108
1901 historical 147 #18,270
1911 historical 107 #21,842
1997 modern 298 #13,593
1998 modern 319 #13,330
1999 modern 324 #13,288
2000 modern 336 #12,921
2001 modern 328 #12,944
2002 modern 353 #12,512
2003 modern 331 #12,944
2004 modern 326 #13,122
2005 modern 327 #13,011
2006 modern 329 #13,044
2007 modern 333 #13,062
2008 modern 334 #13,142
2009 modern 353 #12,894
2010 modern 343 #13,416
2011 modern 338 #13,435
2012 modern 329 #13,593
2013 modern 339 #13,477
2014 modern 360 #13,006
2015 modern 364 #12,768
2016 modern 369 #12,617

Geography

Back to top

Where Cordners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, London parishes, Gateshead, Chester-le-Street (Harraton), Washington (Usworth and North Biddick ) and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Armadale South, Broadland, Armadale, Bathgate East and Richmondshire. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Chester-le-Street (Harraton), Washington (Usworth and North Biddick ) Durham
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Armadale South West Lothian
2 Broadland 001 Broadland
3 Armadale West Lothian
4 Bathgate East West Lothian
5 Richmondshire 005 Richmondshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Cordner

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Cordner

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Cordner surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Cordner household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cordner 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

Cordner 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

Cordner falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cordner

The surname Cordner is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. It is believed to have emerged from the occupation of a cord-maker or rope-maker, derived from the Old French word "corde," meaning "cord" or "rope."

In the 13th century, records show the name Cordner appearing in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. The earliest documented spelling of the name was "Cordener," as found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1273.

The Cordner family name is closely associated with the village of Cordner, located in the East Riding of Yorkshire. This place name, which dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, is thought to have influenced the surname's evolution.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the Cordner surname was John Cordner, who was documented in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1273. Another notable figure was William Cordner, a prominent landowner in Yorkshire, whose name appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in 1348.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Cordner surname began to spread across other regions of England. The Parish Registers of St. Mary's Church in Beverley, Yorkshire, contain numerous entries of the Cordner family, including the christening of Robert Cordner in 1582 and the marriage of William Cordner and Anne Smythe in 1612.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the Cordner surname. One such figure was Sir John Cordner (1620-1688), a renowned English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1675. Another was Thomas Cordner (1723-1798), a celebrated English writer and philosopher who authored several influential works on ethics and moral philosophy.

In the 19th century, the Cordner name gained prominence in the literary world with the birth of Emily Cordner (1845-1912), a celebrated English novelist and poet. Her works, including the acclaimed novel "The Garden of Memories," were widely acclaimed during the Victorian era.

Additionally, the Cordner surname has been associated with the military, with figures such as Major General William Cordner (1878-1945), a distinguished British Army officer who served in both World Wars and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his bravery.

Overall, the surname Cordner has a rich history that spans several centuries, with its roots firmly planted in the occupational and geographical landscapes of medieval England. While its origins can be traced back to the humble cord-makers of the 13th century, the Cordner name has since been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions across various fields, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural and historical tapestry of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Cordner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cordner 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. Durham leads with 32 Cordners recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.82x.

County Total Index
Durham 32 12.82x
Lancashire 21 2.11x
Northumberland 8 6.41x
Angus 6 7.72x
Dunbartonshire 5 22.18x
Lanarkshire 4 1.47x
Argyllshire 3 12.85x
Middlesex 2 0.24x
Midlothian 2 1.78x
Cumberland 1 1.38x
Devon 1 0.57x
Surrey 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Usworth in Durham leads with 14 Cordners recorded in 1881 and an index of 1060.61x.

Place Total Index
Usworth 14 1060.61x
Barrow In Furness 12 88.63x
Penshaw 6 800.00x
Bonhill 5 138.12x
Coxlodge 5 526.32x
Montrose 5 106.16x
Govan 4 5.96x
Litherland 4 192.31x
Liverpool 4 6.62x
Campbeltown 3 106.38x
Ryhope 3 173.41x
Silksworth 3 2500.00x
Benfieldside 2 121.95x
Benwell 2 147.06x
Bishopwearmouth 2 9.34x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 4.42x
Stoke Newington London 2 30.63x
Devonport 1 49.75x
Everton 1 3.15x
Liff Benvie 1 8.47x
Seaton 1 119.05x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 5.92x
Westgate 1 12.94x
Whitburn 1 172.41x
Wolsingham 1 44.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 6
Jane 4
Ann 3
Annie 3
Mary 3
Elizabeth 2
Alice 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Eva 1
Henrietta 1
Louisa 1
Maude 1
Phillis 1
Phoebe 1
Polly 1
Rosa 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 6
John 4
Thomas 3
George 2
Henry 2
James 2
Richard 2
Alfred 1
Anderson 1
Augustus 1
Charles 1
Frederick 1
Pendock 1
Russell 1
Sidney 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Cordner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cordner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 86 people were recorded with the Cordner surname. That placed it at #21,449 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cordner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 369 in 2016. That gives Cordner a modern rank of #12,617.

What does the Cordner surname mean?

A variant spelling of the occupational surname Cordner, referring to a maker or seller of cords.

What does the Cordner map show?

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