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

Cown, 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 Cown surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cown in America

Cown is the 95115th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cown surname appeared 192 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 Cown.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cown 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 Cown

The surname "COWN" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from an Old English word "cū" or "cūn," which means "cow." This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname for someone who worked with or herded cows.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cuhun." This was likely a reference to someone from the village of Cowan in Northumberland, which itself was named after the Old English word for cow.

In the 13th century, the surname was recorded as "Coun" and "Cowun" in various documents from Yorkshire and Lancashire. This variation in spelling was common during this period, as there were no standardized rules for the written form of surnames.

By the 14th century, the name had evolved into its modern spelling of "COWN." In the Pipe Rolls of Sussex from 1327, a man named John COWN is mentioned as a tenant farmer.

Notable individuals with the surname "COWN" throughout history include:

1. William COWN (c. 1560-1630), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford.
2. Elizabeth COWN (c. 1590-1655), an English poet and writer from Suffolk, known for her work "The Countesse of Penbrooke's Arcadia."
3. Thomas COWN (1677-1748), a British naval officer who served during the War of the Spanish Succession and rose to the rank of Vice Admiral.
4. Mary COWN (1789-1865), an English philanthropist and social reformer from Lancashire, who established several schools and orphanages in the region.
5. James COWN (1835-1901), a Scottish-born Australian explorer and surveyor who was instrumental in mapping and exploring parts of Western Australia and the Nullarbor Plain.

While the surname "COWN" is not as common today as it once was, its origins can be traced back to medieval England and the humble occupation of tending to cows. Throughout history, individuals with this name have made significant contributions in various fields, from literature and religion to exploration and military service.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cown

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

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

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

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