NameCensus.

UK surname

Coulthurst

A locational surname deriving from a place called Coulthurst in Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 339 people recorded with the Coulthurst surname, ranking it #8,948 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 262, ranked #16,256, down from #8,948 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Manchester, Preston and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Preston, Rochdale and Hyndburn.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coulthurst is 476 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 22.7%.

1881 census count

339

Ranked #8,948

Modern count

262

2016, ranked #16,256

Peak year

1901

476 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coulthurst had 339 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,948 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 262 in 2016, ranked #16,256.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 476 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Coulthurst surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coulthurst surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Coulthurst 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 171 #11,730
1861 historical 224 #10,882
1881 historical 339 #8,948
1891 historical 365 #9,526
1901 historical 476 #8,356
1911 historical 421 #8,950
1997 modern 264 #14,734
1998 modern 280 #14,550
1999 modern 257 #15,506
2000 modern 258 #15,427
2001 modern 258 #15,194
2002 modern 262 #15,327
2003 modern 261 #15,180
2004 modern 260 #15,309
2005 modern 255 #15,437
2006 modern 253 #15,602
2007 modern 255 #15,687
2008 modern 248 #16,163
2009 modern 251 #16,368
2010 modern 265 #16,115
2011 modern 271 #15,708
2012 modern 261 #16,041
2013 modern 264 #16,191
2014 modern 255 #16,682
2015 modern 257 #16,475
2016 modern 262 #16,256

Geography

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Where Coulthursts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Manchester, Preston, Blackburn, Chipping and Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Preston, Rochdale, Hyndburn, Ceredigion and Brighton and Hove. 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 Manchester Lancashire
2 Preston Lancashire
3 Blackburn Lancashire
4 Chipping Lancashire
5 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Preston 001 Preston
2 Rochdale 009 Rochdale
3 Hyndburn 008 Hyndburn
4 Ceredigion 011 Ceredigion
5 Brighton and Hove 031 Brighton and Hove

Forenames

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First names often paired with Coulthurst

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Coulthurst

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Coulthurst is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Coulthurst is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Coulthurst

The surname Coulthurst originated in England during the late medieval period, likely derived from a place name. One plausible origin is from the village of Coulthurst near Gisburn in the West Riding of Yorkshire, which was recorded as Colrideherst in the Domesday Book of 1086. This suggests the name is composed of Old English elements meaning "cool ridge" and "wooded hill."

Another theory links Coulthurst to the village of Cullingworth near Bradford, Yorkshire, which was first recorded as Colingheworth in the 12th century. This place name is derived from Old English words meaning "Colling's enclosure." It's possible that some early bearers of the surname adopted it from this location.

The earliest recorded instance of the Coulthurst surname is found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax returns of 1379, where one John Coulthurst is listed. Other early spellings include Coulthirst, Colthurst, and Coultherst, reflecting regional dialects and scribal variations.

Notable historical figures bearing this surname include John Coulthurst (c.1480-1541), a prominent English landowner and member of the gentry from Yorkshire. Another was Sir Lucas Coulthurst (1585-1647), a lawyer and judge who served as a Justice of the King's Bench during the reign of Charles I.

In the 17th century, William Coulthurst (1621-1690) was a respected Puritan minister and author of several religious works. His son, Thomas Coulthurst (1662-1719), followed in his footsteps as a renowned Presbyterian preacher and theologian.

Moving into the 18th century, we find John Coulthurst (1701-1778), a wealthy merchant and landowner in Yorkshire who played a role in local politics and civic affairs. His grandson, also named John Coulthurst (1765-1842), was a notable agriculturalist and bred improved varieties of livestock.

While the Coulthurst surname originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora. However, its roots can be traced back to the historic counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where it has a long and distinguished history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Coulthurst families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coulthurst 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. Lancashire leads with 281 Coulthursts recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.04x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 281 7.04x
Yorkshire 17 0.51x
Cheshire 10 1.35x
Isle of Man 6 9.60x
Middlesex 6 0.18x
Derbyshire 5 0.95x
Hampshire 5 0.72x
Renfrewshire 5 1.92x
Devon 4 0.57x
Gloucestershire 2 0.30x
Sussex 2 0.35x
Lanarkshire 1 0.09x
Northamptonshire 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 39 Coulthursts recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.50x.

