Explore the Family Name Cos

The meaning of Cos

1. Catalan: habitational name from any of the places called Cós in Catalonia (Spain), from cos ‘run’ (from Latin cursu). 2. Spanish (northern): nickname from regional cos ‘bump’. 3. Romanian (Coş): nickname or metonymic occupational name from coş ‘pannier, basket’, also ‘chimney’, a word of Slavic origin (see Kos 2). 4. Americanized or Italianized form of Slovenian, Croatian or other Slavic Kos ‘blackbird’. Compare Coss. 5. Amerindian (mainly Guatemala): unexplained.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Cos in the United States?

Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Cos has seen a significant increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 58,999 in terms of popularity but had jumped to 48,060 by 2010, representing an impressive 18.54% increase. The number of individuals bearing this surname also rose from 321 in 2000 to 440 in 2010, showing a growth rate of 37.07%. The proportion of people named Cos per 100k also grew by 25% during this period.

20002010Change
Rank#58,999#48,06018.54%
Count32144037.07%
Proportion per 100k0.120.1525%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Cos

Regarding the ethnicity of individuals with the surname Cos, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some noticeable shifts between 2000 and 2010. The Hispanic group increased their representation among those carrying the surname from 52.34% to 62.73%, marking a 19.85% change. However, there was a decrease in White and Black ethnic identities associated with the surname, dropping by 15.57% and 34.80% respectively. Meanwhile, the Asian/Pacific Islander representation also declined by 47.71%. There were no changes noted for the "Two or more races" category and the "American Indian and Alaskan Native" category, as they remained at zero throughout both years.

20002010Change
Hispanic52.34%62.73%19.85%
White37.69%31.82%-15.57%
Black5.92%3.86%-34.8%
Asian/Pacific Islander2.18%1.14%-47.71%
Two or More Races0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%