NameCensus.

UK surname

Koch

A German occupational surname referring to a cook or someone who operated a kitchen.

In the 1881 census there were 168 people recorded with the Koch surname, ranking it #14,380 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 715, ranked #7,592, up from #14,380 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Islington, IZ21 and IZ22.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Koch is 715 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 325.6%.

1881 census count

168

Ranked #14,380

Modern count

715

2016, ranked #7,592

Peak year

2016

715 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Koch had 168 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,380 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 715 in 2016, ranked #7,592.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 362 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Koch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Koch surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Koch 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 22 #29,378
1861 historical 51 #27,498
1881 historical 168 #14,380
1891 historical 236 #13,278
1901 historical 357 #10,280
1911 historical 362 #10,020
1997 modern 463 #9,850
1998 modern 496 #9,658
1999 modern 518 #9,410
2000 modern 536 #9,133
2001 modern 521 #9,174
2002 modern 554 #8,933
2003 modern 545 #8,902
2004 modern 556 #8,794
2005 modern 538 #8,933
2006 modern 577 #8,533
2007 modern 596 #8,397
2008 modern 598 #8,437
2009 modern 622 #8,359
2010 modern 673 #8,024
2011 modern 659 #8,073
2012 modern 698 #7,626
2013 modern 707 #7,673
2014 modern 695 #7,813
2015 modern 708 #7,652
2016 modern 715 #7,592

Geography

Back to top

Where Kochs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes, St Pancras and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Islington, IZ21, IZ22, Kensington and Chelsea and Oxford. 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 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Islington 004 Islington
2 IZ21 East Lothian
3 IZ22 East Lothian
4 Kensington and Chelsea 006 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Oxford 008 Oxford

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Koch

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Koch

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Koch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Koch 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Koch 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

Koch 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

Koch falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Koch 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Koch

The surname Koch has its origins in Germany and Switzerland, where it first emerged in the 14th century. The name is derived from the German word "Koch," meaning "cook" or "chef." It likely originated as an occupational surname for individuals who worked as cooks or chefs, either in private households or in public establishments.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various German and Swiss records from the late Middle Ages. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Johann Koch, a cook mentioned in a document from the city of Nuremberg in 1349.

In the 15th century, the name began to appear in various regional variations, such as Koche, Kochin, and Kochenmeister, reflecting the different dialects and spellings used in different parts of Germany and Switzerland.

One notable early bearer of the name was Hans Koch, a German painter and sculptor who lived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. His works can be found in several churches and museums throughout Germany.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Koch surname became more widespread as people with this occupation moved from one region to another. In some cases, the name was also adopted by individuals who did not necessarily work as cooks but may have had ancestors who did.

In the 18th century, the Koch family produced several notable figures, including Johann Koch, a German mathematician and astronomer born in 1716, and Johann Friedrich Koch, a German theologian and writer born in 1759.

As the surname spread beyond its original regions, it was also adopted in other parts of Europe and eventually in other parts of the world through immigration. Some notable bearers of the name in the 19th and early 20th centuries include Robert Koch, the German physician and microbiologist who discovered the bacteria that cause tuberculosis and cholera, and Thomas Mann, the German novelist and Nobel Prize laureate in Literature.

Throughout its history, the Koch surname has been associated with various place names, such as Kochendorf and Kochenheim, which likely derived from the surname itself or from similar occupational names.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Koch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Koch 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 66 Kochs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.00x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 66 4.00x
Surrey 22 2.74x
Lancashire 21 1.07x
Kent 19 3.38x
Midlothian 7 3.17x
Essex 6 1.84x
Hampshire 6 1.78x
Durham 5 1.02x
Cumberland 3 2.11x
Devon 2 0.58x
Warwickshire 2 0.48x
Yorkshire 2 0.12x
Bedfordshire 1 1.17x
Dunbartonshire 1 2.26x
Lanarkshire 1 0.19x
Northamptonshire 1 0.65x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.45x
Renfrewshire 1 0.78x
Royal Navy 1 5.09x
Sussex 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 11 Kochs recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.88x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 11 6.88x
Hackney London 10 10.82x
Kensington London 10 10.91x
Beckenham 9 122.45x
Shoreditch London 8 11.20x
St Pancras London 8 6.03x
Greenwich 7 26.68x
Rotherhithe 7 34.36x
South Leith 7 28.17x
Alverstoke 6 49.06x
Everton 6 9.62x
West Ham 6 8.35x
Broughton In Salford 5 27.95x
Liverpool 5 4.21x
Southwick 5 107.76x
Camberwell 4 3.80x
Lambeth 4 2.78x
Mile End Old Town London 4 11.40x
Penge 4 37.99x
Whitechapel London 4 24.62x
Withington 4 63.49x
Flimby 3 250.00x
Bow London 2 9.53x
Deptford St Paul 2 4.61x
Limehouse London 2 11.05x
St Anne Soho London 2 21.25x
Barony 1 0.74x
Battersea 1 1.65x
Bonhill 1 14.06x
Brighton 1 1.78x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 3.22x
Dartmouth Townstall 1 71.43x
Easingwold 1 86.96x
East Horsley 1 625.00x
Eastwood 1 12.71x
Kingston On Thames 1 5.18x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 76.34x
Leamington Priors 1 9.78x
Lewisham 1 3.33x
Luton 1 6.77x
Paddington London 1 1.65x
Peterborough 1 8.90x
Plymouth Charles The 1 6.61x
Royal Navy 1 5.96x
St George Hanover Square 1 3.44x
St Gregory By St Pauls 1 243.90x
St Luke London 1 3.78x
St Marylebone London 1 1.14x
Sutton Bonnington 1 175.44x
Weddington 1 2000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Eliza 4
Jane 4
Elizabeth 3
Ellen 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Sarah 2
Sophia 2
Adele 1
Albina 1
Alinna 1
Alma 1
Alvina 1
Amelia 1
Angelina 1
Anna 1
Auguste 1
Bertha 1
Brenda 1
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Celine 1
Christine 1
Elise 1
Emily 1
Emmeline 1
Grace 1
Helena 1
Hester 1
Hilda 1
Kate 1
Kathi 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Margerat 1
Marie 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Rosina 1
Wilhilmia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
Charles 6
William 5
Henry 4
George 3
Herman 3
James 3
Ferdinand 2
Frederick 2
Guido 2
Johan 2
Oscar 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Albrecht 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
August 1
Bruno 1
Carl 1
Christian 1
Cornelius 1
Debeuth 1
Emil 1
Ernest 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredck. 1
Gustave 1
Harman 1
Harry 1
Hermann 1
Jacob 1
Johana 1
Jusher 1
Justus 1
Leo 1
Leonhard 1
Louis 1
Martin 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Sebostlin 1
Wilhelm 1

FAQ

Koch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Koch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 168 people were recorded with the Koch surname. That placed it at #14,380 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Koch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 715 in 2016. That gives Koch a modern rank of #7,592.

What does the Koch surname mean?

A German occupational surname referring to a cook or someone who operated a kitchen.

What does the Koch map show?

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