Cone
An English occupational surname for a maker or seller of cones, derived from the Old English "cōn."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,551 Americans carry the last name Cone. That puts it at #3,583 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.37 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 29,673 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cone surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 29,673
Census rank
#3,583
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
9.9K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 9,935 bearers of the surname Cone in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.37 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3583rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cone, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.9%. The next largest groups are Black (7.7%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cone
The surname CONE is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "con," which means "conical shape" or "cone-shaped hill." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a prominent conical hill or worked in an occupation related to cones or cone-shaped objects.
The earliest recorded use of the surname CONE can be traced back to the late 12th century in the county of Wiltshire, England. One of the earliest documented individuals with this name was Robert de Cone, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Wiltshire in 1195.
In the 13th century, the name appears in various spellings, such as Coon, Coun, and Coone, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling during that time period. The CONE surname is also found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were census-like records of landowners in England.
During the 14th century, the name CONE started appearing in other parts of England, including Yorkshire and Gloucestershire. One notable individual was John Cone, a wealthy merchant from Bristol who was born around 1320 and owned several properties in the area.
In the 15th century, the CONE surname spread further across England, and variations like Coane, Cohn, and Coyn emerged. One prominent figure was Sir William Cone (c. 1450-1520), a Member of Parliament who served under King Henry VIII.
As the centuries passed, the CONE surname continued to be found throughout England, and some bearers of the name migrated to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies. Notable individuals with the CONE surname include:
1. Thomas Cone (1609-1684), an early settler in New Haven, Connecticut, and one of the founders of the town of Haddam, Connecticut.
2. Jonathan Cone (1718-1781), an American Revolutionary War soldier and patriot from Massachusetts.
3. Spencer Houghton Cone (1785-1855), an American Baptist minister and educator who founded the Cone Female Academy in New York.
4. Herman Cone (1857-1920), an American textile entrepreneur and co-founder of the successful Cone Mills Corporation in North Carolina.
5. Claribel Cone (1864-1929) and Etta Cone (1870-1949), American art collectors and patrons who amassed a significant collection of avant-garde artworks, including works by Matisse and Picasso.
The CONE surname has a rich history dating back to medieval England, and its bearers have made significant contributions across various fields throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cone
Among Census respondents with the surname Cone, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.9%. The next largest groups are Black (7.7%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Cone bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Cone surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.9%
- Black or African American7.7%
- Hispanic or Latino2.3%
- Two or more races1.4%
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Cone surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,337 | #3,583 | -7.4% |
| Count | 9,824 | 9,935 | 1.1% |
| Per 100K | 3.64 | 3.37 | -7.4% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Cone bearers went from 9,824 to 9,935 (+1.1% change). The surname moved down 246 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,337 to #3,583.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Cone
FAQ
Cone surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Cone?
The surname Cone holds position #3,583 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 11,551 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 3.37 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Cone surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cone, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.9%. The next largest groups are Black (7.7%) and Hispanic (2.3%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.