Explore the Family Name Cogan
The meaning of Cogan
1. Irish and Welsh (of Norman origin): habitational name from Cogan near Cardiff, which may have been named with a Welsh word meaning ‘bowl, depression’. In 1166 Milo de Cogan, held two fees near Penarth (Glamorganshire) of William earl of Gloucester. Members of this Norman family probably account for the name’s appearance in 13th-century Berwickshire. By this time the family was also present in Ireland, associated with counties Limerick and Cork. It may have been the Irish branch that later brought the name to southwest Scotland. 2. Irish (Leitrim): variant of Coogan. 3. English: variant of Cockayne. 4. Americanized form of Jewish (from Ukraine) Kogan, from the Russian pronunciation of Cohen.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Cogan in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Cogan in the United States saw a minor decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 8,371st in terms of frequency, but by 2010 it had slipped to the 9,006th spot, reflecting a change of -7.59%. The count of individuals with this surname remained virtually steady, with an increase of just 0.03% over the decade. The proportion of people named Cogan per 100,000 residents also dropped slightly, going from 1.35 in 2000 to 1.23 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,371 | #9,006 | -7.59% |
| Count | 3,630 | 3,631 | 0.03% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.35 | 1.23 | -8.89% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Cogan
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Cogan underwent some changes between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. Whites made up the largest portion of individuals with this surname, although their share decreased slightly from 94.74% to 93.42%. Meanwhile, there was growth in the percentage of Cogans who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander (from 0.44% to 0.66%) and those identifying as two or more races (from 1.21% to 1.90%). The proportion of Hispanic individuals also rose from 1.93% to 2.59%. Conversely, the percentages of Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native individuals both dropped, with the former decreasing from 1.40% to 1.29% and the latter from 0.28% to 0.14%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.74% | 93.42% | -1.39% |
| Hispanic | 1.93% | 2.59% | 34.2% |
| Two or More Races | 1.21% | 1.9% | 57.02% |
| Black | 1.4% | 1.29% | -7.86% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.44% | 0.66% | 50% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.28% | 0.14% | -50% |
Cogan ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Cogan is British & Irish, which comprises 47.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (18.5%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (14.8%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 47.7% |
| French & German | 18.5% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 14.8% |
| Other | 19.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Cogan
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Cogan have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 72.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 72.20% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 72.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 72.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 72.20% |
What Cogan haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Cogan is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and J-M304, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Pruitt, Lawton, Tait, Bratcher, Burnell, Goolsby, Hoskins, Garland, Bradshaw, Snell.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Cogan surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Cogan have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Cogan" Surname 48.6%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Cogan" Surname 21.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Cogan" Surname 20.5%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Cogan" Surname 19.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Cogan?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Cogan are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition