NameCensus.

UK surname

Coward

An occupational surname for a cowherd, or one who tended cattle.

In the 1881 census there were 3,421 people recorded with the Coward surname, ranking it #1,335 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,427, ranked #1,990, down from #1,335 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gillingham, London parishes and Mere. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, South Lakeland and Eden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coward is 4,706 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.2%.

1881 census count

3,421

Ranked #1,335

Modern count

3,427

2016, ranked #1,990

Peak year

1911

4,706 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coward had 3,421 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,335 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,427 in 2016, ranked #1,990.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,706 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Coward surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coward surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Coward 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 2,439 #1,221
1861 historical 2,390 #1,228
1881 historical 3,421 #1,335
1891 historical 3,696 #1,291
1901 historical 4,252 #1,324
1911 historical 4,706 #1,098
1997 modern 3,862 #1,684
1998 modern 4,003 #1,688
1999 modern 3,990 #1,710
2000 modern 3,922 #1,728
2001 modern 3,824 #1,732
2002 modern 3,875 #1,748
2003 modern 3,774 #1,762
2004 modern 3,696 #1,788
2005 modern 3,622 #1,802
2006 modern 3,597 #1,817
2007 modern 3,569 #1,849
2008 modern 3,537 #1,877
2009 modern 3,606 #1,891
2010 modern 3,644 #1,913
2011 modern 3,630 #1,892
2012 modern 3,477 #1,942
2013 modern 3,562 #1,928
2014 modern 3,547 #1,947
2015 modern 3,499 #1,952
2016 modern 3,427 #1,990

Geography

Back to top

Where Cowards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gillingham, London parishes, Mere, Preston and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, South Lakeland, Eden and Barrow-in-Furness. 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 Gillingham Dorset
2 London parishes London 3
3 Mere Wiltshire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 050 Wiltshire
2 South Lakeland 008 South Lakeland
3 Eden 006 Eden
4 Barrow-in-Furness 001 Barrow-in-Furness
5 Barrow-in-Furness 002 Barrow-in-Furness

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Coward

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Coward

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Coward 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

Coward is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Coward falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Coward

The surname Coward has its origins in England and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "coart," which means "coward" or "lacking courage." The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone perceived as timid or faint-hearted.

In the early 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as Coward, Cowarde, and Couharde in various records and manuscripts across England. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name was in the Curia Regis Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1208, where a person named William Coward was mentioned.

The Coward surname was found in various parts of England, including Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Oxfordshire, among others. Some early examples include John Coward, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1327, and Robert Coward, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Coward surname gained prominence in England, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such person was Sir John Coward (1550-1632), a prominent merchant and alderman of London who served as the Sheriff of London in 1600 and the Lord Mayor of London in 1628.

Another notable figure was William Coward (1657-1725), an English physician and philosopher who wrote several treatises on philosophy, medicine, and theology. He is regarded as one of the earliest proponents of the theory of materialism in England.

In the 18th century, the Coward surname was associated with several places in England, such as Coward's Green in Cheshire and Coward's Wood in Hertfordshire. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the Coward surname who lived or owned land in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the Coward surname throughout history include Thomas Coward (1805-1865), an English painter and engraver known for his landscapes and book illustrations, and Sir Noël Coward (1899-1973), the renowned English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer who achieved international fame for his witty and sophisticated plays and musicals.

While the Coward surname may have had an unflattering origin as a descriptive nickname, it has become a respected and widely-distributed surname over the centuries, with many notable individuals bearing the name and contributing to various fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Coward families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coward 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 813 Cowards recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.05x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 813 2.05x
Yorkshire 494 1.49x
Dorset 258 11.74x
Middlesex 224 0.67x
Wiltshire 209 7.06x
Hampshire 194 2.83x
Cumberland 170 5.90x
Somerset 164 3.04x
Westmorland 131 17.80x
Surrey 123 0.75x
Kent 95 0.83x
Durham 77 0.77x
Cheshire 56 0.76x
Essex 45 0.68x
Gloucestershire 45 0.69x
Glamorgan 35 0.60x
Cambridgeshire 30 1.41x
Warwickshire 28 0.33x
Cornwall 27 0.71x
Devon 26 0.37x
Lincolnshire 20 0.37x
Berkshire 19 0.76x
Sussex 18 0.32x
Northumberland 17 0.34x
Monmouthshire 13 0.54x
Northamptonshire 13 0.41x
Hertfordshire 11 0.48x
Staffordshire 11 0.10x
Channel Islands 9 0.91x
Shropshire 9 0.31x
Buckinghamshire 8 0.40x
Brecknockshire 5 0.75x
Denbighshire 5 0.40x
Derbyshire 5 0.10x
Norfolk 5 0.10x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.09x
Cardiganshire 3 0.37x
Midlothian 2 0.04x
Oxfordshire 2 0.10x
Royal Navy 2 0.50x
Worcestershire 2 0.05x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.36x
Flintshire 1 0.11x
Herefordshire 1 0.07x
Leicestershire 1 0.03x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.13x
Morayshire 1 0.19x

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 103 Cowards recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.69x.

