NameCensus.

UK surname

Cossar

A Scottish surname derived from the surname MacOscar, which stems from the Gaelic name Oscair meaning "bounding warrior."

In the 1881 census there were 363 people recorded with the Cossar surname, ranking it #8,545 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 381, ranked #12,317, down from #8,545 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Melrose and Ladykirk. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Law, Hunter's Quay and Bexley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cossar is 449 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 5.0%.

1881 census count

363

Ranked #8,545

Modern count

381

2016, ranked #12,317

Peak year

1901

449 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cossar had 363 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,545 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 381 in 2016, ranked #12,317.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 449 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Cossar surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cossar surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cossar 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 250 #8,788
1861 historical 249 #9,904
1881 historical 363 #8,545
1891 historical 430 #8,344
1901 historical 449 #8,717
1911 historical 112 #21,274
1997 modern 373 #11,600
1998 modern 375 #11,939
1999 modern 378 #11,935
2000 modern 385 #11,738
2001 modern 369 #11,928
2002 modern 382 #11,839
2003 modern 380 #11,689
2004 modern 389 #11,516
2005 modern 384 #11,538
2006 modern 376 #11,775
2007 modern 377 #11,900
2008 modern 372 #12,123
2009 modern 366 #12,534
2010 modern 387 #12,301
2011 modern 383 #12,244
2012 modern 379 #12,192
2013 modern 381 #12,360
2014 modern 386 #12,318
2015 modern 383 #12,295
2016 modern 381 #12,317

Geography

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Where Cossars are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Melrose, Ladykirk, London parishes and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Law, Hunter's Quay, Bexley, Northumberland and Dunoon. 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 Hamilton Lanark
2 Melrose Roxburgh
3 Ladykirk Berwick
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Law South Lanarkshire
2 Hunter's Quay Argyll and Bute
3 Bexley 026 Bexley
4 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
5 Dunoon Argyll and Bute

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cossar

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cossar

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Cossar surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Cossar household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Cossar 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

Cossar is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cossar falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cossar

The surname Cossar is of Scottish origin, derived from the Old English word "cossyn," meaning "cousin." It is thought to have originated in the region of Angus, Scotland, during the 12th or 13th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, where a person named William Cossour is mentioned. The name is also found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish nobles who swore fealty to King Edward I of England.

The name Cossar is believed to have evolved from the term "cossyn" as a means of distinguishing family relationships. In medieval times, it was common for individuals to adopt surnames based on their kinship ties or occupations.

In the 16th century, the Cossar family owned lands in the parish of Arbirlot, near Arbroath, in Angus. Records show that a John Cossar was the proprietor of these lands in 1554.

One notable figure in history with the surname Cossar was Sir John Cossar, a Scottish soldier and diplomat who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He served as a military commander under King James VI of Scotland and later became an ambassador to Denmark.

Another individual of note was James Cossar, a Scottish minister and author born in Fife in 1673. He wrote several religious works, including "The Scottish Dove" and "The Morning Exercise at Cripplegate."

In the 18th century, a prominent member of the family was David Cossar, born in 1742. He was a Scottish merchant and magistrate in Arbroath, and served as the town's Provost (Mayor) from 1792 to 1794.

A more recent figure with the Cossar surname was John Cossar, a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who lived from 1879 to 1954. He made significant contributions to celestial mechanics and authored several books on astronomy.

Throughout its history, the surname Cossar has maintained its Scottish roots and associations with the regions of Angus and Fife, where many of its earliest bearers resided.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cossar families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cossar 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. Midlothian leads with 98 Cossars recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.37x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 98 21.37x
Lanarkshire 63 5.69x
Berwickshire 26 62.71x
Middlesex 24 0.70x
Roxburghshire 20 32.25x
Selkirkshire 20 64.56x
Durham 17 1.67x
East Lothian 13 28.67x
Peeblesshire 12 74.53x
Perthshire 12 7.81x
Kirkcudbrightshire 8 16.14x
Kent 6 0.51x
Northumberland 6 1.18x
Surrey 5 0.30x
Dumfriesshire 4 5.29x
Norfolk 4 0.76x
West Lothian 4 7.76x
Essex 3 0.44x
Stirlingshire 2 1.58x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.32x
Hertfordshire 1 0.42x
Inverness-shire 1 0.98x
Renfrewshire 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 24 Cossars recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.01x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 24 13.01x
Newbattle 15 382.65x
Gateshead 14 18.36x
Hamilton 11 35.62x
Ladykirk 11 2156.86x
Melrose 11 141.03x
Penicuik 11 176.57x
Walston 11 2750.00x
Barony 10 3.57x
Cambusnethan 10 40.67x
Crailing 10 1333.33x
Innerleithen 10 234.19x
Biggar 8 320.00x
Cockpen 8 149.25x
Coldingham 8 214.48x
Balmaghie 7 642.20x
Edinburgh St Stephens 7 77.52x
Galashiels 7 61.14x
Jedburgh 7 115.13x
Blackford 6 319.15x
Haddington 6 89.69x
Lasswade 6 57.20x
Mason 6 517.24x
Pencaitland 6 465.12x
Woolwich 6 13.90x
Crieff 5 87.57x
Dalkeith 4 44.20x
Fulham London 4 8.05x
Glasgow 4 2.03x
Hackney London 4 2.08x
Heigham 4 14.15x
Heriot 4 784.31x
Inveresk 4 32.21x
Islington London 4 1.21x
Moffat 4 115.94x
St Pancras London 4 1.45x
Carstairs 3 131.00x
Corstorphine 3 118.58x
Dunse 3 76.34x
Edinburgh St Marys 3 33.63x
Govan 3 1.10x
Lambeth 3 1.00x
Linlithgow 3 45.39x
Melrose 3 55.97x
Ryton 3 83.80x
St George Hanover Square 3 4.97x
Walthamstow 3 12.33x
Westminster St John 3 7.19x
Chirnside 2 112.36x
Edinburgh Canongate 2 17.14x
Edinburgh St Georges 2 21.01x
Edrom 2 112.36x
Peebles 2 42.02x
Selkirk 2 22.91x
Stirling 2 12.56x
Temple 2 109.89x
Abbey 1 2.47x
Abercorn 1 98.04x
Bishop Stortford 1 12.69x
Camberwell 1 0.46x
Carluke 1 9.95x
Crichton 1 78.13x
Edinburgh Greenside 1 16.50x
Inverness 1 3.89x
Keithhall 1 96.15x
Kilmadock 1 28.33x
Kirkcudbright 1 24.39x
Lanark 1 11.22x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.37x
Prestonkirk 1 44.05x
Queensferry 1 212.77x
Southwark Christchurch 1 6.23x
St Marylebone London 1 0.55x
Wiston Robertson 1 151.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Ellen 4
Elizabeth 3
Isabella 3
Margaret 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Matilda 2
Caroline 1
Diana 1
Diniah 1
Helena 1
Jane 1
Jemima 1
Lecvisna 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Maudy 1
Sarah 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
James 6
George 4
Robert 3
Alexander 2
William 2
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Horace 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1
Wm. 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 Cossar households.

FAQ

Cossar surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cossar surname in 1881?

In 1881, 363 people were recorded with the Cossar surname. That placed it at #8,545 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cossar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 381 in 2016. That gives Cossar a modern rank of #12,317.

What does the Cossar surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the surname MacOscar, which stems from the Gaelic name Oscair meaning "bounding warrior."

What does the Cossar map show?

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