NameCensus.

UK surname

Cosgrove

From a grove of hazel trees or a crossroads near such a grove, likely originating in Ireland.

In the 1881 census there were 1,455 people recorded with the Cosgrove surname, ranking it #2,860 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,050, ranked #1,673, up from #2,860 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Halton, Copeland and Lochee.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cosgrove is 4,189 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 178.4%.

1881 census count

1,455

Ranked #2,860

Modern count

4,050

2016, ranked #1,673

Peak year

2010

4,189 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cosgrove had 1,455 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,860 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,050 in 2016, ranked #1,673.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,944 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Cosgrove surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cosgrove surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cosgrove 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 518 #4,834
1861 historical 778 #3,541
1881 historical 1,455 #2,860
1891 historical 1,575 #2,818
1901 historical 1,944 #2,718
1911 historical 1,568 #3,095
1997 modern 3,727 #1,737
1998 modern 3,881 #1,737
1999 modern 3,959 #1,722
2000 modern 3,907 #1,733
2001 modern 3,800 #1,740
2002 modern 3,923 #1,728
2003 modern 3,832 #1,737
2004 modern 3,830 #1,733
2005 modern 3,813 #1,711
2006 modern 3,852 #1,701
2007 modern 3,927 #1,679
2008 modern 3,911 #1,699
2009 modern 4,048 #1,677
2010 modern 4,189 #1,656
2011 modern 4,078 #1,676
2012 modern 4,031 #1,666
2013 modern 4,064 #1,687
2014 modern 4,087 #1,691
2015 modern 4,062 #1,679
2016 modern 4,050 #1,673

Geography

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Where Cosgroves are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Toxteth Park, Manchester, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Halton, Copeland and Lochee. 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 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Halton 004 Halton
2 Copeland 008 Copeland
3 Halton 005 Halton
4 Halton 007 Halton
5 Lochee Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cosgrove

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cosgrove

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

Cosgrove is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cosgrove 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 Cosgrove is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Cosgrove, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cosgrove

The surname Cosgrove has its origins in Ireland, tracing back to the medieval era. It is a locational name, derived from the Irish Gaelic words 'cos' meaning foot and 'grobh' meaning a small trench or ditch. The name likely referred to a person who lived near a small trench or ditch, indicating their place of residence or origin.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in ancient Irish annals and manuscripts, such as the Annals of Inisfallen, dating back to the 12th century. These records mention individuals bearing the name Cosgrove, spelled in various forms like Cosgrave, Cosgrafe, and Cosgrave.

One notable historical figure with this surname was John Cosgrove, an Irish soldier and officer who served in the Irish Brigade of the French Army during the 17th century. He fought in numerous battles across Europe and gained recognition for his bravery and military prowess.

Another prominent individual was Nicholas Cosgrove, an Irish Catholic priest and historian who lived from 1670 to 1737. He authored several works on Irish history and was renowned for his scholarly contributions.

In the 19th century, William Cosgrove (1819-1892) was an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut. He played a significant role in shaping local and national policies during his tenure.

Frank Cosgrove (1848-1925) was an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist, known for his involvement in the mining industry. He made substantial contributions to various charitable causes, particularly in the field of education.

The surname Cosgrove has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Cosgrove in County Laois and Cosgrove Hill in County Wexford. These locations may have influenced the naming of individuals or families who resided in those areas.

