NameCensus.

UK surname

Cosh

A Scottish surname derived from "cosy" or "cozie", meaning cozy or snug.

In the 1881 census there were 239 people recorded with the Cosh surname, ranking it #11,446 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 462, ranked #10,607, up from #11,446 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newchurch, London parishes and Cardiff St John and St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Devon, Blaenau Gwent and Paisley Gallowhill and Hillington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cosh is 476 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 93.3%.

1881 census count

239

Ranked #11,446

Modern count

462

2016, ranked #10,607

Peak year

2014

476 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cosh had 239 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,446 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 462 in 2016, ranked #10,607.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 357 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Cosh surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cosh surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cosh 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 152 #12,786
1861 historical 205 #11,769
1881 historical 239 #11,446
1891 historical 357 #9,678
1901 historical 356 #10,305
1911 historical 297 #11,524
1997 modern 419 #10,625
1998 modern 439 #10,602
1999 modern 445 #10,535
2000 modern 437 #10,684
2001 modern 427 #10,673
2002 modern 435 #10,736
2003 modern 423 #10,805
2004 modern 422 #10,838
2005 modern 424 #10,691
2006 modern 428 #10,659
2007 modern 419 #10,954
2008 modern 424 #10,952
2009 modern 434 #11,014
2010 modern 432 #11,262
2011 modern 417 #11,462
2012 modern 449 #10,675
2013 modern 468 #10,516
2014 modern 476 #10,457
2015 modern 464 #10,586
2016 modern 462 #10,607

Geography

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Where Coshs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newchurch, London parishes, Cardiff St John and St Mary, Glasgow and Kilmersdon, Holcombe, Stratton-on-the-Fosse. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Devon, Blaenau Gwent, Paisley Gallowhill and Hillington, Shropshire and Cambridge. 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 Newchurch Hampshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Kilmersdon, Holcombe, Stratton-on-the-Fosse Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Devon 001 Mid Devon
2 Blaenau Gwent 006 Blaenau Gwent
3 Paisley Gallowhill and Hillington Renfrewshire
4 Shropshire 025 Shropshire
5 Cambridge 004 Cambridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cosh

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cosh

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Cosh 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

Cosh is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cosh falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cosh is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Cosh

The surname COSH is of English origin, derived from a place name, and dates back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have originated in the county of Somerset in the southwest of England. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "cosc," which means a small wood or grove.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname COSH can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Somerset from 1194, where it is listed as "de Cosshe." This suggests that the name was initially associated with a specific location in Somerset, possibly a small hamlet or village called Cosh or Coshe.

During the Middle Ages, the COSH surname was also found in various record books and charters across Somerset and neighboring counties. For example, in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327, a John Cosshe is listed as a taxpayer in the village of Cheddar, Somerset.

In the 14th century, the surname COSH began to appear in other parts of England as well. In the Poll Tax records of 1379, a Robert Cosshe is recorded as residing in the county of Gloucestershire.

One of the earliest known bearers of the COSH surname was William Cosh, who was born around 1450 in the village of Cossington, Somerset. He is mentioned in local parish records as a landowner and farmer.

Another notable individual with the COSH surname was John Cosh, born in 1598 in the village of Holcombe, Somerset. He was a respected clergyman who served as the vicar of the parish church in Holcombe for over four decades, from 1624 until his death in 1668.

In the 17th century, the COSH surname also found its way to Scotland, possibly through migration or intermarriage. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in Scotland is that of James Cosh, born in 1635 in the town of Arbroath, Angus. He was a merchant and trader who established a successful business in the area.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, several individuals with the COSH surname achieved notable accomplishments. For instance, Robert Cosh, born in 1762 in Inverness, Scotland, was a renowned architect who designed many notable buildings in the Scottish Highlands, including the Inverness Town House and the Inverness Cathedral.