Place Total Index
Preston 39 36.50x
Blackburn 33 31.06x
Over Darwen 22 68.97x
Clitheroe 15 127.66x
Habergham Eaves 15 41.10x
Chipping 14 1228.07x
Bury 13 28.50x
Accrington 11 30.29x
Walmersley Cum 11 172.41x
Tottington Lower End 9 47.42x
Hulme 8 9.60x
Blackley 7 100.00x
Liscard 7 52.28x
Moston 7 174.56x
Barrow In Furness 6 11.05x
Maughold 6 124.48x
Oswaldtwistle 6 42.52x
Broughton In Salford 5 13.69x
Derby St Werburgh 5 16.44x
Micheldever 5 416.67x
Paisley High Church 5 24.08x
Salford 5 4.26x
Little Bolton 4 7.79x
Lofthouse 4 80.32x
Manchester 4 2.23x
St Marylebone London 4 2.23x
Tonge 4 47.73x
Tormoham 4 13.50x
Toxteth Park 4 2.96x
Bowland Forest Low 3 857.14x
Bradford 3 3.72x
Cheetham 3 10.07x
Church 3 53.19x
Langcliffe 3 375.00x
North Meols 3 7.67x
Rumworth 3 52.54x
Woodplumpton 3 209.79x
Broadwater 2 15.36x
Clifton 2 5.99x
Everton 2 1.57x
Fylingdales 2 120.48x
Great Bolton 2 3.78x
Hackney London 2 1.06x
Ince In Makerfield 2 10.76x
Lancaster 2 8.42x
Lea Ashton Ingol 2 75.47x
Sharples 2 46.19x
Abram 1 32.68x
Bleasdale 1 212.77x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.58x
Denton 1 11.30x
Glasgow 1 0.52x
Goosnargh 1 77.52x
Gorton 1 2.66x
Knutsford Nether 1 22.27x
Leeds 1 0.53x
Northampton St Sepulchre 1 6.21x
Spotland 1 2.25x
Thornton In Fylde 1 11.44x
Tranmere 1 3.66x
Wardleworth 1 4.38x
Warrington 1 2.11x
Weaverham Cum Milton 1 51.02x
West Bradford 1 277.78x
West Derby 1 0.86x
Westhoughton 1 9.38x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Elizabeth 17
Ellen 13
Margaret 10
Jane 9
Agnes 8
Alice 8
Ann 6
Annie 6
Nancy 6
Sarah 4
Hannah 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Bertha 2
Betsy 2
Harriett 2
Jessie 2
Lois 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Maud 2
Miriam 2
Rachel 2
Susannah 2
Betty 1
Beulah 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Etheline 1
Georgina 1
Hilda 1
Josephine 1
Laura 1
Lily 1
Louise 1
Loussia 1
Lucinda 1
Mina 1
Pauline 1
Rebecca 1
Zebudah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 33
William 15
Thomas 11
James 10
Richard 9
Robert 8
George 7
Henry 7
Alfred 6
Harry 4
Benjamin 3
Frederick 3
Herbert 3
Alameth 2
Edward 2
Frank 2
Josiah 2
Parmenus 2
Alamus 1
Albert 1
Alcimus 1
Aleimus 1
Almeth 1
Armena 1
Arthur 1
Benjm. 1
Benjn. 1
Charles 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
Gerrie 1
Heman 1
Herman 1
Isaac 1
Ishiel 1
Ithiel 1
Jeshurnm 1
Joseph 1
Lambert 1
Nicholas 1
Oswald 1
Peruda 1
Ralph 1
Richd. 1
Roland 1
Sam 1
Samuel 1
Sherion 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Coulthurst surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coulthurst surname in 1881?

In 1881, 339 people were recorded with the Coulthurst surname. That placed it at #8,948 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coulthurst surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 262 in 2016. That gives Coulthurst a modern rank of #16,256.

What does the Coulthurst surname mean?

A locational surname deriving from a place called Coulthurst in Yorkshire, England.

What does the Coulthurst map show?

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