Cornish Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Cornish Name Meaning: This is a regional name for someone from the county of Cornwall,middle english 'Corneys','Cornysh'. Cornisc a compound of 'corn' kernow,meaning 'headland' + suffix 'isc' from Cornwall.

The surname itself is of english origin & first recorded at the end of the 13th century. The first recorded family name is that of 'Badekoc Korneys',dated 1296.

Discover how your Cornish ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.

Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Cornish Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Cornish family

Profession Census Frequency
Agricultural Labourer 126
Female Servant 119
Independent 83
Male Servant 55
Farmer 43
Ag Labourer 33
Labourer 29
Carpenter 23
Shoe Maker 23
Butcher 13
Dress Maker 12
Thatcher 11
Independant 11
Apprentice 10
Gardener 10
Servant 9
Blacksmith 8
Copper Miner 8
Mariner 7
Tailor 7
Laundress 7
Navy 7
Weaver 7
Shoe Binder 7
Silk Weaver 7

Cornish Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Cornish 100% 31,319
2 Carnish 86% 486

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The surname Cornish is the most popular version of all its varients

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