NameCensus.

UK surname

Cornish

Denoting a person from Cornwall, England, or referring to the Cornish language or people.

In the 1881 census there were 4,278 people recorded with the Cornish surname, ranking it #1,049 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,916, ranked #1,375, down from #1,049 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Torridge and Mendip.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cornish is 5,617 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.9%.

1881 census count

4,278

Ranked #1,049

Modern count

4,916

2016, ranked #1,375

Peak year

1911

5,617 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cornish had 4,278 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,049 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,916 in 2016, ranked #1,375.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,617 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cornish surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cornish surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Cornish 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 3,108 #930
1861 historical 2,862 #1,019
1881 historical 4,278 #1,049
1891 historical 4,229 #1,133
1901 historical 5,404 #1,033
1911 historical 5,617 #935
1997 modern 5,201 #1,256
1998 modern 5,374 #1,269
1999 modern 5,425 #1,264
2000 modern 5,355 #1,274
2001 modern 5,216 #1,276
2002 modern 5,268 #1,291
2003 modern 5,095 #1,301
2004 modern 5,101 #1,297
2005 modern 4,999 #1,308
2006 modern 4,946 #1,320
2007 modern 4,964 #1,328
2008 modern 4,945 #1,345
2009 modern 5,081 #1,342
2010 modern 5,145 #1,352
2011 modern 5,109 #1,342
2012 modern 4,963 #1,348
2013 modern 5,015 #1,361
2014 modern 5,001 #1,372
2015 modern 4,952 #1,371
2016 modern 4,916 #1,375

Geography

Back to top

Where Cornishs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) and Gwennap. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Torridge, Mendip and Sedgemoor. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) Devon
4 London parishes London 3
5 Gwennap Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 001 Cornwall
2 Torridge 008 Torridge
3 Cornwall 002 Cornwall
4 Mendip 007 Mendip
5 Sedgemoor 009 Sedgemoor

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Cornish

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Cornish

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Cornish is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cornish 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

Cornish falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cornish

The surname Cornish originated from the county of Cornwall in the south-western region of England. It is a locational name derived from the Old English word "Cornwalum" meaning the people of Cornwall. The name first appeared in records during the 11th century.

The earliest recorded example of the surname Cornish can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive record of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Cornubiensis," the Latin form of Cornish, referring to individuals from Cornwall.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Cornish was often associated with individuals who migrated from Cornwall to other parts of England or abroad. It became a way to identify their place of origin and distinguish them from the local population.

One notable bearer of the surname was Sir William Cornish (c. 1470-1535), a Member of Parliament and Sheriff of Devon during the reign of King Henry VIII. Another prominent figure was Thomas Cornish (c. 1519-1608), a Church of England clergyman who served as the Bishop of Thetford and later the Bishop of Bristol.

In the 17th century, the Cornish surname gained recognition through the work of Samuel Cornish (1615-1670), a noted English theologian and writer who authored several religious treatises and sermons. His son, Henry Cornish (1658-1718), followed in his footsteps as a clergyman and served as the Dean of Peterborough Cathedral.

The name Cornish also has connections to the mining industry, as Cornwall was a significant center for tin and copper mining. One notable figure in this field was Joseph Cornish (1816-1902), a Cornish mining engineer and author who wrote extensively about mining practices and techniques.

Other notable individuals with the surname Cornish include: - Hubert Cornish (1908-1986), a British actor known for his roles in several Carry On films. - John Cornish (1917-2014), an American artist and illustrator renowned for his landscape paintings and illustrations. - Vaughan Cornish (1880-1948), a British geographer and geologist who made significant contributions to the study of coastal landforms.

