NameCensus.

UK surname

Cosens

An English surname derived from a nickname for the eldest son.

In the 1881 census there were 248 people recorded with the Cosens surname, ranking it #11,140 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 247, ranked #16,955, down from #11,140 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes and Mundham, North. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Reigate and Banstead, Braintree and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cosens is 273 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.4%.

1881 census count

248

Ranked #11,140

Modern count

247

2016, ranked #16,955

Peak year

1998

273 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cosens had 248 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,140 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 247 in 2016, ranked #16,955.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 248 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Cosens surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cosens surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cosens 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 219 #9,712
1861 historical 185 #12,799
1881 historical 248 #11,140
1891 historical 223 #13,800
1901 historical 220 #14,245
1911 historical 234 #13,526
1997 modern 265 #14,692
1998 modern 273 #14,803
1999 modern 269 #15,040
2000 modern 248 #15,827
2001 modern 247 #15,637
2002 modern 264 #15,236
2003 modern 273 #14,715
2004 modern 264 #15,156
2005 modern 262 #15,182
2006 modern 255 #15,521
2007 modern 256 #15,647
2008 modern 262 #15,550
2009 modern 269 #15,589
2010 modern 269 #15,935
2011 modern 261 #16,145
2012 modern 240 #16,979
2013 modern 247 #16,935
2014 modern 252 #16,822
2015 modern 245 #17,040
2016 modern 247 #16,955

Geography

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Where Cosens' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes, Mundham, North and Hunston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Reigate and Banstead, Braintree, Northumberland and Chorley. 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 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
2 London parishes London 1
3 Mundham, North Sussex
4 London parishes London 3
5 Hunston Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Reigate and Banstead 012 Reigate and Banstead
2 Braintree 008 Braintree
3 Northumberland 040 Northumberland
4 Reigate and Banstead 015 Reigate and Banstead
5 Chorley 003 Chorley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cosens

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cosens

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Cosens is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Cosens is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Cosens

The surname Cosens is believed to have originated in England and is thought to be a variant of the name Cosyn or Cousin. This name is derived from the Old French word 'cosin', meaning a relative or kinsman.

The earliest recorded instances of the Cosens surname date back to the 13th century in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk. Some of the earliest spellings of the name include Cossyn, Cosyn, and Cosin.

One of the earliest known records of the Cosens name appears in the Hundredorum Rolls of Norfolk in 1273, which lists a John Cosyn. The Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327 also mention a Thomas Cosyn.

The Cosens surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. In the 16th century, John Cosin (1594-1672) was an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Durham. He played a significant role in the revision of the Book of Common Prayer.

Another noteworthy figure was Thomas Cosens (1584-1636), an English lawyer and member of the House of Commons who represented the borough of St Albans.

In the 18th century, John Cosens (1700-1772) was a prominent English architect known for his work on several churches in Lincolnshire, including St. Peter's Church in Barton-upon-Humber.

The Cosens name has also been linked to various place names, such as Cosin's Croft in Northumberland, which was mentioned in records from the 16th century, and Cosens Farm in Suffolk, which dates back to the 17th century.

In the 19th century, Charles Cosens (1812-1890) was a notable English architect who designed several buildings in London, including the Brompton Oratory and the Church of St. Augustine in Kilburn.

While the Cosens surname has its origins in England, it has spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, through immigration and migration.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cosens families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cosens 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. Hampshire leads with 43 Cosens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.81x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 43 8.81x
Sussex 39 9.72x
Middlesex 25 1.05x
Dorset 23 14.72x
Somerset 22 5.74x
Surrey 20 1.72x
Devon 10 2.02x
Worcestershire 10 3.22x
Essex 8 1.70x
Yorkshire 7 0.30x
Peeblesshire 6 53.62x
Leicestershire 5 1.89x
Monmouthshire 4 2.32x
Cardiganshire 3 5.17x
Gloucestershire 3 0.64x
Midlothian 3 0.94x
Staffordshire 3 0.37x
Angus 2 0.91x
Channel Islands 2 2.84x
Kent 2 0.25x
Lancashire 2 0.07x
Hertfordshire 1 0.61x
Norfolk 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Southampton St Mary in Hampshire leads with 17 Cosens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.41x.