Another prominent figure was Elizabeth Cosh, born in 1827 in the village of Cossington, Somerset. She was a pioneering educator and philanthropist who established several schools for underprivileged children in her local community.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cosh families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cosh 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 37 Coshs recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.71x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 37 7.71x
Wigtownshire 35 112.61x
Dorset 34 22.13x
Somerset 29 7.70x
Devon 20 4.10x
Lanarkshire 15 1.98x
Northumberland 11 3.16x
Middlesex 10 0.43x
Ayrshire 8 4.57x
Glamorgan 7 1.72x
Channel Islands 6 8.65x
Stirlingshire 6 6.95x
Wiltshire 5 2.42x
Peeblesshire 3 27.25x
Surrey 3 0.26x
Angus 2 0.92x
Gloucestershire 2 0.44x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 2.95x
Lancashire 1 0.04x
Lincolnshire 1 0.27x
Midlothian 1 0.32x
Norfolk 1 0.28x
Roxburghshire 1 2.36x
Sussex 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkmaiden in Wigtownshire leads with 11 Coshs recorded in 1881 and an index of 558.38x.

Place Total Index
Kirkmaiden 11 558.38x
Barony 10 5.22x
Plymouth St Andrew 10 26.64x
Bonchurch 9 1666.67x
Frome 9 99.89x
Kilmarnock 8 38.37x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 8 38.46x
Ventnor 8 175.44x
Kirkcowan 7 666.67x
Llantwit Vairdre 7 152.84x
Tolpuddle 7 2916.67x
Charminster 6 491.80x
Northwood 6 87.85x
Sorbie 6 441.18x
St Peter Port 6 46.77x
Stirling 6 55.10x
Stoke Damerel 6 17.60x
Ashwick 5 819.67x
Leigh On Mendip 5 1351.35x
Melcombe Regis 5 78.49x
Minterne Magna 5 1923.08x
Compton Vallence 4 4000.00x
Ditcheat 4 615.38x
Leswalt 4 187.79x
Shoreditch London 4 3.94x
Castle Cary 3 182.93x
Christchurch 3 28.85x
Eddleston 3 526.32x
Elswick 3 10.79x
Glasgow 3 2.23x
Glasserton 3 312.50x
Portsea 3 3.19x
Westbury 3 62.11x
Whippingham 3 82.64x
Chiswick 2 15.64x
Dundee 2 2.47x
East Stonehouse 2 20.83x
Fordington 2 60.42x
Govan 2 1.07x
Kilmersdon 2 107.53x
Lambeth 2 0.98x
Melksham 2 55.71x
Portpatrick 2 192.31x
Yealmpton 2 266.67x
Abbotsbury 1 128.21x
Biddisham 1 1000.00x
Blyborough 1 500.00x
Brading 1 15.67x
Carisbrooke 1 15.02x
Didsbury 1 27.10x
Dorking 1 13.05x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.79x
Fairford 1 81.30x
Hammersmith London 1 1.73x
Hannington 1 434.78x
Happisburgh 1 222.22x
Hastings St Mary 1 10.18x
Hawick 1 10.54x
Islington London 1 0.44x
Kelton 1 35.97x
Kensington London 1 0.77x
Maiden Newton 1 156.25x
Newport 1 38.46x
Poole St James 1 17.33x
Puddle Hinton 1 312.50x
St Faith Winchester 1 44.64x
St Pancras London 1 0.53x
Stoneykirk 1 45.05x
Stranraer 1 35.21x
West Dean 1 13.40x
West Knighton 1 400.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Ellen 7
Elizabeth 6
Jane 5
Charlotte 4
Annie 3
Emily 3
Fanny 3
Sarah 3
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Florence 2
Jessie 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Adal 1
Agnes 1
Alma 1
Amelia 1
Christiana 1
Elizabth 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Emma 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Hellen 1
Isabel 1
Jemima 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Mercy 1
Minney 1
Rose 1
Rosie 1
Rosina 1
Susan 1
Tabitha 1
Typhana 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 9
John 8
Alfred 5
Charles 4
Henry 4
James 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Robert 3
Thomas 3
Frederick 2
George 2
Samuel 2
Bertram 1
Calem 1
Ellen 1
Emanuel 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
Joseph 1
Lewis 1
Lovel 1
Maurice 1
Oliver 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Stanley 1
Theophilus 1
Tom 1
Woodman 1

FAQ

Cosh surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cosh surname in 1881?

In 1881, 239 people were recorded with the Cosh surname. That placed it at #11,446 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cosh surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 462 in 2016. That gives Cosh a modern rank of #10,607.

What does the Cosh surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from "cosy" or "cozie", meaning cozy or snug.

What does the Cosh map show?

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