NameCensus.

UK surname

Cozens

A variant spelling of the English surname "Cousins", referring to a kinsman or blood relative.

In the 1881 census there were 1,322 people recorded with the Cozens surname, ranking it #3,105 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,867, ranked #3,410, down from #3,105 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, King's Lynn St Margaret and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Dorset, Bath and North East Somerset and Southampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cozens is 2,070 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.2%.

1881 census count

1,322

Ranked #3,105

Modern count

1,867

2016, ranked #3,410

Peak year

1998

2,070 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cozens had 1,322 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,105 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,867 in 2016, ranked #3,410.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,880 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Cozens surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cozens surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cozens 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 973 #2,868
1861 historical 765 #3,587
1881 historical 1,322 #3,105
1891 historical 1,207 #3,553
1901 historical 1,656 #3,112
1911 historical 1,880 #2,628
1997 modern 2,027 #3,027
1998 modern 2,070 #3,075
1999 modern 2,070 #3,100
2000 modern 2,063 #3,093
2001 modern 2,022 #3,083
2002 modern 2,055 #3,106
2003 modern 1,993 #3,124
2004 modern 1,971 #3,157
2005 modern 1,915 #3,201
2006 modern 1,890 #3,243
2007 modern 1,878 #3,286
2008 modern 1,896 #3,283
2009 modern 1,951 #3,281
2010 modern 1,984 #3,299
2011 modern 1,965 #3,281
2012 modern 1,908 #3,317
2013 modern 1,917 #3,356
2014 modern 1,930 #3,354
2015 modern 1,884 #3,388
2016 modern 1,867 #3,410

Geography

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Where Cozens' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, King's Lynn St Margaret, St Pancras and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Dorset, Bath and North East Somerset, Southampton, Taunton Deane and Wiltshire. 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 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Dorset 005 West Dorset
2 Bath and North East Somerset 010 Bath and North East Somerset
3 Southampton 027 Southampton
4 Taunton Deane 005 Taunton Deane
5 Wiltshire 003 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cozens

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cozens

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cozens, 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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Cozens surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cozens household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Cozens is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cozens is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cozens falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cozens

The surname Cozens is believed to have originated in England, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is thought to be a variant of the more common surname Cosins, which derives from the Old French word "cosin," meaning "cousin" or "kinsman."

One of the earliest known references to the Cozens surname can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which recorded land ownership and taxation records in various English counties. This document mentions a John Cozun residing in Oxfordshire.

During the medieval period, the name Cozens was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire. It is believed that the name may have originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who was closely related to another individual or family.

In the 16th century, the Cozens surname appeared in various parish records, such as baptisms, marriages, and burials. One notable example is Richard Cozens, who was baptized in 1564 in the parish of St. Giles, Cripplegate, London.

Throughout the centuries, the Cozens surname has been subject to various spelling variations, including Cozyn, Cozin, Cozun, and Cozen. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the inconsistencies of historical record-keeping.

Among the notable individuals bearing the Cozens surname is Benjamin Cozens (1784-1868), a renowned British landscape painter known for his works depicting the scenery of the Lake District and Wales. Another noteworthy figure is John Cozens (1752-1799), an English painter and drawing master who significantly influenced the development of the English watercolor tradition.

In the realm of literature, Samuel Cozens (1786-1858) was an English clergyman and writer who published several works, including a memoir titled "A Tour Through the Isle of Thanet, and Some Other Parts of East Kent." Additionally, Cyrus Cozens (1807-1888) was an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London.

The Cozens surname has also been associated with places and locations. For instance, Cozens Farm in Berkshire, England, dates back to the 16th century and has been documented in historical records from that time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cozens families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cozens 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 264 Cozens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.06x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 264 2.06x
Norfolk 170 8.61x
Kent 136 3.10x
Hampshire 103 3.91x
Somerset 101 4.89x
Surrey 95 1.52x
Staffordshire 52 1.20x
Dorset 51 6.05x
Pembrokeshire 43 10.54x
Hertfordshire 33 3.73x
Sussex 32 1.48x
Oxfordshire 30 3.78x
Berkshire 27 2.80x
Lancashire 26 0.17x
Essex 25 0.99x
Wiltshire 18 1.59x
Gloucestershire 16 0.64x
Northamptonshire 10 0.83x
Yorkshire 10 0.08x
Cambridgeshire 8 0.98x
Warwickshire 8 0.25x
Buckinghamshire 7 0.90x
Northumberland 7 0.37x
Glamorgan 5 0.22x
Midlothian 5 0.29x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.74x
Devon 4 0.15x
Lincolnshire 4 0.19x
Cornwall 3 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.17x
Bedfordshire 2 0.30x
Herefordshire 2 0.38x
Lanarkshire 2 0.05x
Shropshire 2 0.18x
Worcestershire 2 0.12x
Cheshire 1 0.04x
Cumberland 1 0.09x
Derbyshire 1 0.05x
Monmouthshire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 0.65x
Suffolk 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Walsall Foreign in Staffordshire leads with 47 Cozens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.00x.

