NameCensus.

UK surname

Cox

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of cocks, an old English word for chickens.

In the 1881 census there were 44,382 people recorded with the Cox surname, ranking it #67 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 61,731, ranked #77, down from #67 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cotswold, Mendip and West Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cox is 66,035 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.1%.

1881 census count

44,382

Ranked #67

Modern count

61,731

2016, ranked #77

Peak year

1999

66,035 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cox had 44,382 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #67 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 61,731 in 2016, ranked #77.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 58,145 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cox surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cox surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cox 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 28,317 #70
1881 historical 44,382 #67
1891 historical 953 #4,346
1901 historical 58,145 #63
1911 historical 2 #34,020
1997 modern 63,313 #67
1998 modern 65,826 #67
1999 modern 66,035 #67
2000 modern 65,482 #67
2001 modern 63,910 #67
2002 modern 65,000 #67
2003 modern 63,285 #67
2004 modern 63,250 #67
2005 modern 61,755 #68
2006 modern 61,271 #70
2007 modern 61,561 #70
2008 modern 61,728 #72
2009 modern 63,031 #72
2010 modern 63,966 #74
2011 modern 63,436 #74
2012 modern 61,845 #76
2013 modern 62,839 #76
2014 modern 62,932 #76
2015 modern 62,182 #76
2016 modern 61,731 #77

Geography

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Where Cox' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cotswold, Mendip, West Dorset, Dudley and Sedgemoor. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cotswold 011 Cotswold
2 Mendip 010 Mendip
3 West Dorset 004 West Dorset
4 Dudley 008 Dudley
5 Sedgemoor 002 Sedgemoor

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cox

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cox

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

Cox is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Cox

The surname Cox originated in England during the medieval period, derived from the Old English word 'coc', meaning a lookout or watchman. It was an occupational name given to those who worked as sentries or guards, particularly in coastal regions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book mentions several individuals with the name Cox or similar spellings like Coc and Cok.

In the 13th century, the name Cox appeared in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed people with the surname Cox or its variants in counties such as Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, and Somerset.

The surname Cox was also associated with certain place names, such as Coxheath in Kent, which derived its name from the Old English words 'coc' and 'hæth', meaning a lookout on a heath or open land.

Notable individuals with the surname Cox throughout history include:

1. Sir Richard Cox (1650-1733), an Anglo-Irish historian and author of the "Hibernia Anglicana" and other works on Irish history. 2. David Cox (1783-1859), an English landscape painter known for his watercolor paintings of Birmingham and the surrounding areas. 3. Kenyon Cox (1856-1919), an American painter, illustrator, and writer who was a leading figure in the American Renaissance movement. 4. James M. Cox (1870-1957), an American politician and publisher who served as the 46th and 48th Governor of Ohio and was the Democratic nominee for President in 1920. 5. Renée Cox (born 1960), an American contemporary artist known for her thought-provoking and often controversial mixed-media works exploring themes of race, gender, and identity.

