NameCensus.

UK surname

Corkhill

A locational surname deriving from a place name in England, meaning a hill by a cork-oak tree.

In the 1881 census there were 321 people recorded with the Corkhill surname, ranking it #9,277 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 565, ranked #9,091, up from #9,277 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Bees, Toxteth Park and Childwall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Corkhill is 609 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.0%.

1881 census count

321

Ranked #9,277

Modern count

565

2016, ranked #9,091

Peak year

2011

609 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Corkhill had 321 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,277 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 565 in 2016, ranked #9,091.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 412 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Corkhill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Corkhill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Corkhill 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 131 #14,243
1861 historical 178 #13,202
1881 historical 321 #9,277
1891 historical 398 #8,910
1901 historical 412 #9,283
1911 historical 383 #9,597
1997 modern 557 #8,579
1998 modern 559 #8,808
1999 modern 570 #8,736
2000 modern 555 #8,883
2001 modern 551 #8,789
2002 modern 573 #8,710
2003 modern 554 #8,788
2004 modern 555 #8,804
2005 modern 537 #8,951
2006 modern 549 #8,824
2007 modern 559 #8,789
2008 modern 563 #8,801
2009 modern 585 #8,747
2010 modern 606 #8,723
2011 modern 609 #8,585
2012 modern 578 #8,847
2013 modern 593 #8,818
2014 modern 591 #8,913
2015 modern 574 #9,015
2016 modern 565 #9,091

Geography

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Where Corkhills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Bees, Toxteth Park, Childwall, Liverpool and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham and Copeland. 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 Bees Cumberland
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Childwall Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 018 County Durham
2 Copeland 004 Copeland
3 Copeland 005 Copeland
4 Copeland 006 Copeland
5 County Durham 016 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Corkhill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Corkhill

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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, Corkhill 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

Corkhill 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

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

Meaning and origin of Corkhill

The surname CORKHILL is of English origin, derived from a locational name of a place in Lancashire. The name is believed to have originated in the 13th century, composed of the Old English words 'corc' meaning 'hill' and 'hyll' meaning 'hill'. This suggests the name referred to someone who lived on a hill covered with cork trees or oaks.

One of the earliest recorded references to the CORKHILL name dates back to the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1285, where a Richard de Corkhill is mentioned. The surname also appears in the Whalley Abbey records from the same period, indicating the family's connection to the Whalley area of Lancashire.

In the 16th century, the Corkhill surname is found in various records, including the Lancashire Wills and Inventories from 1548-1625, where several members of the family are listed. One notable example is John Corkhill, who was born in Whalley in 1560 and served as a local constable.

By the 17th century, the CORKHILL name had spread beyond Lancashire. In the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1674, a Thomas Corkhill is recorded as living in Yorkshire. Additionally, the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Stockport, Cheshire, mention the baptism of a Mary Corkhill in 1685.

One of the earliest known individuals with the CORKHILL surname was William Corkhill, born in 1610 in Whalley, Lancashire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a Justice of the Peace in the region.

Another notable figure was Robert Corkhill, born in 1725 in Whalley. He was a successful merchant and philanthropist who donated funds for the establishment of a school in the town.

In the 19th century, the name continued to be associated with Lancashire, with several individuals bearing the CORKHILL surname holding positions of prominence. One such person was John Corkhill (1820-1892), a wealthy industrialist and textile manufacturer from Blackburn.

Another notable CORKHILL was James Corkhill (1835-1912), born in Burnley, Lancashire. He was a renowned architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in the region, including the Blackburn Town Hall.

While the CORKHILL surname is primarily of English origin, it has also been found in other parts of the world, likely due to migration and settlement patterns. However, its roots can be traced back to the hills and oak-covered areas of Lancashire, where the name first emerged centuries ago.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Corkhill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Corkhill 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 217 Corkhills recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.30x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 217 5.30x
Isle of Man 33 51.47x
Cheshire 32 4.20x
Cumberland 20 6.73x
Middlesex 13 0.38x
Durham 9 0.88x
Yorkshire 9 0.26x
Warwickshire 8 0.92x
Cornwall 7 1.79x
Anglesey 1 1.63x
Angus 1 0.31x
Hampshire 1 0.14x
Kent 1 0.08x
Montgomeryshire 1 1.26x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Everton in Lancashire leads with 32 Corkhills recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.50x.

Place Total Index
Everton 32 24.50x
West Derby 30 25.03x
Toxteth Park 27 19.46x
Barrow In Furness 22 39.48x
Birkenhead 16 26.33x
Liverpool 16 6.43x
Onchan 15 81.21x
Bootle Cum Linacre 12 36.88x
Aldingham 9 656.93x
Dawdon 9 71.20x
Ardwick 8 21.65x
Aston 8 3.34x
Braddan 8 228.57x
Garston 8 66.17x
Kirkdale 8 11.61x
Litherland 8 93.35x
Whitehaven 8 50.47x
Little Bolton 7 13.29x
Much Woolton 7 125.90x
Tranmere 7 24.99x
Widnes 7 23.69x
Hackney London 6 3.10x
Wardleworth 6 25.62x
Cleator 5 40.42x
Dukinfield 5 14.20x
Huddersfield 5 10.03x
Lezayre 5 173.61x
St Endellion 5 370.37x
Dalton In Furness 4 25.28x
Kensington London 4 2.08x
Batley 3 9.23x
Egremont 3 42.31x
Maughold 2 40.40x
St Marylebone London 2 1.08x
Tregoney St James 2 273.97x
Altrincham 1 7.51x
Andreas 1 57.47x
Arlecdon 1 12.64x
Aughton 1 24.63x
Beckermet St John 1 135.14x
Bowdon 1 33.11x
Carreghofa 1 163.93x
Claughton With Grange 1 28.82x
Dundee 1 0.84x
German 1 28.57x
Great Bolton 1 1.84x
Great Crosby 1 8.95x
Hulme 1 1.17x
Limehouse London 1 2.64x
Liscard 1 7.28x
Llanfair Pwll Gwyngyll 1 93.46x
Malew 1 17.86x
Mexborough 1 14.73x
Minster In Sheppey 1 5.12x
Nottingham St Mary 1 0.83x
Portsea 1 0.72x
Preston Quarter 1 12.00x
Walton On Hill 1 4.50x
Whiston 1 31.25x
Workington 1 5.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Elizabeth 15
Margaret 15
Sarah 12
Jane 11
Martha 9
Alice 8
Catherine 7
Ann 6
Isabella 6
Edith 4
Eleanor 4
Eliza 4
Frances 4
Hannah 4
Agnes 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Louisa 3
Margt. 3
Ada 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Ellen 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Lizzie 2
Selina 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Anne 1
Cathrine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Elizebeth 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Gwendoline 1
Johanna 1
Judith 1
Lence 1
Maria 1
Marianne 1
Marin 1
Maude 1
Minnie 1
Mrs.R. 1
Threasa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 31
Thomas 23
William 17
Robert 16
James 12
George 8
Edward 7
Joseph 6
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
David 3
Henry 3
Allen 1
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
Colin 1
Daniel 1
Danl. 1
Dennis 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Hamlet 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hezikiah 1
Jackson 1
Jno. 1
Mathew 1
Moses 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Werner 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Corkhill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Corkhill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 321 people were recorded with the Corkhill surname. That placed it at #9,277 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Corkhill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 565 in 2016. That gives Corkhill a modern rank of #9,091.

What does the Corkhill surname mean?

A locational surname deriving from a place name in England, meaning a hill by a cork-oak tree.

What does the Corkhill map show?

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