The Cunningham surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 135,718 people carried this name — #211 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 2,170 people counted. That is up 3% from 131,896 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Cunningham surname
A Scottish habitational surname and clan.
From Scottish Gaelic Coineagan, a district of Ayrshire, either from Old English cyning (“king”) or Scottish Gaelic coineanach (“rabbit”) + Old English hām (“home, estate; hamlet, village”).
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Cunningham» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 215 births for the Cunningham name in 1890.
They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 9,500 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 13 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 248 people named Cunningham live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
99 people named Cunningham live in Switzerland.
They live in 8 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 47 people named Cunningham.
Most of them — 25 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 9 départements, most often Paris.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Poland’s population register
21 people named Cunningham have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 90 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 5 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Silesian.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In the Nordic population registers
137 people named Cunningham are counted in Sweden and Finland.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In Scotland, 1880s
Cunningham was 32 in every 10,000 names in Scotland.
That is about 1 in 313. Its home there, in Guppy’s words: “Dispersed over a large part of Scotland, but most frequent in Ayrshire.” He counted the more than 20,000 names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, taking Scotland as a whole, and listed only the names that reached 10 in every 10,000.
H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), appendix: alphabetical list of the most frequent Scottish names, p. 587 — public domain · names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, per 10,000 for the whole country.
In Scotland’s registers today
Cunningham was recorded 248 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.
That made it the 75th most common name in those registers. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 374. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.
National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
In the first U.S. census, 1790
275 families named Cunningham, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.
Each family is counted by its head. About 1,568 people lived in those households, 5.7 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 14 other spellings. 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
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. 236 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.
In print
Cunningham in American newspapers,
1837–1894.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 711,940 pages in all carry the name.
In print
Cunningham in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2000s.
158,521 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Cunningham. The most, 30,677, date from the 1930s.
Articles, by state
Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Cunningham.
Who carried it
People named Cunningham,
with a public archive behind them.
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David Cunningham 1540–1600 · priest -
Lady Ann Cunningham 1580–1646 · resistance fighter -
Charles Cunningham 1755–1834 · naval officer -
Allan Cunningham 1791–1839 · biologist -
Alexander Cunningham 1814–1893 · engineer
Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 188 lives in all are documented under this name.
In the public record
People named Cunningham,
in the records of 8 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 States20,881 records
- New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 5,492
- U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 4,755
- Other U.S. records 10,634
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Example: U.S. war memorial War record Bruce Wayne CunninghamBorn 1948; from Denver, Colorado. U.S. Army, construction equipment repairer; killed in action 1967 in Kontum, South Vietnam. Buried at Fort Logan National Cemetery, Colorado.
U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) -
Example: U.S. war memorial War record Jimmie D. CunninghamBorn 1930; from Hubbard County, Minnesota. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; killed in action 1951 in South Korea. Buried at Willamette National Cemetery, Oregon.
U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) -
Example: U.S. registration card, 1942 Military record Cyril P. CunninghamBorn 1906 in New York. Enlisted 1941 at Syracuse; watchman from Chemung County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1954, buried at Woodlawn National Cemetery, New York.
U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
Showing 3 of 20,881 records for Cunningham in the United States.
Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain).
Australia5,597 records
- Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 2,715
- Tasmanian Names Index 940
- Other Australian records 1,942
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Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record William CunninghamTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lady Montagu, sailing from Plymouth in 1852. Native of Loughborough, Leicestershire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1855. Married 1855 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 22.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) -
Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record Mary CunninghamTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Nautilus, sailing from Woolwich in 1838. Native of Loughborough, Leicestershire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1841.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) -
Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record Margaret CunninghamTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Margaret, sailing from London in 1843. Native of Haddington, East Lothian. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1847. Married 1847 in Brighton, Tasmania, aged 36.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 3 of 5,597 records for Cunningham in Australia.
Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). 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).
Canada1,720 records
- Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 1,359
- Canadian Virtual War Memorial 95
- Other Canadian records 266
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Example: Canadian cemetery Burial record Helen CunninghamKilled in the Halifax Explosion of 1917, aged 49; buried at St John's Cemetery, Halifax.
Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. -
Example: passenger manifest, 1903 Passenger record S'l CunninghamCame to Ontario in 1875 aboard the Prussian, landing at Quebec, bound for Collingwood, Ontario; English.
Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. -
Example: Canadian cemetery Burial record Verna CunninghamBuried in 1998 at Union Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 87.
City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
Showing 3 of 1,720 records for Cunningham in Canada.
Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).
United Kingdom259 records
- Stirling Council burial records 121
- War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 93
- Other British records 45
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Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919 War record Patrick CunninghamBorn 1898 at Peterhead; dental mechanic. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).
National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Janet McVey CunninghamBuried in 1911 at Callander Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 61.
Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record John Thomas CunninghamBuried in 1822 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 36.
MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Showing 3 of 259 records for Cunningham in the United Kingdom.
Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).
Ireland121 records
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Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Delia CunninghamDied 1977, aged 66; buried at Boyounagh, Co. Galway.
Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Michael CunninghamDied 1961, aged 80; buried at Derrybrien, Co. Galway.
Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 2 of 121 records for Cunningham in Ireland.
Counts: Galway County 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).
New Zealand115 records
- Christchurch City cemetery records 103
- Marlborough District cemetery records 7
- Other New Zealand records 5
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Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Herbert Alex CunninghamDied 1942, aged 52; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.
Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Beryl CunninghamDied 1990, aged 67; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.
Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 2 of 115 records for Cunningham in New Zealand.
Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).
Netherlands29 records
- Dutch church registers before 1811 14
- Dutch population registers 8
- Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 7
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Example: marriage register, 1911 Marriage record Henry Grant CunninghamMarried in 1946 in Arnhem; car mechanic.
Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: U.S. census, 1910 Population register George Francis CunninghamIn the population register of Whithaven (Gb); student, born 1913 in Whithaven (Gb).
Open Archives, West Brabants Archief (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 2 of 29 records for Cunningham 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); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).
France14 records
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Example: French death register, 1930 Death record Edith Gisele Marie CunninghamBorn 1930 in Paris; died 1993 in Saint-Étienne-des-Sorts (Gard).
Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte) -
Example: French death register, 1930 Death record Thierry Franck CunninghamBorn 1956 in Clichy (Hauts-de-Seine); died 1999 in Passy (Haute-Savoie).
Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
Showing 2 of 14 records for Cunningham 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).
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Cunningham.
When the index is not enough
This page says where Cunningham 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.