NameCensus.

UK surname

Coxhead

An English surname likely derived from an occupational name for a keeper of boats.

In the 1881 census there were 651 people recorded with the Coxhead surname, ranking it #5,488 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 862, ranked #6,507, down from #5,488 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Aldbourn, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Ribble and Amber Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coxhead is 997 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.4%.

1881 census count

651

Ranked #5,488

Modern count

862

2016, ranked #6,507

Peak year

1999

997 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coxhead had 651 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,488 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 862 in 2016, ranked #6,507.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 907 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Coxhead surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coxhead surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Coxhead 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 483 #5,157
1861 historical 469 #5,536
1881 historical 651 #5,488
1891 historical 702 #5,586
1901 historical 779 #5,767
1911 historical 907 #4,916
1997 modern 959 #5,672
1998 modern 992 #5,709
1999 modern 997 #5,728
2000 modern 992 #5,723
2001 modern 965 #5,752
2002 modern 986 #5,765
2003 modern 963 #5,776
2004 modern 973 #5,723
2005 modern 938 #5,837
2006 modern 931 #5,881
2007 modern 935 #5,915
2008 modern 933 #5,965
2009 modern 946 #6,016
2010 modern 936 #6,190
2011 modern 907 #6,288
2012 modern 890 #6,294
2013 modern 901 #6,336
2014 modern 891 #6,425
2015 modern 876 #6,446
2016 modern 862 #6,507

Geography

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Where Coxheads are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to South Ribble and Amber Valley. 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 Aldbourn Berkshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Alfreton Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Ribble 012 South Ribble
2 Amber Valley 004 Amber Valley
3 South Ribble 010 South Ribble
4 South Ribble 011 South Ribble
5 Amber Valley 003 Amber Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Coxhead

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Coxhead

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Coxhead is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Coxhead is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Coxhead falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Coxhead

The surname COXHEAD originates from England, with records dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to be an occupational name derived from the Old English words "cocc" meaning a spy or scout, and "heafod" meaning head, referring to a leader or chief of scouts.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several references to individuals with the name COXHEAD or similar spellings like Coxheued or Coxhevede. These entries suggest the name was present in various counties across England, including Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and Yorkshire.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the surname COXHEAD can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a Robert Coxheved is mentioned. Other early records include a John Coxheved listed in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1291.

The name COXHEAD has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Coxheath in Kent, which was once spelled Coxheved in historical documents from the 13th century.

Notable individuals with the surname COXHEAD throughout history include:

1. Sir Nathaniel Coxhead (1589-1672), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1647. 2. Thomas Coxhead (1640-1707), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works. 3. John Coxhead (1782-1860), an English engraver and painter known for his landscapes and portraits. 4. Henry Coxhead (1819-1876), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including St. Paul's Church in Wilton Place. 5. William Coxhead (1864-1938), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the late 19th century.

