2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Cundey
A locational surname derived from a place name in England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Cundey. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cundey surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Cundey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cundey, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cundey
The surname CUNDEY is of English origin, originating primarily in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk during the late medieval period. It is believed to be a locational surname derived from the Old English words "cund" meaning "kind" or "friendly" and "eg" meaning "island" or "dry ground amidst marshes." This suggests that the name may have originated from a place where friendly or hospitable people lived on an island or raised ground surrounded by marshy terrain.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a census-like record from the late 13th century, which mentions a William Cundey residing in Norfolk. The Hundred Rolls of Edward I, compiled in 1273, also contain references to individuals with the surname CUNDEY in Suffolk and Norfolk.
The CUNDEY surname appears to have various spellings in historical records, including Cundy, Cundie, and Cundee. These variations likely stem from the phonetic spelling practices of the time and regional dialects. Additionally, some records indicate that the name may have been derived from a place name such as Cundith or Cundith Marsh in Suffolk.
Notable individuals with the surname CUNDEY throughout history include:
1. John CUNDEY (c. 1540 - 1617), an English clergyman and academic who served as the President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, from 1598 to 1617.
2. William CUNDEY (1675 - 1754), a British architect and surveyor who designed several churches and manor houses in Norfolk and Suffolk.
3. Mary CUNDEY (1788 - 1865), an English author and poet known for her works on religious themes and moral tales for children.
4. Robert CUNDEY (1820 - 1895), a British explorer and naturalist who documented various plant and animal species during his expeditions to South America and the South Pacific.
5. Alice CUNDEY (1868 - 1942), a prominent suffragette and women's rights activist who campaigned for voting rights and equal opportunities for women in the early 20th century.
While the CUNDEY surname may not be as widely known as some other English surnames, its origins and historical references provide insight into the cultural and geographical influences that shaped its development over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cundey
Among Census respondents with the surname Cundey, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Cundey bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Cundey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.9% · 110
- Two or more races4.1% · 5
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cundey
Cundey appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
+3 bearers (+3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 6,798 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+18 bearers (+17.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 15,925 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | +3 bearers (+3.0%) | Down 6,798 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +18 bearers (+17.5%) | Up 15,925 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Cundey surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #157,234 | #141,309 | 10.1% |
| Count | 103 | 121 | 17.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 34.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cundey bearers went from 103 to 121 (+17.5% change). The surname moved up 15,925 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #141,309.
FAQ
Cundey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cundey?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Cundey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Cundey?
Cundey ranks #141,309 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 121 people with the surname Cundey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Cundey.
Has Cundey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cundey went from 103 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 18 (+17.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Cundey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cundey, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and Black (1.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Cundey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.9% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cundey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.9%), Two or More Races (4.1%), Black (1.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Cundey (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Cundey mean?
A locational surname derived from a place name in England. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Cundey (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Cundey?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.