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

Cosey, 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 Cosey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cosey in America

Cosey is the 16958th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cosey surname appeared 1,676 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 Cosey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cosey 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 Cosey

The surname COSEY is believed to have originated in England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "cos", meaning a small cottage or house, and is likely an occupational name for someone who lived in a small dwelling.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195, where a Robert Cosey is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273 also reference a John Cosey.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various forms such as Cosy, Cossye, and Cosey, indicating regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. A Robert Cosey is recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

The name COSEY may also have been influenced by the Norman-French word "coisie", meaning a quiet or peaceful place. This could suggest that some bearers of the name may have lived in a tranquil or secluded area.

During the 16th century, the surname began to spread across different regions of England. In 1567, a Richard Cosey was mentioned in the Parish Registers of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk.

Notables throughout history who bore the surname COSEY include:

1. John Cosey (c. 1450-1525), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire.
2. William Cosey (1578-1647), an English clergyman and author of religious works.
3. Elizabeth Cosey (1623-1694), a Puritan settler in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and one of the accused during the Salem Witch Trials.
4. Thomas Cosey (1711-1779), a prominent lawyer and judge in colonial Virginia.
5. Samuel Cosey (1782-1853), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.

While the surname COSEY is not among the most common in modern times, its historical roots can be traced back several centuries, making it a distinctive name with an intriguing linguistic and cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cosey

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

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

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

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