While the surname Cox has evolved over time, it remains a testament to the occupational roots and historical significance of those who once served as watchmen and sentries in medieval England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cox families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cox 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 6,346 Cox' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.43x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 6,346 1.43x
Surrey 3,105 1.44x
Warwickshire 2,364 2.12x
Somerset 2,357 3.31x
Staffordshire 2,304 1.54x
Gloucestershire 2,088 2.40x
Lancashire 2,002 0.38x
Yorkshire 1,911 0.44x
Kent 1,766 1.17x
Hampshire 1,438 1.58x
Devon 1,258 1.36x
Berkshire 1,228 3.70x
Oxfordshire 1,103 4.03x
Worcestershire 1,097 1.90x
Essex 1,069 1.22x
Northamptonshire 1,042 2.50x
Leicestershire 940 1.91x
Dorset 919 3.16x
Sussex 872 1.17x
Lincolnshire 832 1.18x
Derbyshire 769 1.11x
Buckinghamshire 732 2.73x
Bedfordshire 702 3.06x
Nottinghamshire 674 1.13x
Norfolk 658 0.97x
Wiltshire 615 1.57x
Glamorgan 493 0.64x
Hertfordshire 482 1.58x
Durham 481 0.37x
Cambridgeshire 420 1.50x
Cheshire 401 0.41x
Shropshire 327 0.85x
Monmouthshire 305 0.95x
Lanarkshire 297 0.21x
Suffolk 270 0.50x
Herefordshire 206 1.13x
Huntingdonshire 202 2.30x
Cornwall 188 0.38x
Angus 144 0.35x
Northumberland 134 0.20x
Midlothian 133 0.22x
Rutland 116 3.57x
Channel Islands 69 0.53x
Stirlingshire 55 0.34x
Ayrshire 51 0.15x
Royal Navy 51 0.97x
Renfrewshire 39 0.11x
Aberdeenshire 38 0.09x
Brecknockshire 36 0.41x
Cumberland 36 0.09x
Perthshire 30 0.15x
Dunbartonshire 18 0.15x
Westmorland 18 0.19x
Berwickshire 15 0.28x
Flintshire 15 0.13x
Carmarthenshire 14 0.08x
Isle of Man 14 0.17x
Pembrokeshire 10 0.07x
Caernarfonshire 9 0.05x
Wigtownshire 9 0.15x
Dumfriesshire 8 0.08x
Anglesey 7 0.09x
East Lothian 6 0.10x
Inverness-shire 6 0.05x
Radnorshire 6 0.17x
Roxburghshire 6 0.07x
Fife 5 0.02x
Merionethshire 5 0.06x
Cardiganshire 4 0.04x
Denbighshire 4 0.02x
West Lothian 3 0.05x
Peeblesshire 2 0.10x
Ross-shire 2 0.02x
Argyllshire 1 0.01x
Buteshire 1 0.04x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.03x
Kinross-shire 1 0.09x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.02x
Selkirkshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 759 Cox' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.04x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 759 2.04x
Islington London 608 1.42x
Lambeth 589 1.53x
Aston 586 1.91x
St Pancras London 512 1.44x
Camberwell 419 1.48x
Hackney London 414 1.67x
Sedgley 352 6.34x
Leicester St Margaret 338 2.82x
Bethnal Green London 333 1.73x
Kensington London 329 1.34x
Shoreditch London 300 1.56x
St Marylebone London 270 1.14x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 262 3.20x
Portsea 261 1.47x
Wolverhampton 258 2.25x
West Ham 239 1.24x
Mile End Old Town London 238 2.53x
Newington 229 1.40x
Chelsea London 225 1.69x
Battersea 224 1.37x
Paddington London 218 1.34x
Bedminster 204 3.05x
Nottingham St Mary 188 1.22x
West Bromwich 186 2.17x
Clerkenwell London 183 1.75x
Liverpool 176 0.55x
Cheltenham 172 2.57x
Hammersmith London 167 1.53x
Bermondsey 163 1.24x
Brighton 159 1.06x
Deptford St Paul 156 1.34x
Leeds 152 0.61x
St George Hanover Square 152 1.95x
Rowley Regis 143 3.43x
Croydon 137 1.14x
Tipton 131 2.86x
Walsall Foreign 128 1.66x
Harborne 126 2.63x
Kingswinford 126 2.32x
Poplar London 125 1.50x
Bromley London 124 1.27x
Gradley 120 42.96x
Luton 117 2.95x
Toxteth Park 116 0.65x
St Luke London 113 1.59x
Wigan 108 1.47x
Tottenham 101 1.43x
Rotherhithe 97 1.77x
Walcot 95 2.50x
Brightside Bierlow 94 1.09x
Hampstead London 94 1.36x
Tetbury 94 19.10x
Greenwich 93 1.32x
Ealing 92 2.33x
Reading St Giles 91 2.79x
Southwark St George Martyr 91 1.02x
Bilston 90 3.11x
Kings Norton 89 1.72x
Leicester St Mary 88 2.22x
Dundee 86 0.56x
Plumstead 86 1.71x
Salford 85 0.55x
Manchester 84 0.36x
Southampton St Mary 84 1.47x
Oldbury 83 2.92x
Chorlton On Medlock 82 0.98x
Northampton Priory St 81 3.24x
Bristol St George 80 1.99x
St George In East London 80 1.92x
Plymouth St Andrew 79 1.11x
Tonbridge 78 1.43x
Weston Super Mare 78 4.33x
Basford 77 2.80x
Tilehurst 77 11.47x
Cradley 76 14.54x
Derby St Werburgh 76 1.90x
Wandsworth 76 1.78x
Fulham London 75 1.17x
Ystradyfodwg 75 1.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2,766
Elizabeth 1,760
Sarah 1,595
Eliza 809
Ann 796
Jane 777
Emma 767
Ellen 732
Alice 668
Annie 660
Emily 637
Louisa 381
Hannah 371
Martha 335
Charlotte 328
Harriet 307
Fanny 292
Caroline 291
Edith 285
Florence 271
Ada 268
Margaret 258
Maria 256
Catherine 235
Clara 232
Lucy 202
Susan 199
Kate 195
Harriett 180
Frances 163
Anne 162
Rose 157
Agnes 150
Amelia 138
Matilda 136
Rebecca 129
Esther 108
Julia 105
Amy 103
Sophia 103
Minnie 101
Elizth. 96
Lydia 89
Gertrude 84
Susannah 83
Bessie 81
Isabella 79
Ethel 77
Maud 77
Jessie 75

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 2,856
John 2,172
George 1,668
Thomas 1,422
James 1,303
Charles 1,106
Henry 1,042
Joseph 757
Frederick 563
Alfred 546
Edward 543
Arthur 477
Robert 401
Walter 374
Samuel 368
Albert 365
Richard 346
Harry 289
Frank 227
Ernest 211
Edwin 194
Herbert 192
Francis 156
Benjamin 151
David 127
Wm. 96
Fred 93
Daniel 92
Stephen 91
Thos. 78
Isaac 76
Fredrick 63
Sidney 62
Tom 56
Patrick 55
Geo. 53
Chas. 49
Fredk. 48
Jesse 48
Edmund 39
Percy 39
Michael 37
Mark 35
Peter 35
Edgar 33
Job 32
Matthew 32
Sydney 32
Josiah 31
Willie 31

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Cox households.

FAQ

Cox surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cox surname in 1881?

In 1881, 44,382 people were recorded with the Cox surname. That placed it at #67 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cox surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 61,731 in 2016. That gives Cox a modern rank of #77.

What does the Cox surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of cocks, an old English word for chickens.

What does the Cox map show?

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