NameCensus.

UK surname

Coughlin

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Cochlain," meaning "descendant of Coileán" (a personal name meaning "whelp" or "hound").

In the 1881 census there were 485 people recorded with the Coughlin surname, ranking it #6,931 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,170, ranked #5,060, up from #6,931 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Roath and Cardiff St John and St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaenau Gwent, York and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coughlin is 1,238 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 141.2%.

1881 census count

485

Ranked #6,931

Modern count

1,170

2016, ranked #5,060

Peak year

2010

1,238 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coughlin had 485 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,931 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,170 in 2016, ranked #5,060.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 619 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Coughlin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coughlin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Coughlin 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 131 #14,243
1861 historical 164 #14,188
1881 historical 485 #6,931
1891 historical 426 #8,412
1901 historical 619 #6,894
1911 historical 613 #6,725
1997 modern 1,110 #5,032
1998 modern 1,190 #4,918
1999 modern 1,180 #5,004
2000 modern 1,186 #4,955
2001 modern 1,158 #4,963
2002 modern 1,197 #4,912
2003 modern 1,144 #5,014
2004 modern 1,173 #4,902
2005 modern 1,132 #5,011
2006 modern 1,132 #5,006
2007 modern 1,146 #4,999
2008 modern 1,162 #4,958
2009 modern 1,187 #4,977
2010 modern 1,238 #4,914
2011 modern 1,196 #4,998
2012 modern 1,150 #5,088
2013 modern 1,190 #5,023
2014 modern 1,203 #5,007
2015 modern 1,188 #5,016
2016 modern 1,170 #5,060

Geography

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Where Coughlins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Roath, Cardiff St John and St Mary, Blackburn and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaenau Gwent, York and Sunderland. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Roath Glamorganshire
3 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaenau Gwent 001 Blaenau Gwent
2 York 008 York
3 Blaenau Gwent 007 Blaenau Gwent
4 Blaenau Gwent 004 Blaenau Gwent
5 Sunderland 034 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Coughlin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Coughlin

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Coughlin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Coughlin is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Coughlin 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 Coughlin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Coughlin

The surname Coughlin originates from Ireland and is derived from the Gaelic personal name Ó Cochlain, meaning "descendant of Cochlain." The name Cochlain is a diminutive form of the Irish word "coch," which means "hog" or "red." The name likely referred to a person with reddish hair or complexion.

The name Coughlin can be traced back to County Cavan in the northern part of Ireland, where it was particularly prevalent in the medieval period. The Coughlin family was part of the Ui Briuin Breifne, a powerful dynasty that ruled over parts of modern-day counties Cavan and Leitrim.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Coughlin can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals mention a "Cochlin O'Breslin" in the year 1335, indicating the name's existence in the 14th century.

In the 16th century, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, many Coughlin families were dispossessed of their lands and forced to relocate to other parts of the country. This led to the spread of the name across Ireland, particularly in counties like Armagh, Monaghan, and Louth.

Notable individuals with the surname Coughlin throughout history include:

1. Terence Coughlin (c. 1534-1589), an Irish Catholic priest who was martyred during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I for his religious beliefs.

2. Patrick Coughlin (1761-1849), an Irish-born soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Pennsylvania.

3. Dennis Joseph Coughlin (1865-1936), an American Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Jaffna in Sri Lanka from 1924 to 1936.

4. James Coughlin (1887-1967), an American baseball player who played for the Philadelphia Athletics and the Detroit Tigers in the early 20th century.

5. Charles Coughlin (1891-1979), an American Catholic priest and controversial radio host known for his anti-Semitic and pro-fascist views during the Great Depression era.

While the Coughlin name has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through Irish immigration to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Coughlin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coughlin 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. Glamorgan leads with 124 Coughlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.69x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 124 14.69x
Lancashire 116 2.02x
Middlesex 85 1.75x
Monmouthshire 23 6.56x
Warwickshire 19 1.55x
Durham 17 1.18x
Surrey 14 0.59x
Yorkshire 14 0.29x
Essex 12 1.25x
Channel Islands 11 7.66x
Hampshire 10 1.01x
Lanarkshire 8 0.51x
Leicestershire 7 1.30x
Cheshire 6 0.56x
Devon 6 0.59x
Roxburghshire 6 6.83x
Kent 5 0.30x
Northumberland 3 0.42x
Angus 2 0.45x
Pembrokeshire 2 1.30x
Staffordshire 2 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.34x
Cumberland 1 0.24x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.15x
Royal Navy 1 1.73x
Worcestershire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cardiff St Mary in Glamorgan leads with 43 Coughlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 92.47x.

