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

Coghlan, 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 Coghlan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Coghlan in America

Coghlan is the 15712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Coghlan surname appeared 1,856 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Coghlan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Coghlan 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 Coghlan

The surname Coghlan originated in Ireland, with its roots tracing back to the ancient Irish Gaelic language. It is derived from the Gaelic words "cu" meaning hound and "glas" meaning green or grey, suggesting a possible meaning of "grey hound" or "green hound."

In its earliest recorded form, the name was spelled as "O'Coghlan" or "O'Coughlan," indicating it was a patronymic surname, with the prefix "O'" signifying "descendant of." The Coghlan family was historically associated with County Westmeath, where they held significant influence and land holdings as members of the Gaelic nobility.

One of the earliest documented references to the Coghlan name can be found in the "Annals of the Four Masters," a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention several notable members of the Coghlan clan, including Muircheartach O'Coghlan, who served as Lord of Delvin in the late 12th century.

During the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century, the Coghlan family played a prominent role in resisting the Norman incursions into their territories. They engaged in numerous conflicts with the Anglo-Norman forces, as recorded in various historical accounts from that era.

Another notable figure bearing the Coghlan name was John Coghlan (1724-1807), an Irish Catholic priest who became a prominent educator and author. He established several successful schools in Ireland and wrote several influential works on education and theology.

In the 19th century, James Coghlan (1803-1870) gained recognition as a British Army officer who served in various campaigns, including the Crimean War. He was awarded the prestigious Crimea Medal for his distinguished service.

As the Coghlan family spread across Ireland and beyond, variations in the spelling of the name emerged, such as Coghlan, Coughlan, Coughlane, and Coughlin. These variations often reflected regional dialects or linguistic adaptations over time.

While the Coghlan surname is most closely associated with Ireland, it has also been found in other parts of the world due to Irish immigration and diaspora communities. Today, individuals bearing this name can be found across various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Coghlan

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

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

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

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