Place Total Index
Walsall Foreign 47 21.00x
St Marylebone London 44 6.42x
St Mary Extra 41 193.58x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 39 65.81x
St Pancras London 27 2.61x
Hackney London 24 3.33x
Heigham 21 19.82x
Deptford St Paul 20 5.92x
Lambeth 20 1.79x
Hound 18 100.78x
Paddington London 18 3.81x
Willesden 18 14.87x
Chelsea London 17 4.39x
Kensington London 17 2.38x
Battersea 16 3.39x
Bridgewater 15 26.74x
Canterbury St Paul 15 190.84x
South Lynn 15 67.36x
Broxbourne 13 74.12x
Islington London 13 1.04x
Furzey Park Portfield 12 1008.40x
Newington 12 2.53x
North Wootton 12 845.07x
Dorchester 11 247.19x
Charlton 10 34.38x
St George Hanover Square 10 4.42x
St Issells 10 115.87x
West Derby 10 2.24x
Brightwell 9 330.88x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 9 3.80x
Gaywood 9 254.24x
Herne 9 46.42x
Pembroke St Mary 9 17.13x
Peterborough 9 10.30x
Enford 8 207.79x
Epsom 8 26.25x
Ickham Well 8 318.73x
Kington Langley 8 320.00x
Moorlinch 8 727.27x
Ruishton 8 384.62x
Sutton 8 17.68x
Tonbridge 8 5.06x
Upchurch 8 161.94x
Warham All Sts 8 747.66x
Barrington 7 380.43x
Calbourne 7 248.23x
Clenchwarton 7 238.10x
Clerkenwell London 7 2.31x
East Ham 7 14.88x
Norwich St Paul 7 59.22x
Pitminster 7 115.32x
Portsea 7 1.36x
Seasalter 7 126.58x
Tottenham 7 3.42x
Tynemouth 7 6.84x
Wimbledon 7 9.97x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.08x
Bexley 6 15.50x
Broughton 6 151.13x
Caversham 6 37.83x
Cholsey 6 78.74x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 2.48x
Colchester St Giles 6 23.96x
Deptford St Nicholas 6 17.26x
Dorchester Holy Trinity 6 87.98x
Ecclesall Bierlow 6 2.32x
Enfield 6 7.12x
Erith 6 13.91x
Millbrook 6 9.05x
St Botolph Aldgate London 6 22.69x
Sutton 6 89.02x
Worle 6 140.85x
Abbotsbury 5 116.28x
Costessey 5 117.92x
East Molesey 5 34.46x
Maenclochog 5 236.97x
Milton In Gravesend 5 7.61x
North Mimms 5 89.77x
Norwich St Michael At 5 43.67x
Patcham 5 128.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 83
George 55
John 46
Charles 39
James 29
Thomas 28
Henry 23
Alfred 22
Edward 21
Samuel 21
Arthur 20
Frederick 18
Robert 18
Frank 14
Walter 13
Herbert 12
Albert 9
Ernest 9
Daniel 8
Richard 8
Benjamin 6
Edwin 6
Joseph 6
Geo. 5
Harry 5
Percy 5
Leonard 4
Francis 3
Fredk. 3
Sidney 3
Stephen 3
Sydney 3
Thos. 3
Adolphus 2
Andrew 2
Archibald 2
Chas. 2
Christopher 2
Costley 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Reuben 2
Barjew 1
Bertie 1
Cornelius 1
Ebenezar 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Gorge 1
Zadak 1

FAQ

Cozens surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cozens surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,322 people were recorded with the Cozens surname. That placed it at #3,105 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cozens surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,867 in 2016. That gives Cozens a modern rank of #3,410.

What does the Cozens surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English surname "Cousins", referring to a kinsman or blood relative.

What does the Cozens map show?

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