Find out how popular the last name Coffin is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Coffin.

Coffin, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Coffin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Coffin in America

Coffin is the 4274th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Coffin surname appeared 8,312 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Coffin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Coffin to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Coffin

The surname Coffin originated in England, likely in the 12th or 13th century. It is derived from the Old French "cofin," meaning a basket or small case. This word is thought to have come from the Latin "cophinus," which had a similar meaning. The name may have referred to someone who made or sold baskets or cases.

The earliest known record of the name Coffin is in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, England, from 1273, where a William Coffyn is mentioned. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, contains no mention of the name, suggesting it arose after the Norman Conquest.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms, such as Coffyn, Cophyn, and Coffyne. These variants likely reflect regional pronunciations and spellings. The modern spelling of Coffin became more standardized in the 16th and 17th centuries.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir Richard Coffin, who was born around 1350 in Somerset, England. He served as a Member of Parliament and was knighted for his military service in the Hundred Years' War.

Another notable figure was Tristram Coffin, born in 1609 in Brixton, England. He was one of the first settlers of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, in 1659, and his descendants became prominent figures in the whaling industry.

In the 17th century, the name Coffin was associated with the village of Portledge, Devon, England, which was once known as Coffinswell or Coffin's Well, possibly referring to a former landowner or resident with the surname.

Sir Isaac Coffin, born in 1759 in Boston, Massachusetts, was a British naval officer who achieved the rank of admiral. He played a significant role in the War of 1812 against the United States.

Robert A. Coffin, born in 1892 in Brunswick, Maine, was an acclaimed American poet and writer. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1936 for his book "Strange Holiness."

Throughout history, the surname Coffin has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including politicians, military leaders, settlers, writers, and more, spanning multiple countries and continents.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Coffin

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Coffin.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Coffin was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Coffin has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Coffin was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Coffin, please contact us.

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