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

Cosgrove, 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 Cosgrove surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cosgrove in America

Cosgrove is the 3749th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cosgrove surname appeared 9,441 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 Cosgrove.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cosgrove 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 Cosgrove

The surname Cosgrove has its origins in Ireland, tracing back to the medieval era. It is a locational name, derived from the Irish Gaelic words 'cos' meaning foot and 'grobh' meaning a small trench or ditch. The name likely referred to a person who lived near a small trench or ditch, indicating their place of residence or origin.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in ancient Irish annals and manuscripts, such as the Annals of Inisfallen, dating back to the 12th century. These records mention individuals bearing the name Cosgrove, spelled in various forms like Cosgrave, Cosgrafe, and Cosgrave.

One notable historical figure with this surname was John Cosgrove, an Irish soldier and officer who served in the Irish Brigade of the French Army during the 17th century. He fought in numerous battles across Europe and gained recognition for his bravery and military prowess.

Another prominent individual was Nicholas Cosgrove, an Irish Catholic priest and historian who lived from 1670 to 1737. He authored several works on Irish history and was renowned for his scholarly contributions.

In the 19th century, William Cosgrove (1819-1892) was an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut. He played a significant role in shaping local and national policies during his tenure.

Frank Cosgrove (1848-1925) was an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist, known for his involvement in the mining industry. He made substantial contributions to various charitable causes, particularly in the field of education.

The surname Cosgrove has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Cosgrove in County Laois and Cosgrove Hill in County Wexford. These locations may have influenced the naming of individuals or families who resided in those areas.

Throughout history, the Cosgrove name has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including soldiers, clergy, politicians, and entrepreneurs, leaving their mark on various aspects of society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cosgrove

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

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

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

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