The Coe surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 16,819 people carried this name — #2,157 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 17,500 people counted. That is up 1% from 16,706 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Coe surname

English surname, from Middle English co and Old English ca (“jackdaw”), similar to caw, Scots ka.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Coe» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a nickname: ‘the coe’.

An early record he cites: Beatrix le Coe, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 192 · public domain.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 28 people named Coe.

2 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 2 départements, most often Vosges.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 2
Vosges 25
Doubs 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Coe was found among the farmers of 4 counties.

It was most frequent in Norfolk: 15 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 667. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Norfolk 15
Suffolk 14
Cambridgeshire 10
Essex 9

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

117 families named Coe, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 691 people lived in those households, 5.9 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Connecticut 47
New York 32
Maryland 10
Massachusetts 9
Pennsylvania 9
Rhode Island 4
Virginia 3
North Carolina 2
New Hampshire 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 234 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Coe in American newspapers,
1877–1908.

Newspaper page from Democratic Northwest And Henry County News carrying the name Coe
Democratic Northwest And Henry County News 1896-10-29
Newspaper page from Memphis Daily Appeal carrying the name Coe
Memphis Daily Appeal 1877-12-27
Newspaper page from The Herald-advance carrying the name Coe
The Herald-advance 1908-05-22

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 5,268 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Coe in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

24,848 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Coe. The most, 5,126, date from the 1930s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in South Australia, at 1.9 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 6,430
New South Wales 5,520
Queensland 5,253
South Australia 5,250
Western Australia 1,722
Tasmania 507
ACT (Canberra) 132
Northern Territory 2

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Coe.

Who carried it

People named Coe,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Isaac Henry Coe
    Isaac Henry Coe 1818–1911 · politician
  • George Coe d. 1992 · politician
  • Florence Coe d. 1893
  • Jesse Coe d. 1824
  • David Coe d. 1807
  • Robert Coe 1596–1680 · official

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Coe,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,727 records

1,727 records of the Coe name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 628
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 394
  • Other U.S. records 705
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Carvel L. Coe

    Born 1922 in Michigan. Enlisted 1944 at Fort Sheridan, Illinois; farm hand from Oakland County. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran; died 1997, buried at South Lyon Cemetery, Michigan.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Ronald Ray Coe

    Born 1947; from Norwalk, Ohio. U.S. Marine Corps, machinegunner; killed in action 1968 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jane Coe

    Arrived at Boston in 1849 aboard the Milton from Liverpool, aged 33. From Cavan, Ireland; bound for Lowell.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,727 records for Coe in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia605 records

605 records of the Coe name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 213
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 144
  • Other Australian records 248
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Daniel Coe

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Enchantress, sailing from Portsmouth in 1833. Native of Great Maplestead, Essex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1841.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Gertrude Coe

    Died 1899 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 40. Will registered in Tasmania in 1899.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Henry Coe

    Arrived in Victoria in 1881 aboard the Alexandre, aged 21; British subject.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 605 records for Coe in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

United Kingdom42 records

42 records of the Coe name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 37
  • Welsh wills index cards 3
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 2
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Henry vor Coe

    Will proved in 1924; of Glamorgan.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edward Coe

    Buried in 1828 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 76.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Coe

    London Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 42 records for Coe in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Canada41 records

41 records of the Coe name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 12
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 11
  • Other Canadian records 18
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Jennie Coe

    Died 1909 in Main-A-Dieu, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Louis Coe

    Died 1950; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record James George William Coe

    Died in service in 1918.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 41 records for Coe in Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Netherlands34 records

34 records of the Coe name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 20
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 11
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 3
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Abraham Coe

    Married in 1921 in Amsterdam; butcher. Died 1944 in Midden Europa, aged 48.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Isaac Louis Coe

    Died 1944 in Midden Europa, aged 21.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Grietje Co e

    Buried in 1803 in Hoorn.

    Open Archives, Westfries Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 34 records for Coe in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France16 records

16 records of the Coe name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Marie Auguste Coe

    Born 1908 in Le Val-d'Ajol; died 1979 in Remiremont (Vosges).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Marguerite Marie Coe

    Born 1926 in Remiremont; died 2000 in Remiremont (Vosges).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Andre Eugene Coe

    Born 1911 in Le Val-d'Ajol; died 2000 in Darney (Vosges).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 16 records for Coe in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

New Zealand13 records

13 records of the Coe name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Fanny Theresa Coe

    Died 1971, aged 85; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Rosie Coe

    Died 1998, aged 86; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Phoebe Coe

    Died 1933, aged 73; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 13 records for Coe in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Coe.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Coe is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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