NameCensus.

UK surname

Cottenham

In the 1881 census there were 78 people recorded with the Cottenham surname, ranking it #22,500 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 127, ranked #26,566, down from #22,500 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tunbridge, Bidborough, Hartfield and Newcastle All Saints. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wealden, Plymouth and Spelthorne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cottenham is 139 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.8%.

1881 census count

78

Ranked #22,500

Modern count

127

2016, ranked #26,566

Peak year

1998

139 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cottenham had 78 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,500 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016, ranked #26,566.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 105 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cottenham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cottenham surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cottenham 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 42 #25,706
1861 historical 35 #29,571
1881 historical 78 #22,500
1891 historical 71 #27,934
1901 historical 101 #22,726
1911 historical 105 #22,064
1997 modern 130 #23,021
1998 modern 139 #22,720
1999 modern 137 #23,083
2000 modern 126 #24,220
2001 modern 128 #23,665
2002 modern 127 #24,267
2003 modern 128 #23,890
2004 modern 129 #24,019
2005 modern 124 #24,529
2006 modern 120 #25,269
2007 modern 120 #25,606
2008 modern 124 #25,371
2009 modern 127 #25,564
2010 modern 124 #26,582
2011 modern 125 #26,220
2012 modern 134 #25,059
2013 modern 136 #25,252
2014 modern 135 #25,581
2015 modern 128 #26,356
2016 modern 127 #26,566

Geography

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Where Cottenhams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tunbridge, Bidborough, Hartfield, Newcastle All Saints, Withyham and Gateshead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wealden, Plymouth, Spelthorne, Mid Sussex and Bradford. 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 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
2 Hartfield Sussex
3 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
4 Withyham Sussex
5 Gateshead Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wealden 006 Wealden
2 Plymouth 016 Plymouth
3 Spelthorne 012 Spelthorne
4 Mid Sussex 010 Mid Sussex
5 Bradford 021 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cottenham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cottenham

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Cottenham is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cottenham 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

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

1881 census detail

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Cottenham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cottenham 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. Sussex leads with 30 Cottenhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.39x.

County Total Index
Sussex 30 23.39x
Kent 22 8.48x
Northumberland 13 11.49x
Durham 5 2.21x
Lancashire 2 0.22x
Midlothian 2 1.96x
Norfolk 2 1.71x
Middlesex 1 0.13x
Surrey 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. Withyam in Sussex leads with 17 Cottenhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 3090.91x.

Place Total Index
Withyam 17 3090.91x
Byker 10 178.57x
Chiddingstone 10 2941.18x
Hartfield 10 2439.02x
Tonbridge 8 85.47x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 51.02x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 2 29.59x
South Leith 2 17.44x
Speldhurst 2 151.52x
Amble 1 192.31x
Brancaster 1 500.00x
Burnham Sutton Cum Burnham 1 1250.00x
Chailey 1 250.00x
Cowden 1 588.24x
Croydon 1 4.86x
Hulme 1 5.31x
Islington London 1 1.36x
Lewes All Sts 1 196.08x
Lindfield 1 185.19x
West Wickham 1 400.00x
Withington 1 34.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Elizabeth 4
Jane 3
Sarah 3
Fanny 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Cordelia 1
E. 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Flora 1
Hannah 1
Laura 1
Leah 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Rose 1
Rosea 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Theodosia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 8
Alfred 5
George 4
John 4
William 3
James 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Arthur 1
David 1
Edward 1
Everard 1
Fred 1
G. 1
Harris 1
Joseph 1
Kenelm 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 Cottenham households.

FAQ

Cottenham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cottenham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 78 people were recorded with the Cottenham surname. That placed it at #22,500 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cottenham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016. That gives Cottenham a modern rank of #26,566.

What does the Cottenham map show?

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