NameCensus.

UK surname

Courtney

Derived from a place name meaning "short nose" in Old French, originally referring to someone from Courtney.

In the 1881 census there were 2,136 people recorded with the Courtney surname, ranking it #2,074 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,040, ranked #1,345, up from #2,074 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Knowsley, North Devon and South Hams.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Courtney is 5,147 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 136.0%.

1881 census count

2,136

Ranked #2,074

Modern count

5,040

2016, ranked #1,345

Peak year

2013

5,147 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Courtney had 2,136 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,074 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,040 in 2016, ranked #1,345.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,806 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Courtney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Courtney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Courtney 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 1,259 #2,265
1861 historical 1,427 #1,991
1881 historical 2,136 #2,074
1891 historical 2,340 #2,008
1901 historical 2,806 #1,989
1911 historical 2,777 #1,871
1997 modern 4,650 #1,407
1998 modern 4,818 #1,407
1999 modern 4,866 #1,406
2000 modern 4,856 #1,403
2001 modern 4,716 #1,409
2002 modern 4,884 #1,394
2003 modern 4,767 #1,392
2004 modern 4,783 #1,382
2005 modern 4,699 #1,383
2006 modern 4,728 #1,386
2007 modern 4,769 #1,384
2008 modern 4,827 #1,378
2009 modern 4,940 #1,377
2010 modern 5,111 #1,360
2011 modern 5,029 #1,359
2012 modern 5,000 #1,338
2013 modern 5,147 #1,328
2014 modern 5,141 #1,336
2015 modern 5,086 #1,340
2016 modern 5,040 #1,345

Geography

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Where Courtneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Lambeth and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Knowsley, North Devon, South Hams, Neath Port Talbot and Carntyne West and Haghill. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Knowsley 010 Knowsley
2 North Devon 013 North Devon
3 South Hams 005 South Hams
4 Neath Port Talbot 019 Neath Port Talbot
5 Carntyne West and Haghill Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Courtney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Courtney

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Courtney 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

Courtney 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

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

Meaning and origin of Courtney

The surname Courtney is derived from the Norman-French word "court," meaning a courtier or a member of a nobleman's retinue. The name has its roots in England, dating back to the 11th century after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is believed that the name originated from the region of Courtonne in Normandy, France.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Courtney can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "de Courtenay," referring to the family's ancestral lands in Normandy.

One of the most notable early bearers of the name was Reginald de Courtenay, who was born in the late 11th century and served as a crusader during the Third Crusade. He was also the founder of the Courtenay dynasty, which produced several notable figures throughout history.

In the 13th century, William de Courtenay (c. 1228–1292) was a prominent English prelate who served as Archbishop of Canterbury from 1272 until his death. He played a significant role in the conflicts between the Church and the Crown during the reign of King Henry III.

Another noteworthy figure was Hugh de Courtenay (c. 1303–1349), who was Earl of Devon and a distinguished military commander during the Hundred Years' War. He fought alongside King Edward III in several battles against the French, including the Battle of Crécy in 1346.

During the Tudor period, Sir William Courtenay (c. 1477–1535) was a prominent figure in the court of King Henry VIII. He served as a member of the Privy Council and was involved in the dissolution of the monasteries in England.

The name Courtney has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Courtney in Wiltshire and Courtenay in Devon, which were likely derived from the surname itself.

