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

Cochrane, 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 Cochrane surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cochrane in America

Cochrane is the 4246th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cochrane surname appeared 8,355 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 Cochrane.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cochrane 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 Cochrane

The surname Cochrane is of Scottish origin, with its earliest known bearers hailing from the region of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The name is derived from the Old Gaelic word "cochran," meaning "small red place" or "little red stream," referring to a geographical location associated with the family's ancestral lands.

The earliest recorded instance of the Cochrane name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls rendered to King Edward I of England after his conquest of Scotland. One entry mentions a "William de Coughran" from Renfrewshire, likely an early variant spelling of the surname.

In the 14th century, the Cochrane family rose to prominence with the exploits of Sir Robert Cochrane, a renowned Scottish knight who fought alongside King Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence. Sir Robert's bravery and loyalty earned him substantial land grants in Renfrewshire, cementing the family's ties to the region.

The Cochrane name also appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in the late 15th century, with records indicating land holdings in the counties of Ayr and Renfrew. One notable figure from this period was William Cochrane, Lord of Cowdoun, who served as a diplomat and ambassador under King James III.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Cochranes established themselves as a prominent noble family, with several members holding influential positions in the Scottish court and government. Sir William Cochrane (1605-1679), a staunch Royalist during the English Civil War, was appointed Lord Privy Seal of Scotland by King Charles II in recognition of his loyalty.

Another notable figure was Thomas Cochrane, 6th Earl of Dundonald (1689-1737), a Scottish nobleman and distinguished naval officer who served as Governor of Newfoundland and Commander-in-Chief of the North Sea Fleet. His descendant, Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald (1775-1860), was a renowned naval captain and radical politician who played a pivotal role in the Chilean War of Independence and the Greek War of Independence.

In later centuries, the Cochrane name continued to be associated with notable figures in various fields, including Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane (1758-1832), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars, and Alva Cochrane (1885-1977), an American songwriter and composer best known for penning the classic "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cochrane

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

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

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

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