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

Cossack, 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 Cossack surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cossack in America

Cossack is the 122314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cossack surname appeared 141 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 Cossack.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cossack 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 Cossack

The surname Cossack originated in the regions of what is now Ukraine and Southern Russia, with its roots tracing back to the 15th century. It is derived from the Turkic word "kazak," meaning a free man or adventurer, which was later adopted by the Slavic peoples to refer to the semi-nomadic warrior communities that inhabited the vast open steppe lands.

These Cossack communities played a crucial role in the defense of the Russian Empire's southern borders against invaders and raiders. They were known for their exceptional horsemanship, military prowess, and fiercely independent spirit. The name Cossack became synonymous with these skilled horsemen and their distinct cultural identity.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Cossacks can be found in the chronicles of the Polish historian Jan Długosz, who wrote about their conflicts with the Crimean Tatars in the late 15th century. Additionally, the name appears in various Russian historical documents from the 16th century onwards, including the Razryadnye Knigi (military service registers) and the Cossack Chronicles.

Notable historical figures who bore the surname Cossack include Yemelyan Pugachev (1742-1775), a Cossack leader who led a major peasant uprising against Catherine the Great's regime. Another prominent figure was Matvei Platov (1753-1818), a renowned Cossack military leader who played a significant role in the Napoleonic Wars, serving under Generals Mikhail Kutuzov and Alexander Suvorov.

Other notable Cossacks include Semyon Krasnov (1887-1947), a Cossack general and politician who briefly led the Don Cossack Republic during the Russian Civil War, and Timofey Khmelnitsky (1632-1653), the son of the famous Cossack leader Bohdan Khmelnytsky, who played a crucial role in the Khmelnytsky Uprising against Polish rule in Ukraine.

The surname Cossack is also closely associated with the Cossack Hetmanates, semi-autonomous Cossack states that existed in Ukraine and Southern Russia from the 16th to the 18th centuries. These included the Zaporozhian Host, the Don Cossack Host, and the Kuban Cossack Host, among others.

Throughout history, the Cossacks have been both celebrated for their military prowess and fierce independence, as well as feared for their involvement in various uprisings and conflicts. The name Cossack has become an enduring symbol of the unique culture and traditions of these formidable warriors of the Eurasian steppes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cossack

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

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

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

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