NameCensus.

UK surname

Corkin

Occupational surname derived from the Middle English term "corkin" referring to a maker of corkins or wooden shoes.

In the 1881 census there were 59 people recorded with the Corkin surname, ranking it #25,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 246, ranked #16,993, up from #25,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland, South Tyneside and Blackburn with Darwen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Corkin is 248 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 316.9%.

1881 census count

59

Ranked #25,281

Modern count

246

2016, ranked #16,993

Peak year

2012

248 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Corkin had 59 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 246 in 2016, ranked #16,993.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 127 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Corkin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Corkin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Corkin 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 60 #22,584
1861 historical 80 #23,566
1881 historical 59 #25,281
1891 historical 119 #21,415
1901 historical 124 #20,163
1911 historical 127 #19,749
1997 modern 198 #17,729
1998 modern 212 #17,479
1999 modern 211 #17,662
2000 modern 211 #17,603
2001 modern 206 #17,624
2002 modern 202 #18,189
2003 modern 200 #18,139
2004 modern 199 #18,260
2005 modern 206 #17,786
2006 modern 207 #17,892
2007 modern 206 #18,142
2008 modern 201 #18,584
2009 modern 208 #18,551
2010 modern 232 #17,657
2011 modern 239 #17,138
2012 modern 248 #16,618
2013 modern 241 #17,202
2014 modern 242 #17,285
2015 modern 239 #17,322
2016 modern 246 #16,993

Geography

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Where Corkins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Manchester, Hartlepool and Stranton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland, South Tyneside and Blackburn with Darwen. 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 Gateshead Durham
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Hartlepool Durham
5 Stranton Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 012 Sunderland
2 Sunderland 027 Sunderland
3 South Tyneside 007 South Tyneside
4 Sunderland 023 Sunderland
5 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Corkin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Corkin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Corkin, 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 Corkin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Corkin 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, Corkin 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

Corkin is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Corkin

The surname Corkin originated in Ireland, likely in the early medieval period around the 12th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic words 'cor' meaning an odd or peculiar person and 'kin' meaning a descendant or family member. Thus, the name Corkin referred to an eccentric or unconventional family or individual.

Variations of the name spelling have been found in old records and manuscripts, including Corkyn, Corkeyn, and Corkyne. The earliest known record of the name Corkin dates back to the 14th century in the Ulster Annals, a chronicle of medieval Irish history.

Corkin was a relatively common surname in the counties of Donegal, Tyrone, and Fermanagh in Ulster, Ireland. Some notable individuals with the surname Corkin in history include:

1. Rory Corkin (c. 1560 - 1635), a prominent landowner and chieftain in County Donegal during the Elizabethan era.

2. Bridget Corkin (c. 1610 - 1685), a renowned herbalist and healer from County Tyrone, known for her knowledge of traditional Irish medicine.

3. Seamus Corkin (1725 - 1798), a poet and bard from County Fermanagh, famous for his compositions in the Irish language.

4. Katherine Corkin (1810 - 1892), a philanthropist and advocate for women's education in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

5. Michael Corkin (1875 - 1941), a prominent Irish nationalist and member of the Gaelic League, dedicated to the preservation of Irish culture and language.

The surname Corkin has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Corkinduff (meaning 'the black Corkin') and Corkincross (meaning 'the cross of the Corkins'), both located in County Donegal.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Corkin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Corkin 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 22 Corkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.54x.

County Total Index
Durham 22 13.54x
Cheshire 8 6.64x
Derbyshire 8 9.36x
Lanarkshire 8 4.53x
Renfrewshire 4 9.45x
Northumberland 3 3.69x
Lancashire 2 0.31x
Staffordshire 1 0.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hedworth Monkton Jarrow in Durham leads with 11 Corkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 156.25x.

Place Total Index
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 11 156.25x
Govan 8 18.32x
Shirland 8 1250.00x
Westoe 6 65.15x
Paisley High Church 4 118.69x
Runcorn 4 143.88x
Stockton On Tees 3 38.31x
Tynemouth 3 68.97x
Liverpool 2 5.08x
Stranton 2 36.56x
Halton 1 370.37x
Kinderton Cum Hulme 1 1000.00x
Kingsley 1 454.55x
Tipton 1 17.73x
Weston In Runcorn 1 322.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Sarah 3
Ann 2
Bell 2
Elizth. 2
Grace 2
Bella 1
Christina 1
Dora 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Johanna 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
Joseph 4
James 2
William 2
Edward 1
George 1
Martin 1
Robert 1
Robison 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Corkin households.

FAQ

Corkin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Corkin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 59 people were recorded with the Corkin surname. That placed it at #25,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Corkin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 246 in 2016. That gives Corkin a modern rank of #16,993.

What does the Corkin surname mean?

Occupational surname derived from the Middle English term "corkin" referring to a maker of corkins or wooden shoes.

What does the Corkin map show?

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