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

Cousin, 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 Cousin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cousin in America

Cousin is the 10292nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cousin surname appeared 3,131 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 Cousin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cousin 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 Cousin

The surname COUSIN finds its origins in France, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "cosin," meaning a relative or kinsman. The name likely originated as a descriptive surname, given to someone who had many cousins or close relatives in their family or community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the COUSIN surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name had already gained recognition and spread beyond French borders by the late 11th century.

During the 12th century, the name appears in various records and manuscripts in Normandy, France, including the Cartulaire de Louviers and the Livre des Vassaux du Comté de Clermont-en-Beauvaisis. These early mentions indicate that the COUSIN surname was prevalent among the Norman nobility and landowners.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the COUSIN name was Jean Cousin, a French painter, sculptor, and author who lived from around 1500 to 1590. He is renowned for his works in the French Renaissance style, including the stained glass windows in the Sens Cathedral and the Louvre Museum.

Another prominent individual was Victor Cousin, a French philosopher and statesman who lived from 1792 to 1867. He played a significant role in introducing German idealism to French philosophy and served as the Minister of Public Instruction under the July Monarchy.

In England, the COUSIN surname can be traced back to the 14th century, with records indicating its presence in various counties, including Yorkshire and Oxfordshire. One notable bearer of the name was John Cousin, an English Protestant minister and scholar who lived from 1592 to 1668 and served as the Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the COUSIN surname spread further across Europe, with records showing its presence in areas such as the Netherlands, Germany, and Spain. In the Netherlands, a notable figure was Pieter Cousijn, a Dutch jurist and politician who lived from 1540 to 1615 and served as a member of the Council of State.

The COUSIN surname has also been associated with several notable figures in the arts and sciences throughout history, including the French painter Jean Cousin the Younger (1522-1595), the Dutch painter Jean Cousin (1642-1701), and the French mathematician Jacques Cousin (1677-1760).

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cousin

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

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

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

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