Place Total Index
Preston 103 9.69x
Mere 69 205.11x
Gillingham 68 180.04x
Sheffield 62 5.87x
Millom 59 66.77x
Ulverston 57 49.25x
Dalton In Furness 49 31.94x
Hawkshead Monk Coniston 42 303.25x
Portsea 41 3.05x
West Derby 40 3.44x
Motcombe 38 235.00x
Poole St James 37 44.81x
Church Coniston 36 323.16x
West Ham 34 2.33x
Battersea 33 2.68x
Knottingley 29 49.72x
Lambeth 29 0.99x
Toxteth Park 29 2.16x
Barrow In Furness 26 4.81x
Stourpaine 26 403.10x
Claife 24 379.15x
Kirkby Ireleth 24 121.09x
Leeds 24 1.28x
Bethnal Green London 23 1.58x
Ecclesall Bierlow 23 3.41x
Osmotherley 23 423.57x
Kensington London 22 1.18x
Nether Hallam 22 4.90x
Colton 21 101.40x
Hartlepool 21 14.83x
Islington London 21 0.65x
Kendal 21 15.59x
Bradford On Avon 20 21.09x
Everton 20 1.58x
Paddington London 20 1.62x
Wandsworth 19 5.89x
Blandford Forum 18 41.50x
Falmouth 18 13.41x
Greenwich 18 3.38x
Liverpool 18 0.75x
Patterdale 18 221.13x
Twerton 18 32.38x
Satterthwaite 17 327.55x
Southampton All Sts 17 14.43x
Lyncombe Widcombe 16 11.34x
Sittingbourne 16 17.73x
Wanstrow 16 423.28x
West Broughton 16 119.23x
Aston 15 0.65x
Cardiff St John 15 7.88x
Clifton 15 4.52x
St Andrewthe Less 15 6.19x
Aldingham 14 105.50x
Birkenhead 14 2.38x
Holbeach 14 23.48x
Whitehaven 14 9.11x
Applethwaite 13 59.23x
Beaghall 13 337.66x
Blackburn 13 1.23x
Cleator 13 10.83x
Hampreston 13 81.40x
Keswick 13 35.28x
Lonbridge Deverill 13 125.00x
St Pancras London 13 0.48x
Twickenham 13 9.05x
Hornsey 12 2.83x
Rotherham 12 6.41x
South Stoneham 12 8.06x
St George Hanover Square 12 2.03x
Thornton In Fylde 12 13.80x
Trowbridge 12 9.17x
Walcot 12 4.18x
Ambleside 11 48.22x
Chatham 11 3.50x
March 11 15.49x
North Stoneham 11 70.56x
Pennington In Leigh 11 14.43x
Romsey Extra 11 26.95x
Cridling Stubbs 10 313.48x
Wells St Cuthbert 10 27.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 247
Elizabeth 131
Sarah 122
Jane 82
Ann 63
Emily 60
Margaret 60
Emma 52
Annie 46
Ellen 46
Hannah 40
Agnes 39
Eliza 38
Alice 33
Frances 27
Martha 25
Florence 23
Charlotte 22
Ada 21
Edith 21
Fanny 20
Harriet 20
Isabella 19
Maria 17
Caroline 16
Esther 14
Kate 14
Clara 13
Amelia 12
Catherine 11
Eleanor 11
Julia 10
Lucy 10
Maud 10
Rebecca 10
Rose 10
Louisa 9
Minnie 9
Amy 8
Bessie 7
Harriett 7
Nancy 7
Susan 7
Beatrice 6
Cath 6
Elizth. 6
Ethel 6
Flora 6
Helen 6
Mabel 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 221
John 196
James 127
Thomas 113
George 99
Henry 89
Charles 70
Joseph 46
Robert 41
Edward 39
Frederick 38
Richard 28
Frank 27
Albert 24
Arthur 22
Alfred 21
Harry 18
Samuel 17
Walter 17
Ernest 14
Thos. 14
Edwin 13
Herbert 13
Fred 11
Matthew 10
Wm. 10
Isaac 8
Sidney 8
Alexander 6
Cornelius 6
Fredrick 6
Jeremiah 6
Tom 6
Benjamin 5
David 5
Fredk. 5
Jackson 5
Percy 5
Chas. 4
Francis 4
Horace 4
Jno. 4
Martin 4
Michael 4
Miles 4
Rowland 4
Willm. 4
Cecil 3
Jas. 3
Mathew 3

FAQ

Coward surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coward surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,421 people were recorded with the Coward surname. That placed it at #1,335 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coward surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,427 in 2016. That gives Coward a modern rank of #1,990.

What does the Coward surname mean?

An occupational surname for a cowherd, or one who tended cattle.

What does the Coward map show?

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