Cousin
An occupational surname for a relative, especially the child of one's aunt or uncle.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,633 Americans carry the last name Cousin. That puts it at #10,292 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 94,345 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cousin surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
3.6K
1 in 94,345
Census rank
#10,292
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,131 bearers of the surname Cousin in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10292nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cousin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 61.4%. The next largest groups are White (29.2%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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).
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cousin
Among Census respondents with the surname Cousin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 61.4%. The next largest groups are White (29.2%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Cousin bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Cousin surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American61.4%
- White29.2%
- Two or more races4.0%
- Hispanic or Latino4.0%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Cousin surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,018 | #10,292 | -2.7% |
| Count | 2,968 | 3,131 | 5.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.10 | 1.06 | -3.6% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Cousin bearers went from 2,968 to 3,131 (+5.5% change). The surname moved down 274 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,018 to #10,292.
FAQ
Cousin surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Cousin?
The surname Cousin holds position #10,292 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 3,633 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 1.06 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Cousin surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cousin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 61.4%. The next largest groups are White (29.2%) and Two or More Races (4.0%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.