2000
#3,480
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,393
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.48
Uncommon Last name
Cosgrove
From a grove of hazel trees or a crossroads near such a grove, likely originating in Ireland.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 10,301 Americans carry the last name Cosgrove. That puts it at #3,849 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.01 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 33,274 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cosgrove surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Cosgrove with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
10K
1 in 33,274
Census rank
#3,849
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
9.0K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 8,983 bearers of the surname Cosgrove in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.01 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3849th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cosgrove, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cosgrove
Among Census respondents with the surname Cosgrove, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Cosgrove bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Cosgrove surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.1% · 8,274
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 296
- Two or more races2.9% · 263
- Black or African American0.8% · 76
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 64
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cosgrove
Cosgrove appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#3,749
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,441
+48 bearers (+0.5%)
Per 100,000 3.20
Rank movement Down 269 places
2020
#3,849
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,983
-458 bearers (-4.9%)
Per 100,000 3.01
Rank movement Down 100 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,480 | 9,393 | 3.48 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,749 | 9,441 | 3.20 | +48 bearers (+0.5%) | Down 269 places |
| 2020 | #3,849 | 8,983 | 3.01 | -458 bearers (-4.9%) | Down 100 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Cosgrove surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,749 | #3,849 | -2.7% |
| Count | 9,441 | 8,983 | -4.9% |
| Per 100K | 3.20 | 3.01 | -6.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cosgrove bearers went from 9,441 to 8,983 (-4.9% change). The surname moved down 100 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,749 to #3,849.
FAQ
Cosgrove surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cosgrove?
Name Census estimates that about 10,301 living Americans carry the surname Cosgrove. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 33,274 residents.
How common is Cosgrove?
Cosgrove ranks #3,849 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.01 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 8,983 people with the surname Cosgrove. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (10,301), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.01 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.01 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Cosgrove.
Has Cosgrove become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cosgrove went from 9,441 recorded bearers to 8,983. That is a decrease of 458 (-4.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,749 to #3,849.
What does the Census say about the background of Cosgrove?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cosgrove, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Cosgrove in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.1% (8,274 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cosgrove appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.1%), Hispanic (3.3%), Two or More Races (2.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Cosgrove (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Cosgrove mean?
From a grove of hazel trees or a crossroads near such a grove, likely originating in Ireland. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Cosgrove (3.01 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Cosgrove?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.