NameCensus.

UK surname

Coulby

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

In the 1881 census there were 50 people recorded with the Coulby surname, ranking it #26,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 110, ranked #29,225, down from #26,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Oxton, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Birstall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newark and Sherwood, Harrogate and Islington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coulby is 118 in 2003. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 120.0%.

1881 census count

50

Ranked #26,587

Modern count

110

2016, ranked #29,225

Peak year

2003

118 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coulby had 50 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016, ranked #29,225.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 113 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Coulby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coulby surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Coulby 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 39 #26,319
1861 historical 102 #20,797
1881 historical 50 #26,587
1891 historical 100 #24,045
1901 historical 113 #21,296
1911 historical 90 #23,797
1997 modern 104 #26,351
1998 modern 108 #26,417
1999 modern 109 #26,439
2000 modern 112 #25,978
2001 modern 103 #26,927
2002 modern 114 #25,886
2003 modern 118 #25,146
2004 modern 118 #25,317
2005 modern 114 #25,837
2006 modern 107 #27,179
2007 modern 106 #27,722
2008 modern 101 #28,825
2009 modern 114 #27,363
2010 modern 113 #28,162
2011 modern 108 #28,811
2012 modern 112 #28,174
2013 modern 116 #27,992
2014 modern 117 #28,109
2015 modern 112 #28,809
2016 modern 110 #29,225

Geography

Back to top

Where Coulbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Oxton, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Birstall, Eaton and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newark and Sherwood, Harrogate, Islington and Stockport. 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 Oxton Nottinghamshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Eaton Nottinghamshire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newark and Sherwood 010 Newark and Sherwood
2 Harrogate 019 Harrogate
3 Newark and Sherwood 011 Newark and Sherwood
4 Islington 003 Islington
5 Stockport 028 Stockport

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Coulby

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Coulby

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

Coulby 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

Coulby falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Coulby

The surname Coulby is of English origin, traced back to the area of North Yorkshire, England. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "col" meaning charcoal, and "by" meaning a farmstead or village. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a person who resided near a charcoal-burning settlement.

One of the earliest known recordings of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Colebei". This entry suggests that the name was already established in the region by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the Middle Ages, the surname took on various spellings, such as "Colby", "Coleby", and "Coulbey". These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the inconsistencies of record-keeping at the time.

In the 14th century, the name Coulby appeared in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, indicating its continued presence in the county. This record also mentioned a Robert de Coulby, suggesting that the name had gained some prominence.

One notable figure bearing the Coulby surname was Sir John Coulby, a member of the English gentry who lived during the 15th century. He was recorded as owning lands in Yorkshire and served as a knight of the shire for the county in the Parliament of 1449.

Another historical figure was William Coulby, born in 1587 in Yorkshire. He was a prominent merchant and served as the Mayor of Hull in 1639, reflecting the family's standing in the region.

The Coulby name has also been associated with several place names in North Yorkshire, such as Coulby Newham and Coulby Manor. These locations further reinforce the surname's origins and connection to the area.

Among the more modern bearers of the Coulby surname was Sir John Coulby (1865-1941), a British businessman and philanthropist. He was born in York and made his fortune in the textile industry, later donating significant funds to various educational institutions and charities.

While the exact origins of the Coulby surname may be lost to history, its connection to the charcoal-burning settlements of North Yorkshire and its appearance in historical records spanning centuries attest to its enduring presence in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Coulby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coulby 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 26 Coulbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.56x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 26 39.56x
Yorkshire 12 2.48x
Lincolnshire 8 10.26x
Surrey 2 0.84x
Derbyshire 1 1.31x
Lancashire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 9 Coulbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.94x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 9 52.94x
Cleckheaton 7 393.26x
Eaton 5 25000.00x
Liversedge 5 232.56x
Mansfield 5 220.26x
Beckingham 3 5000.00x
Snenton 3 116.28x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 20.39x
Stowe And Normanby 2 20000.00x
Balderton 1 555.56x
Brant Broughton 1 909.09x
Calverton 1 476.19x
Cheetham 1 23.15x
Egmanton 1 2500.00x
Great Grimsby 1 20.20x
Hough On Hill 1 1666.67x
Nottingham St Nicholas 1 111.11x
Upper Langwith 1 3333.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 5
Mary 4
Sarah 3
Abigail 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
May 1
Minnie 1
Rachel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
William 4
Mark 2
Richard 2
Thomas 2
Benjmin 1
Charles 1
Fred 1
George 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Coulby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coulby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 50 people were recorded with the Coulby surname. That placed it at #26,587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coulby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016. That gives Coulby a modern rank of #29,225.

What does the Coulby surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

What does the Coulby map show?

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