Throughout history, the Courtney surname has been spelled in various ways, including Courtenay, Courteney, and Curtney, reflecting the evolution of the English language and regional variations in spelling and pronunciation.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Courtney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Courtney 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. Middlesex leads with 297 Courtneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.42x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 297 1.42x
Lancashire 286 1.15x
Devon 231 5.30x
Surrey 149 1.46x
Yorkshire 108 0.52x
Dorset 104 7.56x
Hampshire 93 2.17x
Lanarkshire 92 1.36x
Kent 83 1.16x
Staffordshire 67 0.95x
Glamorgan 59 1.62x
Cheshire 42 0.91x
Warwickshire 41 0.78x
Gloucestershire 38 0.92x
Cornwall 37 1.56x
Essex 36 0.87x
Somerset 35 1.04x
Durham 34 0.55x
Northumberland 34 1.09x
Cumberland 33 1.83x
Sussex 28 0.79x
Angus 19 0.98x
Worcestershire 19 0.69x
Wiltshire 18 0.97x
Monmouthshire 14 0.92x
Renfrewshire 14 0.86x
Buckinghamshire 13 1.03x
Derbyshire 13 0.40x
Nottinghamshire 11 0.39x
Royal Navy 11 4.41x
Caernarfonshire 9 1.06x
Wigtownshire 9 3.23x
Berkshire 8 0.51x
Lincolnshire 8 0.24x
Ayrshire 6 0.38x
Herefordshire 6 0.70x
Bedfordshire 5 0.46x
Hertfordshire 5 0.35x
Oxfordshire 5 0.39x
Shropshire 5 0.28x
Channel Islands 4 0.64x
East Lothian 4 1.44x
Midlothian 4 0.14x
Stirlingshire 3 0.39x
Perthshire 2 0.21x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.22x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.33x
Norfolk 1 0.03x
Northamptonshire 1 0.05x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.15x
Selkirkshire 1 0.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 63 Courtneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.17x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 63 4.17x
Barony 47 2.74x
Lambeth 39 2.13x
Shoreditch London 33 3.63x
Everton 31 3.91x
Holy Trinity 31 6.21x
Islington London 28 1.38x
Manchester 27 2.41x
Camberwell 26 1.94x
Newington 23 2.97x
Glasgow 22 1.83x
Swansea Town 22 7.35x
Tiverton 22 29.28x
Clifton 21 10.11x
St George In East London 21 10.66x
St Pancras London 21 1.25x
Swimbridge 21 238.10x
Deptford St Paul 20 3.63x
Toxteth Park 20 2.38x
South Molton 19 79.30x
Gorton 18 7.70x
Landkey 18 420.56x
Southampton St Mary 18 6.66x
Portsea 17 2.02x
West Ham 17 1.86x
Barnstaple 16 23.37x
Govan 16 0.95x
Paddington London 16 2.08x
Woolwich 16 6.06x
West Bromwich 15 3.70x
Byker 14 9.08x
Greenwich 14 4.20x
St Marylebone London 14 1.25x
Wigan 14 4.03x
Bethnal Green London 13 1.43x
Cleator 13 17.31x
Liff Benvie 13 4.41x
Pilton 13 90.28x
Romford 13 19.88x
Tranmere 13 7.65x
Kensington London 12 1.03x
Poplar London 12 3.03x
St George Hanover Square 12 3.25x
St Luke London 12 3.57x
Aston 11 0.76x
Crosscanonby 11 18.44x
Exeter Holy Trinity 11 64.37x
Harlington 11 99.55x
Portisham 11 214.84x
Rawmarsh 11 15.00x
Royal Navy 11 5.15x
Swanage 11 64.78x
Walsall Borough 11 20.03x
Birkenhead 10 2.71x
Buckland West 10 377.36x
Carlton In Lindrick 10 133.33x
Mynyddyslwyn 10 16.74x
Old Stratford 10 33.42x
Salford 10 1.37x
Sculcoates 10 3.04x
Barrow In Furness 9 2.66x
Birmingham 9 0.51x
Hackney London 9 0.77x
Littleham 9 28.22x
Roath 9 5.43x
Swansea Higher 9 23.68x
Wilton 9 68.70x
Abbas Combe 8 321.29x
Bishops Tawton 8 58.78x
Charminster 8 73.13x
Clapham 8 3.05x
Deptford St Nicholas 8 14.10x
Eastwood 8 8.00x
Hambleden 8 73.87x
Liskeard 8 20.16x
Llanbeblig 8 9.30x
Lyncombe Widcombe 8 9.06x
Spotland 8 2.89x
Walton On Hill 8 5.94x
West Anstey 8 476.19x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 118
William 116
Thomas 90
James 77
George 66
Charles 47
Henry 46
Edward 30
Joseph 23
Richard 20
Arthur 17
Michael 17
Robert 17
Alfred 16
Patrick 16
Albert 15
Francis 13
David 12
Frederick 11
Ernest 9
Harry 9
Samuel 9
Walter 9
Daniel 7
Edwin 7
Harold 7
Leonard 6
Philip 6
Stephen 6
Eugene 5
Hugh 5
Peter 5
Richd. 5
Bernard 4
Frank 4
Reginald 4
Chas. 3
Fred 3
Frederic 3
Geo. 3
Percy 3
Sidney 3
Sydney 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Ben 2
Cornelius 2
Mark 2
Pat. 2
Stanley 2

FAQ

Courtney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Courtney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,136 people were recorded with the Courtney surname. That placed it at #2,074 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Courtney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,040 in 2016. That gives Courtney a modern rank of #1,345.

What does the Courtney surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "short nose" in Old French, originally referring to someone from Courtney.

What does the Courtney map show?

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