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

Cobain, 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 Cobain surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cobain in America

Cobain is the 123064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cobain surname appeared 140 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Cobain.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cobain 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 Cobain

The surname Cobain originated in the north of England during the Anglo-Saxon era. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word 'cobbyn', which meant a small shelter or dwelling. The name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a modest abode or hut.

In the Domesday Book, a great survey of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror, there are several references to place names that could be related to the Cobain surname. For instance, the village of Cobbenhai in Worcestershire and the hamlet of Cobbyngton in Derbyshire may have been named after early Cobain settlers in those areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Cobain surname dates back to 1273, when a certain Richard Cobyn was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire. Another early bearer of the name was John Cobayn, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

During the Middle Ages, the Cobain name appeared to have been concentrated primarily in the northern counties of England, particularly in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Northumberland. Variations in spelling were common, with surnames like Cobayne, Cobyn, and Cobbyn also being used.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the Cobain surname was John Cobayn, a merchant and alderman in the city of York. He lived from around 1510 to 1585 and was involved in civic affairs and trade.

Another prominent individual was Sir Thomas Cobain, a landowner and Member of Parliament for Yorkshire in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was born around 1565 and died in 1623.

During the English Civil War in the 1640s, a Royalist soldier named Captain William Cobain fought for King Charles I. He was killed in battle in 1643 at the age of 38.

In the 18th century, a wealthy merchant and landowner named Robert Cobain lived in the town of Pontefract in Yorkshire. He was born in 1712 and passed away in 1789.

Lastly, in the 19th century, a prominent figure was Sir James Cobain, a British diplomat and ambassador who served in various countries across Europe and Asia. He was born in 1824 and died in 1892.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cobain

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

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 Cobain 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 Cobain 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 Cobain was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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