NameCensus.

UK surname

Cummins

Derived from a personal name meaning "son of Cuimín," which is an Irish diminutive of Colm, meaning "dove."

In the 1881 census there were 2,553 people recorded with the Cummins surname, ranking it #1,751 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,381, ranked #1,246, up from #1,751 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Runnymede and Scarborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cummins is 5,843 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 110.8%.

1881 census count

2,553

Ranked #1,751

Modern count

5,381

2016, ranked #1,246

Peak year

2010

5,843 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cummins had 2,553 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,751 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,381 in 2016, ranked #1,246.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,217 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Cummins surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cummins surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cummins 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 1,907 #1,517
1861 historical 1,745 #1,651
1881 historical 2,553 #1,751
1891 historical 2,339 #2,010
1901 historical 2,670 #2,067
1911 historical 3,217 #1,616
1997 modern 5,397 #1,207
1998 modern 5,537 #1,226
1999 modern 5,606 #1,221
2000 modern 5,576 #1,220
2001 modern 5,471 #1,214
2002 modern 5,575 #1,220
2003 modern 5,412 #1,229
2004 modern 5,449 #1,216
2005 modern 5,316 #1,229
2006 modern 5,373 #1,210
2007 modern 5,431 #1,203
2008 modern 5,490 #1,199
2009 modern 5,682 #1,186
2010 modern 5,843 #1,175
2011 modern 5,728 #1,180
2012 modern 5,491 #1,215
2013 modern 5,545 #1,228
2014 modern 5,576 #1,227
2015 modern 5,432 #1,239
2016 modern 5,381 #1,246

Geography

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Where Cummins' are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Runnymede, Scarborough, County Durham and Flintshire. 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 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 019 Kirklees
2 Runnymede 006 Runnymede
3 Scarborough 003 Scarborough
4 County Durham 064 County Durham
5 Flintshire 003 Flintshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cummins

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cummins

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Cummins surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Cummins household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cummins 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

Cummins is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cummins falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cummins is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Cummins, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cummins

The surname Cummins originated in England, and it derives from the ancient British place name Cumdun or Cumdene. This place name is believed to have meant "valley of the Cymri" or "valley of the Britons." The name was first recorded in the early 11th century.

The Cummins surname has been found in various historical records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared as "de Comindene." This entry referred to a landowner in Staffordshire, England, who held lands from the Earl of Shrewsbury.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Cummins was Sir John Cummins, a Knight of Wiltshire, who lived during the reign of King Edward III (1327-1377). He was known for his military service and his participation in the Hundred Years' War against France.

Another notable figure was Sir Robert Cummins, who was born in Gloucestershire, England, in the late 15th century. He served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in 1547 and was knighted by King Henry VIII.

In the 16th century, a branch of the Cummins family settled in Ireland, where the name was anglicized to Comyn or Cumyn. One of the most prominent members of this Irish branch was Sir Richard Cumyn, who was born in Dublin in 1572. He served as Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1621 and played a significant role in the city's affairs during a turbulent period of Irish history.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Cummins family emigrated to the American colonies, where they settled in Virginia and Maryland. One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname in America was John Cummins, who was born in England in 1621 and arrived in Virginia in 1639.

