NameCensus.

UK surname

Coulman

An English surname derived from a medieval nickname meaning "coal man" or one who worked with coal.

In the 1881 census there were 177 people recorded with the Coulman surname, ranking it #13,889 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 268, ranked #16,003, down from #13,889 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Minster, Hull Holy Trinity and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kingston upon Hull, Badenoch and Strathspey North and North Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coulman is 284 in 2005. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.4%.

1881 census count

177

Ranked #13,889

Modern count

268

2016, ranked #16,003

Peak year

2005

284 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coulman had 177 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,889 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 268 in 2016, ranked #16,003.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 233 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Coulman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coulman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Coulman 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 133 #14,106
1861 historical 142 #15,982
1881 historical 177 #13,889
1891 historical 200 #14,913
1901 historical 212 #14,611
1911 historical 233 #13,560
1997 modern 265 #14,692
1998 modern 283 #14,442
1999 modern 274 #14,826
2000 modern 269 #14,983
2001 modern 265 #14,915
2002 modern 278 #14,726
2003 modern 278 #14,540
2004 modern 274 #14,762
2005 modern 284 #14,306
2006 modern 277 #14,667
2007 modern 269 #15,123
2008 modern 269 #15,260
2009 modern 275 #15,349
2010 modern 280 #15,485
2011 modern 275 #15,517
2012 modern 265 #15,862
2013 modern 268 #16,005
2014 modern 264 #16,288
2015 modern 257 #16,475
2016 modern 268 #16,003

Geography

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Where Coulmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Minster, Hull Holy Trinity, London parishes, Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft) and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kingston upon Hull, Badenoch and Strathspey North and North Lincolnshire. 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 Minster Kent
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft) Yorkshire, West Riding
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kingston upon Hull 021 Kingston upon Hull, City of
2 Kingston upon Hull 008 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 Kingston upon Hull 027 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 Badenoch and Strathspey North Highland
5 North Lincolnshire 006 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Coulman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Coulman

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Coulman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Coulman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Coulman is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Coulman is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Coulman

The surname COULMAN has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words 'cul' meaning 'coal' and 'man', referring to a person who worked as a coal miner or dealer. As such, the name was most prevalent in areas with significant coal mining industries, particularly in the northern counties of England.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a Willelmus Colemane is mentioned. This early spelling variation highlights the name's evolution from its Old English roots.

In the 13th century, the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire (1273-1276) record a Robert Colemanne, while the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex (1296) list a Johannes Colman. These entries provide insight into the geographic spread of the name across different regions of England during the medieval period.

Notably, the COULMAN surname appears in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, although the specific entry is not widely documented. This inclusion underscores the name's antiquity and presence in England during the Norman Conquest.

Among the notable historical figures bearing this surname, one can mention:

1. John Coulman (c. 1525 - 1594), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of St. John's College, Cambridge. 2. Samuel Coulman (1677 - 1737), an English merchant and philanthropist who founded the Coulman Charity in York. 3. William Coulman (1771 - 1841), a British naval officer and explorer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. 4. Mary Coulman (1816 - 1888), an English author and novelist known for her works on religious themes. 5. Charles Coulman (1862 - 1932), a British architect and designer who contributed to the Arts and Crafts movement in architecture.

The COULMAN surname has also been linked to various place names throughout England, such as Coulman Street in Nottingham and Coulman Hill in Yorkshire, further cementing its historical roots in the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Coulman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coulman 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. Yorkshire leads with 51 Coulmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.00x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 51 3.00x
Devon 41 11.47x
Middlesex 33 1.92x
Surrey 15 1.79x
Lincolnshire 14 5.10x
Kent 6 1.02x
Essex 3 0.89x
Gloucestershire 3 0.89x
Lancashire 3 0.15x
Midlothian 3 1.30x
Westmorland 2 5.30x
Derbyshire 1 0.37x
Sussex 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holy Trinity in Yorkshire leads with 19 Coulmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.43x.

Place Total Index
Holy Trinity 19 46.43x
Newton Abbot St Mary 18 600.00x
Chelsea London 12 23.20x
Fulham London 10 40.16x
Exeter St Paul 9 1267.61x
Boston 8 96.04x
East Stonehouse 8 113.64x
Newington 8 170.94x
Sculcoates 8 29.66x
Camberwell 7 6.38x
Islington London 6 3.61x
Milton In Milton 6 240.96x
Thorne 6 284.36x
Newington 5 7.89x
Broadhempston 4 1212.12x
Barnby On Don 3 937.50x
Doncaster 3 24.14x
Edinburgh St Marys 3 67.11x
Gorton 3 15.67x
Hammersmith London 3 7.09x
Kingston On Thames 3 14.93x
Siston 3 500.00x
Walton Le Soken 3 370.37x
Ambleside 2 170.94x
Belton 2 180.18x
Eastoft 2 555.56x
Holy Trinity St Mary 2 77.22x
Anlaby 1 270.27x
Appleby 1 312.50x
Brighton 1 1.71x
Devonport 1 24.33x
Exeter St Thomas The 1 27.47x
Hackney London 1 1.04x
Heage 1 70.42x
New Sleaford 1 56.82x
St Marylebone London 1 1.09x
Thorpe In Balne 1 909.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 6
Fanny 5
Ellen 4
Emily 4
Emma 4
Louisa 4
Alice 3
Eliza 3
Jane 3
Margaret 3
Sarah 3
Anna 2
Anne 2
Annie 2
Betsy 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Ada 1
Allice 1
Betsey 1
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Celia 1
Clara 1
Elizth. 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Huldah 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Minnie 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1
Ursla 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
John 12
Henry 7
James 7
George 5
Albert 4
Charles 4
Thomas 4
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Andrew 2
Chas. 2
Josh. 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Tom 2
Arthur 1
Bartholemew 1
Courtney 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
J. 1
Leslie 1
Montey 1
W.J 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Coulman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coulman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 177 people were recorded with the Coulman surname. That placed it at #13,889 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coulman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 268 in 2016. That gives Coulman a modern rank of #16,003.

What does the Coulman surname mean?

An English surname derived from a medieval nickname meaning "coal man" or one who worked with coal.

What does the Coulman map show?

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