Throughout history, the Cosgrove name has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including soldiers, clergy, politicians, and entrepreneurs, leaving their mark on various aspects of society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cosgrove families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cosgrove 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 549 Cosgroves recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.25x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 549 3.25x
Yorkshire 135 0.96x
Middlesex 133 0.93x
Lanarkshire 131 2.85x
Durham 62 1.46x
Staffordshire 48 1.00x
Northumberland 43 2.03x
Cheshire 41 1.31x
Ayrshire 34 3.19x
Midlothian 34 1.78x
Angus 28 2.12x
Aberdeenshire 20 1.52x
Warwickshire 20 0.56x
Nottinghamshire 17 0.89x
Hampshire 16 0.55x
Leicestershire 16 1.01x
Cumberland 14 1.14x
Worcestershire 13 0.70x
Renfrewshire 11 1.00x
Dunbartonshire 8 2.09x
Kent 8 0.16x
Buteshire 7 8.12x
Dumfriesshire 7 2.23x
Surrey 7 0.10x
Essex 6 0.21x
Glamorgan 6 0.24x
Kincardineshire 6 3.46x
Wigtownshire 6 3.17x
Derbyshire 5 0.22x
Isle of Man 5 1.89x
Devon 4 0.14x
Flintshire 4 1.05x
Kirkcudbrightshire 4 1.94x
Argyllshire 2 0.50x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.22x
Dorset 1 0.11x
Fife 1 0.12x
Gloucestershire 1 0.04x
Herefordshire 1 0.17x
Perthshire 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 1 0.59x
Stirlingshire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 105 Cosgroves recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.24x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 105 10.24x
Manchester 54 7.11x
Govan 43 3.78x
Toxteth Park 33 5.77x
Widnes 31 25.45x
West Derby 27 5.46x
Kensington London 26 3.29x
Barony 25 2.15x
West Calder 24 63.86x
Leeds 22 2.76x
Blackburn 21 4.67x
Preston 21 4.65x
Dundee 16 3.25x
Knaresborough 15 67.72x
Nottingham St Mary 15 3.02x
Dawdon 14 26.88x
Glasgow 14 1.71x
Mile End Old Town London 13 4.29x
Warrington 13 6.49x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 12 4.87x
Birmingham 12 1.00x
Bow London 12 6.62x
Everton 12 2.23x
Haslingden 12 17.16x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 12 6.54x
Kilmarnock 12 9.47x
Kirkdale 12 4.22x
Middlesbrough 12 6.53x
Riccarton Hurlford 12 64.24x
Kidderminster Borough 11 10.11x
Old Monkland 11 6.02x
Accrington 10 6.51x
Brechin 10 19.30x
Bromley London 10 3.19x
Chorlton On Medlock 10 3.73x
Little Bolton 10 4.61x
Newcastle On Tyne St 10 9.11x
Newton In Makerfield 10 19.34x
Sheffield 10 2.23x
Shotts 10 18.16x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 9 17.57x
Burntwood Edial 9 29.33x
Huddersfield 9 4.38x
Lower Booths 9 29.74x
Newton 9 6.91x
St Pancras London 9 0.79x
Stranton 9 6.31x
Tottington Lower End 9 11.22x
Wallsend 9 13.40x
Walsall Foreign 9 3.63x
Aberdeen Old Machar 8 2.91x
Ardwick 8 5.25x
Carnwath 8 28.11x
Crosscanonby 8 19.74x
Dewsbury 8 5.53x
Leicester St Margaret 8 2.08x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 8 6.33x
Ovenden 8 12.74x
St Andrew Holborn London 8 12.98x
St George In East London 8 5.98x
Wigan 8 3.39x
Wolverhampton 8 2.17x
Ashton Under Lyne 7 1.90x
Aston 7 0.71x
Birkenhead 7 2.80x
Dumfries 7 22.57x
Hackney London 7 0.88x
Hamilton 7 5.45x
Inveresk 7 13.56x
Leyland 7 23.83x
Longbenton 7 7.80x
Rothesay 7 16.76x
St Marylebone London 7 0.92x
Usworth 7 31.14x
Banchory Ternan 6 40.03x
Bradford 6 7.59x
Harpurhey 6 25.60x
Holy Trinity 6 1.77x
Kirkmaiden 6 50.17x
Openshaw 6 7.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 122
Ann 39
Sarah 35
Ellen 34
Margaret 34
Elizabeth 31
Catherine 30
Bridget 27
Eliza 13
Jane 13
Annie 12
Kate 11
Maria 9
Alice 7
Julia 7
Martha 7
Rose 7
Caroline 6
Emma 6
Hannah 6
Harriet 6
Florence 5
Winifred 5
Anne 3
Clara 3
Emily 3
Frances 3
Isabella 3
Ada 2
Amalia 2
Betsy 2
Catharine 2
Celia 2
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Harriett 2
Honor 2
Jessie 2
Margt. 2
Matilda 2
Norah 2
Rosina 2
Sophia 2
Susannah 2
Teresa 2
Bedlia 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Eguina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 98
Thomas 72
James 66
Patrick 44
William 40
Michael 33
Henry 18
Edward 17
Joseph 14
George 13
Charles 10
Hugh 10
Martin 10
Robert 9
Daniel 8
Richard 8
Alfred 7
Thos. 6
David 5
Francis 5
Peter 5
Bernard 4
Harry 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Frederick 3
Jno. 3
Matthew 3
Andrew 2
Andw. 2
Anthony 2
Arthur 2
Bartholomew 2
Christopher 2
Geo. 2
Owen 2
Phillip 2
Wm. 2
Antony 1
Chals. 1
Ed. 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
F.W. 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
G. 1
Jonathon 1
Laurence 1
Michl. 1

FAQ

Cosgrove surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cosgrove surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,455 people were recorded with the Cosgrove surname. That placed it at #2,860 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cosgrove surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,050 in 2016. That gives Cosgrove a modern rank of #1,673.

What does the Cosgrove surname mean?

From a grove of hazel trees or a crossroads near such a grove, likely originating in Ireland.

What does the Cosgrove map show?

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