While the surname COXHEAD is not as common today as it once was, it remains an integral part of English heritage, reflecting the country's rich history and the diverse occupations of its people.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Coxhead families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coxhead 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 157 Coxheads recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.47x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 157 2.47x
Berkshire 134 28.11x
Lancashire 109 1.45x
Surrey 96 3.10x
Kent 30 1.38x
Wiltshire 30 5.34x
Hampshire 26 2.00x
Derbyshire 18 1.81x
Essex 10 0.80x
Somerset 10 0.98x
Staffordshire 10 0.47x
Sussex 5 0.47x
Yorkshire 5 0.08x
Devon 3 0.23x
Flintshire 1 0.59x
Glamorgan 1 0.09x
Hertfordshire 1 0.23x
Lanarkshire 1 0.05x
Lincolnshire 1 0.10x
Oxfordshire 1 0.26x
Warwickshire 1 0.06x
Worcestershire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 27 Coxheads recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.88x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 27 4.88x
Poplar London 20 16.69x
Hampstead Marshall 16 2962.96x
Aldbourn 14 428.13x
Hackney London 14 3.93x
Alfreton 13 43.05x
Clerkenwell London 13 8.67x
Deptford St Paul 13 7.78x
West Derby 13 5.90x
Reading St Mary 12 31.43x
St Pancras London 12 2.35x
Reading St Lawrence 11 107.84x
Southwark St George Martyr 11 8.61x
Bretherton 10 649.35x
Kingston On Thames 10 13.45x
Chelsea London 9 4.70x
Lambourn 9 190.68x
Tottenham 9 8.90x
Westminster St James 9 13.79x
Bickerstaffe 8 162.27x
Billinge Higher End 8 262.30x
Cookham 8 53.84x
East Ham 8 34.39x
Ham 8 579.71x
Hungerford 8 124.03x
Kingston Bagpuize 8 1454.55x
Midgham 8 1230.77x
Stoke D Abernon 8 888.89x
Burghfield 7 248.23x
Deptford St Nicholas 7 40.72x
Everton 7 2.91x
Hornsey 7 8.72x
Islington London 7 1.14x
Pemberton 7 23.30x
Penwortham 7 196.08x
Shoreditch London 7 2.54x
Wantage 7 92.11x
Whittle Le Woods 7 280.00x
Woodplumpton 7 260.22x
Fawley 6 1200.00x
Reading St Giles 6 12.83x
Stoke Newington London 6 12.13x
Windle 6 14.15x
Winkfield 6 75.85x
Wolverhampton 6 3.64x
Charlton 5 303.03x
Croydon 5 2.91x
Eastbourne 5 10.15x
Farnham 5 20.78x
Inkpen 5 333.33x
Longton 5 157.73x
Southampton St Mary 5 6.11x
St George Bloomsbury 5 13.73x
Tibshelf 5 102.46x
Ventnor 5 40.39x
Wiveliscombe 5 87.72x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.45x
Hutton 4 470.59x
Liverpool 4 0.87x
Newington 4 1.71x
Paddington London 4 1.71x
Pendleton In Salford 4 4.46x
Ramsbury 4 78.59x
St George Martyr London 4 31.10x
St Marylebone London 4 1.18x
Toxteth Park 4 1.57x
Walcot 4 7.35x
Wednesbury 4 7.47x
Bisley 3 211.27x
Chisledon 3 117.65x
Devizes St Mary 3 52.82x
Greenwich 3 2.97x
Hampstead London 3 3.03x
Portsea 3 1.18x
St George Hanover Square 3 2.68x
Walton Le Dale 3 14.81x
Wandsworth 3 4.91x
Wentworth 3 76.92x
West Woodhay 3 1200.00x
Windlesham 3 51.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 52
Elizabeth 28
Sarah 25
Alice 16
Ann 14
Jane 14
Ellen 12
Emily 12
Emma 12
Martha 12
Annie 8
Lucy 7
Fanny 6
Harriet 6
Caroline 5
Charlotte 5
Edith 5
Eliza 5
Hannah 5
Louisa 5
Amy 4
Catherine 4
Amelia 3
Eleanor 3
Florence 3
Frances 3
Maria 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Beatrice 2
Clara 2
Francis 2
Gertrude 2
Jessie 2
Lilian 2
Matilda 2
Minnie 2
Rachel 2
Rosa 2
Agusta 1
Augusta 1
Beatice 1
C.J. 1
E.M. 1
Elizath 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Hester 1
Isabele 1
Isabella 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 43
Thomas 32
John 25
George 21
James 21
Edward 18
Charles 17
Henry 16
Arthur 11
Frederick 11
Robert 8
Joseph 6
Richard 6
Alfred 5
Peter 5
Ernest 4
Harry 4
Albert 3
Francis 3
Walter 3
Amos 2
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Geo. 2
Samuel 2
Charlotte 1
Cresswell 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Ethelbert 1
F.C. 1
Frances 1
Fred. 1
Fredk 1
Fredk.John 1
Fredrick 1
Godfrey 1
Horace 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
J.A. 1
J.T. 1
Jesse 1
Leonard 1
Ralph 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
T.G. 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Coxhead surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coxhead surname in 1881?

In 1881, 651 people were recorded with the Coxhead surname. That placed it at #5,488 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coxhead surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 862 in 2016. That gives Coxhead a modern rank of #6,507.

What does the Coxhead surname mean?

An English surname likely derived from an occupational name for a keeper of boats.

What does the Coxhead map show?

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