NameCensus.

UK surname

Cush

An archaic surname derived from the biblical name of the eldest son of Ham.

In the 1881 census there were 75 people recorded with the Cush surname, ranking it #22,893 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 191, ranked #20,194, up from #22,893 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Brotton and Holyhead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Greenock Upper Central, Redcar and Cleveland and Greenock West and Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cush is 210 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 154.7%.

1881 census count

75

Ranked #22,893

Modern count

191

2016, ranked #20,194

Peak year

2012

210 bearers

Map years

4

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cush had 75 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,893 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016, ranked #20,194.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 109 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Cush surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cush surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cush 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 77 #19,998
1861 historical 109 #19,693
1881 historical 75 #22,893
1891 historical 90 #25,399
1901 historical 73 #26,069
1911 historical 61 #26,724
1997 modern 190 #18,199
1998 modern 197 #18,283
1999 modern 194 #18,579
2000 modern 189 #18,860
2001 modern 186 #18,773
2002 modern 188 #19,012
2003 modern 195 #18,411
2004 modern 197 #18,368
2005 modern 192 #18,640
2006 modern 197 #18,465
2007 modern 202 #18,359
2008 modern 199 #18,699
2009 modern 194 #19,398
2010 modern 192 #19,960
2011 modern 201 #19,213
2012 modern 210 #18,604
2013 modern 199 #19,584
2014 modern 203 #19,504
2015 modern 194 #19,994
2016 modern 191 #20,194

Geography

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Where Cushs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Brotton, Holyhead, Manchester and All Saints Poplar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Greenock Upper Central, Redcar and Cleveland, Greenock West and Central, Portsmouth and Rushmoor. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Brotton Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Holyhead Anglesey
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 All Saints Poplar London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Greenock Upper Central Inverclyde
2 Redcar and Cleveland 013 Redcar and Cleveland
3 Greenock West and Central Inverclyde
4 Portsmouth 018 Portsmouth
5 Rushmoor 007 Rushmoor

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cush

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cush

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Cush surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Cush household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Cush is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cush 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

Cush falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cush is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Cush

The surname CUSH is believed to have originated in England, derived from the Old English word "cusc," which means "pure" or "chaste." This name likely emerged during the Anglo-Saxon period, between the 5th and 11th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the CUSH surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey commissioned by William the Conqueror to record land ownership in England. The name appeared as "Cusshe," indicating its early spelling variations.

The CUSH surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, where it is believed to have originated. Some of the earliest recorded bearers of this name include John Cusch, who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1176, and William Cusshe, who was mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Berkshire in 1208.

Over the centuries, the CUSH surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest was Sir John Cush, a 14th-century knight who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453). Another prominent figure was Richard Cush (1507-1570), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Salisbury during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the CUSH surname gained prominence with Sir John Cush (1615-1681), a wealthy merchant and ship owner who played a significant role in the East India Company's trade with Asia. His grandson, Sir William Cush (1661-1724), was a distinguished naval officer and Member of Parliament.

Moving into the 18th century, one of the most notable figures with the CUSH surname was Sir Robert Cush (1720-1795), a renowned architect who designed several iconic buildings in London, including the celebrated Somerset House.

Throughout its history, the CUSH surname has also been associated with various place names and locations. For example, the village of Cushing in Wiltshire, England, is believed to have derived its name from the CUSH surname, reflecting the presence of families bearing this name in the area.

While the CUSH surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and settlement patterns. However, its origins can be traced back to the Old English word "cusc" and the early Anglo-Saxon period in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cush families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cush 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 20 Cushs recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.30x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 20 2.30x
Lanarkshire 12 5.07x
Middlesex 12 1.64x
Northumberland 8 7.35x
Ayrshire 6 10.96x
Lincolnshire 5 4.28x
Surrey 3 0.84x
Angus 2 2.95x
Devon 2 1.31x
Renfrewshire 2 3.53x
Cumberland 1 1.59x
Midlothian 1 1.02x
West Lothian 1 9.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 8 Cushs recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.36x.

Place Total Index
Barony 8 13.36x
Barrow In Furness 8 67.74x
Poplar London 6 43.45x
Loudoun 5 378.79x
Westgate 5 74.18x
Barton St Peter 4 740.74x
Govan 4 6.84x
Little Bolton 4 35.84x
Camberwell 3 6.42x
St Marylebone London 3 7.68x
Toxteth Park 3 10.21x
Tynemouth 3 51.46x
Dundee 2 7.91x
Exeter St Mary Arches 2 1428.57x
Heaton Norris 2 40.49x
Port Glasgow 2 72.99x
Withington 2 71.43x
Barton St Mary 1 169.49x
Bathgate 1 41.84x
Colinton 1 91.74x
Kensington London 1 2.46x
Kilmarnock 1 15.34x
Mile End Old Town London 1 6.42x
Spitalfields London 1 18.18x
Walton On Hill 1 21.28x
Workington 1 27.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Ann 3
Eliza 3
Alice 2
Elizabeth 2
Sarah 2
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Maria 1
Rose 1
Sophie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 5
William 4
John 3
George 2
Michael 2
Thomas 2
Chas. 1
Dennis 1
Donald 1
Fred 1
Geo.Thos. 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Willie 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 Cush households.

FAQ

Cush surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cush surname in 1881?

In 1881, 75 people were recorded with the Cush surname. That placed it at #22,893 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cush surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016. That gives Cush a modern rank of #20,194.

What does the Cush surname mean?

An archaic surname derived from the biblical name of the eldest son of Ham.

What does the Cush map show?

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