The surname Cornish has a rich history and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including politicians, clergy, authors, engineers, and artists, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those who hailed from the county of Cornwall.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Cornish families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cornish 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. Middlesex leads with 773 Cornishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.83x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 773 1.83x
Devon 697 7.94x
Somerset 404 5.95x
Cornwall 373 7.82x
Suffolk 318 6.19x
Surrey 294 1.43x
Essex 149 1.79x
Kent 147 1.02x
Lancashire 130 0.26x
Wiltshire 92 2.47x
Glamorgan 81 1.10x
Hampshire 71 0.82x
Gloucestershire 70 0.85x
Norfolk 65 1.00x
Warwickshire 63 0.59x
Durham 60 0.48x
Oxfordshire 51 1.96x
Yorkshire 51 0.12x
Berkshire 47 1.49x
Dorset 43 1.55x
Channel Islands 33 2.64x
Buckinghamshire 29 1.14x
Northumberland 28 0.45x
Pembrokeshire 24 1.79x
Leicestershire 23 0.49x
Northamptonshire 23 0.58x
Bedfordshire 22 1.01x
Sussex 19 0.27x
Lanarkshire 17 0.12x
Cheshire 14 0.15x
Hertfordshire 14 0.48x
Selkirkshire 13 3.41x
Worcestershire 13 0.24x
Royal Navy 10 1.99x
Derbyshire 6 0.09x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.11x
Anglesey 5 0.67x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.19x
Carmarthenshire 5 0.28x
Monmouthshire 5 0.16x
Lincolnshire 4 0.06x
Shropshire 4 0.11x
Brecknockshire 3 0.36x
Cumberland 3 0.08x
Staffordshire 3 0.02x
Denbighshire 2 0.13x
Merionethshire 2 0.26x
Argyllshire 1 0.09x
Flintshire 1 0.09x
Herefordshire 1 0.06x
Isle of Man 1 0.13x
Midlothian 1 0.02x
Rutland 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 109 Cornishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.61x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 109 4.61x
Bethnal Green London 55 3.00x
Lambeth 54 1.47x
Mile End Old Town London 51 5.68x
Rougham 51 433.31x
Stoke Damerel 47 7.65x
Chudleigh 43 154.18x
Islington London 41 1.00x
St Pancras London 41 1.21x
Aston 39 1.33x
Exeter St Thomas The 38 42.49x
Chelsea London 37 2.91x
Taunton St Mary 37 29.71x
Camberwell 36 1.34x
Gwennap 36 39.99x
Kilkhampton 36 255.86x
Rotherhithe 33 6.34x
Westbury 31 35.63x
Bromley London 30 3.24x
Portsea 29 1.71x
St George Hanover Square 29 3.90x
Poplar London 28 3.52x
Enfield 27 9.76x
Greenwich 27 4.02x
Newington 27 1.73x
Paul 27 31.14x
St Marylebone London 27 1.20x
West Ham 27 1.47x
Toxteth Park 26 1.54x
Kensington London 25 1.07x
Llandaff 25 10.24x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 24 24.91x
Plymouth Charles The 24 6.21x
Whitchurch 24 155.64x
Shoreditch London 23 1.26x
Madron Penzance 22 12.68x
Minster In Sheppey 22 9.23x
Ipswich St Margaret 21 12.05x
Norton 21 195.17x
Clerkenwell London 20 2.01x
Frome 20 12.32x
Bishops Hull 19 86.68x
Paddington London 19 1.23x
South Weald 19 26.66x
Mitcham 18 13.87x
Redruth 18 13.33x
Warminster 18 22.04x
Birmingham 17 0.48x
Plymouth St Andrew 17 2.52x
St Columb Major 17 42.92x
Tetsworth 17 275.08x
Bedminster 16 2.51x
Kingston 16 117.39x
Pembroke St Mary 16 9.27x
St George In East London 16 4.04x
Stratton 16 61.82x
Croydon 15 1.32x
Milverton 15 59.93x
Norton Fitzwarren 15 157.07x
Nunney 15 102.11x
Pilton 15 51.80x
Abingdon St Helen 14 15.14x
Ashburton 14 33.38x
Bridgewater 14 7.60x
Britford 14 56.86x
Hendon 14 9.23x
Leyton Low 14 8.28x
Limehouse London 14 3.03x
North Walsham 14 29.96x
St Helier 14 3.44x
Brixham 13 12.79x
Folkestone 13 4.66x
Galashiels 13 9.22x
Hartland 13 47.60x
Naseby 13 147.73x
Ryhope 13 14.93x
Stanningfield 13 335.92x
Stoke Climsland 13 42.66x
Swansea Town 13 2.16x
Tormoham 13 3.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 264
Elizabeth 178
Sarah 124
Jane 101
Emma 73
Emily 65
Ellen 63
Alice 61
Ann 57
Eliza 57
Annie 56
Louisa 40
Hannah 34
Maria 31
Charlotte 30
Harriet 30
Florence 29
Margaret 28
Catherine 25
Caroline 24
Susan 24
Ada 23
Martha 23
Fanny 22
Kate 22
Harriett 18
Amelia 17
Clara 17
Edith 17
Lucy 17
Anna 16
Grace 15
Rose 15
Jessie 14
Sophia 14
Minnie 13
Anne 12
Julia 12
Frances 11
Laura 11
Lydia 11
Bessie 10
Gertrude 10
Rebecca 10
Eleanor 9
Henrietta 9
Matilda 9
Elizth. 8
Rosa 8
Isabella 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 286
John 240
George 145
James 139
Thomas 119
Henry 113
Charles 106
Alfred 63
Samuel 54
Frederick 50
Edward 49
Arthur 43
Richard 39
Robert 37
Harry 36
Joseph 36
Albert 34
Walter 31
Frank 24
Herbert 23
Wm. 19
Edwin 17
Ernest 17
Chas. 12
Francis 12
Andrew 11
Philip 11
Henery 10
Benjamin 9
Edgar 8
Geo. 8
Thos. 8
Willm. 8
Elijah 7
Stephen 7
Daniel 6
Oliver 6
Percy 6
David 5
Fred 5
Fredk. 5
Fredrick 5
H. 5
Isaac 5
Phillip 5
Sidney 5
Tom 5
Eli 4
Frederic 4
Nicholas 4

FAQ

Cornish surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cornish surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,278 people were recorded with the Cornish surname. That placed it at #1,049 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cornish surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,916 in 2016. That gives Cornish a modern rank of #1,375.

What does the Cornish surname mean?

Denoting a person from Cornwall, England, or referring to the Cornish language or people.

What does the Cornish map show?

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