Place Total Index
Cardiff St Mary 43 92.47x
Llandaff 27 96.15x
Liverpool 21 6.01x
St Woollos 16 40.91x
Roath 15 39.12x
Cardiff St John 14 50.78x
St George In East London 14 30.70x
Little Bolton 13 17.57x
Wigan 13 16.17x
St Marylebone London 12 4.64x
Birmingham 11 2.70x
Ratcliffe London 11 41.09x
St Michaelinthe Vale 11 214.43x
Limehouse London 10 18.79x
East Ham 9 50.68x
Aston 8 2.38x
Merthyr Tydfil 8 9.86x
Radcliffe 8 28.85x
Barton Upon Irwell 7 16.16x
Hamilton 7 16.01x
Lambeth 7 1.66x
Llanwonno 7 23.08x
Lower Darwen 7 92.72x
Aberavon 6 77.22x
Eccleston In Prescot 6 20.78x
Hawick 6 30.53x
Heworth 6 21.11x
Leicester St Margaret 6 4.58x
Newchurch 6 12.75x
Salford 6 3.55x
Spitalfields London 6 16.46x
Whitechapel London 6 12.55x
Willington 6 72.03x
Bedwellty 5 8.08x
Christchurch 5 23.20x
Helmington Row 5 74.40x
Isleworth 5 23.20x
Kimberworth 5 18.75x
St Giles In Fields London 5 21.03x
Birkenhead 4 4.69x
Everton 4 2.18x
Gelligaer 4 20.75x
Manchester 4 1.55x
Monk Bretton 4 82.30x
Preston 4 2.60x
St George Hanover Square 4 4.68x
Clerkenwell London 3 2.62x
Newington 3 1.68x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 3.86x
Portsmouth 3 13.11x
Stoke Damerel 3 4.25x
Wallsend 3 13.11x
Walton On Hill 3 9.63x
Whitwood 3 43.99x
Woolwich 3 4.91x
Bilston 2 6.31x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 4.38x
Dundee 2 1.19x
Hammersmith London 2 1.67x
Haverfordwest St Thomas 2 64.94x
Norbury 2 80.32x
Prestwich 2 13.94x
Risca 2 30.26x
Wardleworth 2 6.08x
West Ham 2 0.95x
Bermondsey 1 0.69x
Beverley Parks 1 175.44x
Broughton In Salford 1 1.90x
Croydon 1 0.76x
Deptford St Paul 1 0.78x
Gorton 1 1.85x
Govan 1 0.26x
Great Bolton 1 1.31x
Hendon 1 5.73x
Kings Norton 1 1.76x
Oldham 1 0.54x
Scriven Cum Tentergate 1 56.18x
St Luke London 1 1.29x
Wolverton 1 16.47x
Worksop 1 5.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 63
Ellen 22
Catherine 20
Elizabeth 17
Bridget 15
Margaret 15
Sarah 11
Annie 8
Ann 6
Julia 6
Jane 5
Anne 3
Hannah 3
Helen 3
Johanna 3
Kate 3
Matilda 3
Norah 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Anna 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Lizzie 2
Margt. 2
Emily 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Hannorah 1
Honaro 1
Honora 1
Honorah 1
Isabell 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Johannah 1
Katherine 1
Louisa 1
M. 1
Maria 1
Nelly 1
Rebecca 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1
Roseanna 1
Selina 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 49
Michael 21
James 20
William 14
Thomas 11
Timothy 11
Daniel 10
Jeremiah 9
Patrick 9
David 5
Edward 5
Cornelius 4
George 4
Joseph 4
Bernard 3
Dennis 3
Martin 3
Andrew 2
Cane 2
Charles 2
Frederick 2
Jerry 2
Owen 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Thos. 2
Alfred 1
Bertie 1
Dd. 1
Edmond 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Henry 1
Humphrey 1
Jno. 1
Luke 1
Mahew 1
Malcolm 1
Mathew 1
Maurice 1
Michal 1
Micheal 1
Michl. 1
Morris 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Ugane 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Coughlin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coughlin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 485 people were recorded with the Coughlin surname. That placed it at #6,931 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coughlin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,170 in 2016. That gives Coughlin a modern rank of #5,060.

What does the Coughlin surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Cochlain," meaning "descendant of Coileán" (a personal name meaning "whelp" or "hound").

What does the Coughlin map show?

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