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

Cost, 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 Cost surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cost in America

Cost is the 18423rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cost surname appeared 1,503 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 Cost.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cost 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 Cost

The surname COST is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "cost," which means "expense" or "price." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who worked as a tax collector or who was responsible for keeping accounts.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name COST can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and wealth in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This early mention of the name indicates that it was already established in England by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, a man named William COST was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, which were records of taxes paid by landowners. This provides evidence that the name was widespread in the area during that time period.

The COST surname can also be traced back to various place names in England, such as Costock in Nottinghamshire and Costow in Yorkshire. These place names likely derived from the Old English words "cost" and "tun," meaning "the cost or expensive farm or settlement."

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname COST. One of the earliest was Sir John COST, a prominent English soldier and diplomat who lived in the 14th century. He served under King Edward III and played a crucial role in the Hundred Years' War against France.

In the 16th century, William COST (c. 1505-1558) was an English politician and Member of Parliament who represented Derbyshire in the House of Commons. He was a staunch supporter of the Protestant Reformation and was known for his opposition to the Catholic Church.

Another significant figure with the COST surname was Benjamin COST (1668-1737), a British colonial administrator and politician who served as the Governor of North Carolina from 1734 to 1737. He played a significant role in the early development of the colony and its governance.

In the 19th century, John COST (1830-1912) was a British artist and illustrator who was renowned for his depictions of rural life and landscapes. His works were highly regarded and are now held in several prestigious art collections around the world.

One of the most recent notable figures with the COST surname was Sir James COST (1925-2012), a British academic and scientist who made significant contributions to the field of atmospheric chemistry. He was knighted in 1989 for his services to science and served as the President of the Royal Society of Chemistry from 1984 to 1986.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cost

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

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

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

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