Place Total Index
Southampton St Mary 17 55.41x
Kensington London 16 12.09x
Melcombe Regis 14 216.38x
Dudley 10 26.47x
Frome 10 109.17x
Dawlish 9 243.24x
Farnham 9 99.78x
Hastings St Mary 9 90.09x
North Mundham 9 2250.00x
Newington 7 107.86x
Taunton St James 7 125.22x
West Ham 7 6.75x
Walberton 6 1200.00x
Wield 6 3000.00x
Aldershot 5 30.60x
Broughton 5 2777.78x
Hove 5 28.39x
Leicester St Margaret 5 7.77x
Ryde 5 47.71x
Radipole 4 370.37x
Ropley 4 563.38x
St Martin In Fields 4 28.07x
Battersea 3 3.43x
Hastings St Leonards 3 50.85x
Llanover 3 51.02x
Shepton Mallet 3 69.77x
Vainor Lower 3 612.24x
Croydon 2 3.11x
Dundee 2 2.43x
Edinburgh St Marys 2 32.26x
Fawley 2 129.03x
Hammersmith London 2 3.41x
Hastings Holy Trinity 2 67.57x
Lambeth 2 0.96x
Littlehampton 2 62.50x
Liverpool 2 1.17x
Penge 2 13.16x
Rowley Regis 2 8.93x
South Bersted 2 58.65x
Southwark Christchurch 2 17.94x
St Helier 2 8.71x
St Thomas Winchester 2 58.14x
Tewkesbury 2 47.96x
Twerton 2 50.63x
Brighton 1 1.24x
Chardstock 1 92.59x
Chipping Ongar 1 123.46x
Clifton 1 4.24x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.78x
Hambledon 1 60.61x
Hemel Hempstead 1 13.53x
Isleworth 1 9.45x
Lee 1 8.48x
Longburton 1 322.58x
Norwich St Peter 1 41.67x
Poole St James 1 17.04x
Puncknowle 1 256.41x
Sevenoaks 1 15.20x
South Mimms 1 30.67x
Southampton St Michael 1 62.11x
St Paul Covent Garden 1 42.02x
Stobo 1 256.41x
Stockland 1 138.89x
Usk 1 69.93x
Walsall Foreign 1 2.41x
Wyke Regis 1 44.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 8
Ellen 6
Mary 6
Eliza 5
Emily 5
Sarah 5
Annie 4
Jane 4
Ada 3
Bessie 3
Caroline 3
Clara 3
Emma 3
Fanny 3
Harriet 3
Laura 3
Amy 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Lily 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Maude 2
Rosa 2
Susannah 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Appalina 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Charlotte 1
Daisy 1
Edith 1
Eleonor 1
Emilly 1
Evelyn 1
Francis 1
H. 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Lilian 1
Lottie 1
Marian 1
Marianne 1
Martha 1
Rose 1
Rosebella 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
Charles 8
George 8
Henry 8
John 8
Thomas 8
Edward 7
Alfred 6
Albert 4
Frederick 4
James 3
Robert 3
Arthur 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Harry 2
Leonard 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Willm. 2
(Capt.) 1
A. 1
Archibald 1
Aubrey 1
Chas.H.E. 1
Clemant 1
Cornelius 1
Edmund 1
Eli 1
Ephraim 1
F. 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredick 1
Fredrick 1
Hurbert 1
Jesse 1
Oliver 1
Philip 1
Reymer 1
Septimus 1
Spencer 1
Sydney 1
W. 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Cosens surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cosens surname in 1881?

In 1881, 248 people were recorded with the Cosens surname. That placed it at #11,140 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cosens surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 247 in 2016. That gives Cosens a modern rank of #16,955.

What does the Cosens surname mean?

An English surname derived from a nickname for the eldest son.

What does the Cosens map show?

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