UK surname
A locational surname derived from any of several places named Coxen or Cox-en in England.
In the 1881 census there were 202 people recorded with the Coxen surname, ranking it #12,753 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 60, ranked #34,340, down from #12,753 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Battersea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coxen is 202 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 70.3%.
1881 census count
202
Ranked #12,753
Modern count
60
2016, ranked #34,340
Peak year
1881
202 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Coxen surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Coxen surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 173 | #11,629 |
| 1861 | historical | 148 | #15,452 |
| 1881 | historical | 202 | #12,753 |
| 1891 | historical | 188 | #15,609 |
| 1901 | historical | 151 | #17,988 |
| 1911 | historical | 163 | #16,939 |
| 1997 | modern | 82 | #29,325 |
| 1998 | modern | 84 | #29,537 |
| 1999 | modern | 83 | #29,823 |
| 2000 | modern | 84 | #29,706 |
| 2001 | modern | 82 | #29,714 |
| 2002 | modern | 82 | #30,181 |
| 2003 | modern | 67 | #31,796 |
| 2004 | modern | 72 | #31,488 |
| 2005 | modern | 79 | #30,950 |
| 2006 | modern | 77 | #31,510 |
| 2007 | modern | 71 | #32,484 |
| 2008 | modern | 70 | #32,856 |
| 2009 | modern | 66 | #33,538 |
| 2010 | modern | 68 | #33,632 |
| 2011 | modern | 61 | #34,121 |
| 2012 | modern | 57 | #34,452 |
| 2013 | modern | 61 | #34,317 |
| 2014 | modern | 61 | #34,343 |
| 2015 | modern | 60 | #34,361 |
| 2016 | modern | 60 | #34,340 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Battersea, Portsmouth, Portsea and Stapenhill. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside | Durham |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Battersea | London (South Districts) |
| 4 | Portsmouth, Portsea | Hampshire |
| 5 | Stapenhill | Staffordshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Coxen surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Coxen, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Coxen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Coxen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Coxen is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Coxen is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Coxen, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Coxen is of Anglo-Saxon English origin, deriving from the Old English occupational name "coc" meaning a cook or someone who prepared food. It is believed to have emerged around the 11th century in various parts of England.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a record of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. Entries such as Coc de Coleshill in Warwickshire and Willielmus Coc in Oxfordshire suggest the name was already in use by this time.
In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms like Cok, Coke, and Cokes, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in spelling. John Coxen, born around 1230 in Lincolnshire, is one of the earliest individuals recorded with this specific spelling.
The name was also associated with certain place names, such as Coxhoe in County Durham, which was recorded as Coxhow in the 12th century, likely derived from the Old English words "cocc" (a hill) and "hoh" (a ridge or spur of land).
Notable bearers of the Coxen surname include Sir Thomas Coxen (1497-1567), a prominent English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers, who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1558. Another was Robert Coxen (1570-1630), an English clergyman and biblical scholar who served as the Dean of Salisbury Cathedral.
In the 17th century, Richard Coxen (1623-1686) was a renowned English lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. His contemporary, Samuel Coxen (1629-1676), was a respected English nonconformist minister and writer.
During the 18th century, John Coxen (1732-1796) was a notable British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and achieved the rank of Rear Admiral.
While the origins of the Coxen surname can be traced back to medieval England, its bearers have since spread across various parts of the world, carrying on the legacy of this occupational name with a rich historical significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coxen surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 46 Coxens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.33x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 46 | 2.33x |
| Durham | 30 | 5.12x |
| Surrey | 14 | 1.46x |
| Derbyshire | 13 | 4.21x |
| Monmouthshire | 13 | 9.13x |
| Warwickshire | 13 | 2.62x |
| Cheshire | 12 | 2.76x |
| Dorset | 9 | 6.96x |
| Northumberland | 9 | 3.07x |
| Glamorgan | 7 | 2.04x |
| Yorkshire | 7 | 0.36x |
| Lincolnshire | 6 | 1.90x |
| Lancashire | 5 | 0.21x |
| Staffordshire | 4 | 0.60x |
| Wiltshire | 4 | 2.30x |
| Gloucestershire | 2 | 0.52x |
| Hampshire | 2 | 0.50x |
| Worcestershire | 2 | 0.78x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 0.68x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.26x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 0.38x |
| Oxfordshire | 1 | 0.82x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chopwell in Durham leads with 15 Coxens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1376.15x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Coxen surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 13 |
| Elizabeth | 10 |
| Sarah | 9 |
| Margaret | 7 |
| Ellen | 5 |
| Ann | 4 |
| Annie | 4 |
| Fanny | 3 |
| Harriet | 3 |
| Maria | 3 |
| Martha | 3 |
| Alice | 2 |
| Clara | 2 |
| Edith | 2 |
| Ada | 1 |
| Agnes | 1 |
| Ammie | 1 |
| Anne | 1 |
| Bridget | 1 |
| Charlotte | 1 |
| Dorothy | 1 |
| Eliza | 1 |
| Emily | 1 |
| Emma | 1 |
| Florence | 1 |
| Floret | 1 |
| Georgina | 1 |
| Hannah | 1 |
| Honora | 1 |
| Isabella | 1 |
| Jane | 1 |
| John | 1 |
| Julia | 1 |
| Juliet | 1 |
| Kate | 1 |
| Laura | 1 |
| Louisa | 1 |
| Lucy | 1 |
| Nellie | 1 |
| Nina | 1 |
| Rebecca | 1 |
| Rosalie | 1 |
| Rose | 1 |
| Rosilind | 1 |
| Susan | 1 |
| Susannah | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Coxen surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| William | 14 |
| James | 8 |
| George | 7 |
| John | 6 |
| Richard | 6 |
| Charles | 5 |
| Thomas | 5 |
| Robert | 4 |
| Samuel | 4 |
| Fredk. | 3 |
| Harry | 3 |
| Joseph | 3 |
| Anthony | 2 |
| Frank | 2 |
| Frederick | 2 |
| Gedion | 2 |
| Mark | 2 |
| Albert | 1 |
| Alfred | 1 |
| Arthur | 1 |
| C.W. | 1 |
| Cecil | 1 |
| Christopher | 1 |
| Edward | 1 |
| Edwin | 1 |
| Francis | 1 |
| Fredk.A. | 1 |
| Fredric | 1 |
| Harrold | 1 |
| Henry | 1 |
| Herbert | 1 |
| Isaac | 1 |
| Jas. | 1 |
| Nicholas | 1 |
| Reg. | 1 |
| Richd. | 1 |
| Smith | 1 |
| Thos. | 1 |
| Wm. | 1 |
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 Coxen households.
FAQ
In 1881, 202 people were recorded with the Coxen surname. That placed it at #12,753 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 60 in 2016. That gives Coxen a modern rank of #34,340.
A locational surname derived from any of several places named Coxen or Cox-en in England.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Coxen bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.