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

Cossey, 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 Cossey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cossey in America

Cossey is the 12696th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cossey surname appeared 2,431 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 Cossey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cossey 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 Cossey

The surname Cossey has its origins in England and is believed to have originated in the late 12th or early 13th century. It is likely derived from the Old English words "cosse" meaning a sack or bag, and "ey" meaning an island or area of high ground. This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived on a raised area or settlement where sacks or bags were produced or stored.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cossey can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a William de Cosseye. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records kept by the English Crown during the reign of King Edward I. This suggests that the name was already well-established in parts of England by the late 13th century.

The surname Cossey has also been linked to the village of Costessey in Norfolk, England. This place name is believed to have derived from the Old English words "cost" meaning a cottage or dwelling, and "ey" meaning an island or area of high ground. It is possible that some early bearers of the surname Cossey may have been from this area or had connections to the village.

In the 14th century, the Cossey surname appears in the Court Rolls of Gloucestershire, which were legal records kept by the local manorial courts. These rolls mention individuals such as John Cossey and Thomas Cossey, indicating the presence of the surname in the region during that time period.

One notable bearer of the Cossey surname was Sir Thomas Cossey (c. 1505 - 1555), who was a member of the English gentry and served as a Member of Parliament for Norfolk during the reign of King Henry VIII. Another individual of historical significance was Sir Henry Cossey (c. 1545 - 1609), who was a wealthy landowner and held the position of High Sheriff of Norfolk in 1591.

In the 17th century, the Cossey surname can be found in the records of the East India Company, with individuals such as John Cossey (1610 - 1670) serving as a captain and merchant for the company. Additionally, William Cossey (1634 - 1702) was a prominent Quaker minister and writer from Norfolk during this period.

Throughout the centuries, the Cossey surname has also been associated with various places and locations in England, including the village of Cossey in Norfolk, and the hamlet of Cosseys in Leicestershire, further emphasizing the name's deep-rooted connection to the English landscape.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cossey

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

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

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

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