Another notable figure was Samuel Cummins, who was born in Ireland in 1678 and later immigrated to Pennsylvania. He became a prominent landowner and was involved in the early settlement of the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cummins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cummins 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 553 Cummins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.87x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 553 1.87x
Middlesex 252 1.01x
Durham 243 3.28x
Hampshire 232 4.54x
Yorkshire 168 0.68x
Surrey 141 1.16x
Gloucestershire 121 2.47x
Glamorgan 80 1.84x
Wiltshire 76 3.45x
Kent 64 0.75x
Cheshire 63 1.14x
Lincolnshire 63 1.58x
Devon 61 1.18x
Northumberland 51 1.37x
Berkshire 42 2.24x
Sussex 30 0.71x
Somerset 28 0.70x
Warwickshire 28 0.45x
Staffordshire 24 0.29x
Essex 23 0.47x
Oxfordshire 21 1.36x
Dorset 20 1.22x
Renfrewshire 15 0.78x
Cornwall 13 0.46x
Lanarkshire 13 0.16x
Nottinghamshire 13 0.39x
Derbyshire 11 0.28x
Norfolk 9 0.23x
Stirlingshire 9 0.98x
Monmouthshire 8 0.44x
Perthshire 8 0.71x
Anglesey 7 1.58x
Angus 6 0.26x
Channel Islands 5 0.68x
Cumberland 5 0.23x
Royal Navy 5 1.68x
Shropshire 5 0.23x
Fife 4 0.27x
Herefordshire 4 0.39x
Leicestershire 4 0.14x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.50x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.20x
Dunbartonshire 3 0.45x
Ayrshire 2 0.11x
Brecknockshire 2 0.40x
Hertfordshire 2 0.12x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.40x
Kincardineshire 2 0.66x
Midlothian 2 0.06x
Wigtownshire 2 0.60x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.04x
Buteshire 1 0.66x
Suffolk 1 0.03x
West Lothian 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 113 Cummins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.29x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 113 6.29x
Manchester 82 6.16x
Toxteth Park 40 3.99x
Lambeth 38 1.75x
Leeds 36 2.58x
Roath 35 17.75x
Everton 30 3.18x
Andover 29 60.07x
Kirkdale 29 5.83x
St Pancras London 29 1.45x
Portsea 28 2.80x
Westoe 28 6.66x
Buttermere 27 2454.55x
Islington London 26 1.08x
Newington 22 2.39x
Bradford 21 3.51x
Gateshead 20 3.60x
Kensington London 20 1.44x
Kingsclere 20 85.69x
Bromley London 19 3.46x
Ham 19 1117.65x
St Marylebone London 19 1.43x
West Derby 19 2.20x
St Mary Bourne 18 194.17x
Southampton St Mary 17 5.29x
Burghclere 16 246.53x
Heworth 16 10.95x
Marston 16 363.64x
Vernham Dean 16 313.73x
Widnes 16 7.50x
Bishopwearmouth 15 2.36x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 15 3.26x
Preston 15 1.90x
St Giles In Fields London 15 12.26x
Westgate 15 6.53x
Wolverhampton 15 2.32x
Aldershot 14 8.18x
Framwellgate 14 31.85x
Gorton 14 5.03x
Hackney London 14 1.00x
Monkwearmouth Shore 14 9.67x
Warrington 14 3.99x
Newent 13 52.31x
Reading St Giles 13 7.08x
St Luke London 13 3.25x
Aston 12 0.69x
Bethnal Green London 12 1.11x
Brandon Byshottles 12 12.91x
Darlington 12 4.19x
Elswick 12 4.05x
North Meols 12 4.14x
Port Glasgow 12 12.85x
Whitby 12 14.41x
Broughton In Salford 11 4.07x
Chester Holy Trinity 11 42.64x
Southwark St Saviour 11 8.58x
Stranton 11 4.40x
Tynemouth 11 5.54x
Whitchurch 11 67.82x
York St Mary 11 10.75x
Ystradyfodwg 11 2.89x
Bishop Auckland 10 10.05x
Faccombe 10 529.10x
Great Crosby 10 12.40x
Hulme 10 1.62x
Lee 10 8.10x
Salford 10 1.15x
Southampton All Sts 10 11.40x
Battersea 9 0.98x
Bradford 9 6.50x
Chadderton 9 6.22x
Deptford St Paul 9 1.37x
Frome 9 9.38x
Great Bolton 9 2.30x
Openshaw 9 6.50x
Shoreditch London 9 0.83x
Stalbridge 9 57.88x
Stamford St Mary 9 111.66x
Strathblane 9 78.40x
Wolborough 9 13.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 203
Elizabeth 91
Ann 68
Sarah 67
Jane 54
Margaret 52
Ellen 51
Annie 38
Alice 35
Catherine 34
Eliza 28
Emily 26
Emma 23
Bridget 19
Martha 18
Anne 16
Florence 16
Louisa 15
Hannah 14
Edith 13
Maria 13
Charlotte 12
Ada 10
Caroline 10
Fanny 10
Frances 10
Kate 10
Matilda 10
Harriet 8
Isabella 8
Margt. 8
Clara 7
Julia 7
Susan 7
Agnes 6
Eliz. 6
Esther 6
Ethel 6
Rose 6
Amy 5
Lucy 5
Rebecca 5
Ruth 5
Elizth. 4
Eva 4
Francis 4
Mabel 4
Maggie 4
Maud 4
Rachel 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 174
William 145
James 97
Thomas 92
George 65
Charles 51
Henry 44
Joseph 43
Patrick 34
Michael 23
Robert 23
Edward 22
Alfred 17
Daniel 16
Frederick 16
Richard 15
Arthur 13
Albert 12
Walter 11
Francis 10
Martin 10
Matthew 10
Andrew 9
David 9
Frank 8
Harry 8
Herbert 8
Stephen 8
Ernest 7
Mark 7
Peter 7
Timothy 7
Thos. 6
Geo. 5
Philip 5
Samuel 5
Wm. 5
Jno. 4
Richd. 4
Tom 4
Benjamin 3
Christopher 3
Dennis 3
Earnest 3
Fredrick 3
Hugh 3
Nicholas 3
Robt. 3
Willm. 3
Denis 2

FAQ

Cummins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cummins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,553 people were recorded with the Cummins surname. That placed it at #1,751 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cummins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,381 in 2016. That gives Cummins a modern rank of #1,246.

What does the Cummins surname mean?

Derived from a personal name meaning "son of Cuimín," which is an Irish diminutive of Colm, meaning "dove."

What does the Cummins map show?

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