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

Cowing, 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 Cowing surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cowing in America

Cowing is the 36286th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cowing surname appeared 617 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Cowing.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cowing 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 Cowing

The surname Cowing is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "cu" meaning cow, and the occupational suffix "-ing," indicating a profession or trade. It likely originated as a descriptive name for a cowherd or someone who worked with cows.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with early records showing variations such as Cuwyng and Cowynge. One of the earliest documented instances is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1327, mentioning a John Cowynge.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various forms, including Cowynge, Couwing, and Cowinge, reflecting the regional differences in pronunciation and spelling. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 record a Simon Cuyng in Oxfordshire.

The Cowing surname is also found in historical records from the 16th century onwards. In the 1568 Muster Roll of Norfolk, a William Cowing is listed, while the Hearth Tax Returns of 1674 mention a Thomas Cowing in Dorset.

Notable individuals with the Cowing surname include John Cowing (1614-1694), an early settler in Boston, Massachusetts, and one of the founders of the town of Charlestown. Another prominent figure was Ebenezer Cowing (1722-1808), a Revolutionary War soldier from Massachusetts.

In the 19th century, Joseph Cowing (1831-1902) was a prominent businessman and philanthropist from New York, known for his contributions to educational institutions and charitable organizations. Horace S. Cowing (1827-1894) was a lawyer and politician from New York, serving as a member of the New York State Assembly.

One of the earliest recorded place names associated with the surname is Cowings Mill, a hamlet in Somerset, England, mentioned in records dating back to the 16th century. This suggests a possible connection between the surname and a specific location.

While the surname Cowing is primarily found in England and the United States, it has also been recorded in other parts of the world, likely due to migration and settlement patterns over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cowing

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

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

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

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