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

Cosom, 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 Cosom surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cosom in America

Cosom is the 113791st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cosom surname appeared 154 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Cosom.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cosom 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 Cosom

The surname COSOM has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "coss" meaning "headland" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "settlement", likely referring to a place where the original bearers of the name resided.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the COSOM name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a Richard de Cosham is mentioned. This suggests that the name may have initially been spelled "Cosham" before evolving into its current form.

In the 14th century, records from the Poll Tax of Yorkshire in 1379 list a John de Cosam, indicating a slight variation in spelling. It is possible that this individual or his ancestors migrated from the southern regions of England to Yorkshire, carrying the name with them.

The COSOM name has also been associated with the village of Cossham in Somerset, which dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086. Although the specific spelling of "Cosom" is not mentioned in this ancient record, it is plausible that the name originated from this location.

Notable individuals bearing the COSOM surname include:

1. William Cosom (c. 1580 - 1647), an English merchant and philanthropist who contributed significantly to the establishment of Harvard College in Massachusetts.

2. Elizabeth Cosom (1658 - 1732), a renowned herbalist and midwife in the village of Cossham, Somerset, known for her extensive knowledge of medicinal plants.

3. James Cosom (1725 - 1803), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and was commended for his bravery in the Battle of Yorktown.

4. Anne Cosom (1798 - 1876), a celebrated author and poet from Oxfordshire, whose works often explored themes of rural life and the English countryside.

5. Robert Cosom (1892 - 1963), a prominent architect responsible for the design of several landmark buildings in London, including the Royal Opera House and the National Gallery extension.

Throughout its history, the COSOM surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Cosham, Cosam, Cossam, and Cossham, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal practices of the time. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in the English landscape and settlements from centuries past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cosom

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!