NameCensus.

UK surname

Cunneen

A surname possibly derived from the Irish Gaelic word "coinín" meaning a little rabbit or hare.

In the 1881 census there were 11 people recorded with the Cunneen surname, ranking it #32,081 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 111, ranked #29,049, up from #32,081 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rochdale, Dudley and Cheltenham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cunneen is 122 in 2003. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 909.1%.

1881 census count

11

Ranked #32,081

Modern count

111

2016, ranked #29,049

Peak year

2003

122 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cunneen had 11 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,081 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016, ranked #29,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 23 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Cunneen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cunneen surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cunneen 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 #33,412
1861 historical 14 #32,072
1881 historical 11 #32,081
1891 historical 16 #32,868
1901 historical 23 #31,466
1911 historical 17 #31,675
1997 modern 117 #24,553
1998 modern 120 #24,793
1999 modern 118 #25,227
2000 modern 117 #25,324
2001 modern 114 #25,344
2002 modern 118 #25,358
2003 modern 122 #24,628
2004 modern 118 #25,317
2005 modern 108 #26,736
2006 modern 104 #27,646
2007 modern 104 #28,020
2008 modern 104 #28,341
2009 modern 110 #27,991
2010 modern 107 #29,153
2011 modern 109 #28,653
2012 modern 101 #30,078
2013 modern 107 #29,561
2014 modern 113 #28,779
2015 modern 109 #29,327
2016 modern 111 #29,049

Geography

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Where Cunneens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rochdale, Dudley, Cheltenham and High Peak. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rochdale 012 Rochdale
2 Rochdale 004 Rochdale
3 Dudley 042 Dudley
4 Cheltenham 006 Cheltenham
5 High Peak 011 High Peak

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cunneen

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cunneen

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Cunneen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Cunneen 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Cunneen is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cunneen is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cunneen 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 Cunneen 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Cunneen

The surname Cunneen originates from Ireland and is believed to have emerged in County Cork during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name Connadh, meaning "wisdom" or "counsel." This name was likely adopted as a surname by descendants of someone bearing this first name.

The earliest recorded instances of the Cunneen surname date back to the 16th century, with references found in various Irish records and manuscripts from that era. One notable early bearer of the name was Donal Cunneen, a landowner from County Cork who was listed in the Fiants of the Reign of Elizabeth I in 1586.

In the 17th century, the Cunneen surname appeared in the Petty's Census of Ireland, which was a survey conducted in 1659 by Sir William Petty. This census provides valuable information about the distribution of surnames across Ireland at the time.

During the 18th century, the Cunneen name was found in various parish records and land registry documents throughout County Cork and neighboring counties. One prominent individual from this period was Patrick Cunneen, a merchant and landowner born in 1725, who was involved in local politics and community affairs.

In the 19th century, the Cunneen surname continued to be prevalent in Ireland, particularly in the counties of Cork, Limerick, and Tipperary. Notable figures from this era include John Cunneen (1810-1884), a prominent educator and headmaster of the Killarney National School, and Mary Cunneen (1836-1912), a philanthropist and benefactor who supported various charitable causes in County Cork.

Other notable individuals bearing the Cunneen surname throughout history include Michael Cunneen (1868-1937), a successful businessman and entrepreneur from County Tipperary, and Bridget Cunneen (1892-1976), a renowned author and playwright who wrote extensively about Irish culture and folklore.

While the Cunneen surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to emigration, with descendants of Irish bearers of the name now found in countries such as the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cunneen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cunneen 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. Staffordshire leads with 9 Cunneens recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.87x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 9 24.87x
Lancashire 2 1.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kingswinford in Staffordshire leads with 9 Cunneens recorded in 1881 and an index of 687.02x.

Place Total Index
Kingswinford 9 687.02x
Salford 2 53.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Anne 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Hannah 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 1
James 1
John 1
Jonas 1
Michael 1

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 Cunneen households.

FAQ

Cunneen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cunneen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 11 people were recorded with the Cunneen surname. That placed it at #32,081 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cunneen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016. That gives Cunneen a modern rank of #29,049.

What does the Cunneen surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from the Irish Gaelic word "coinín" meaning a little rabbit or hare.

What does the Cunneen map show?

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