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

Cowie, 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 Cowie surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cowie in America

Cowie is the 16051st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cowie surname appeared 1,806 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 Cowie.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cowie 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 Cowie

The surname Cowie is of Scottish origin and is thought to have originated in the late 12th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Gaelic word "cuith," which means "small portion" or "little part." It is speculated that the name may have been given to someone who lived on or owned a small parcel of land.

Cowie is a locational surname, meaning it initially referred to someone who lived in or near the place called Cowie, which is located in Stirlingshire, Scotland. The earliest recorded instance of this place name dates back to around 1200, when it was written as "Cowey" in the Registrum Monasterii de Cambuskenneth.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Cowie can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1456, where it is written as "Cowy." This document mentions a person named John Cowy, who was a tenant in the village of Cowie.

Another early record of the name appears in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland in 1512, where it is spelled "Cowy." This entry refers to a William Cowy, who was granted land in the county of Stirlingshire.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure with the surname Cowie was Sir John Cowie, who was a Scottish merchant and diplomat. He was born in Edinburgh in 1522 and served as the ambassador to Denmark and Sweden for King James VI of Scotland.

During the 17th century, a notable person with the surname Cowie was James Cowie, a Scottish minister and philosopher. He was born in Aberdeen in 1637 and served as a professor of philosophy at the University of St. Andrews.

In the 18th century, a renowned individual with the surname Cowie was Robert Cowie, a Scottish artist and engraver. He was born in Stirlingshire in 1742 and is known for his intricate engravings of Scottish landscapes and architecture.

Another notable person with the surname Cowie was William Cowie, a Scottish engineer and inventor. He was born in Ayrshire in 1822 and is credited with several innovations in the field of steam engine design.

In the 19th century, a prominent figure with the surname Cowie was James Cowie, a Scottish artist and illustrator. He was born in Aberdeen in 1856 and is renowned for his illustrations in various literary works, including works by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cowie

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

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

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

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