Explore the Family Name Coward
The meaning of Coward
English: occupational name for a cowherd, Middle English couh(i)erde, couhirde, couhurde (Old English cūhyrde). The surname has nothing to do with the modern English word coward, which is from Old French cuard, a pejorative term from coue ‘tail’ (from Latin cauda) with reference to an animal with its tail between its legs.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Coward in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Coward" saw a decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 5443rd most popular, but by 2010, it had fallen to 6012th place, a drop of approximately 10.45%. Furthermore, the count of people with this surname also decreased from 5880 in 2000 to 5720 in 2010, indicating a -2.72% change. The proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 people also saw a decline of roughly 11.01%, dropping from 2.18 in 2000 to 1.94 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,443 | #6,012 | -10.45% |
| Count | 5,880 | 5,720 | -2.72% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.18 | 1.94 | -11.01% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Coward
When it comes to ethnic identity, Coward's distribution changed slightly over the same decade, based on the Decennial U.S. Census data. The percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Hispanic, and Black increased; with the largest increase seen among those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, jumping from 0.22% in 2000 to 0.33% in 2010 (a 50% increase). Meanwhile, the percentage of individuals primarily identifying as White fell from 63.33% in 2000 to 59.63% in 2010, a drop of about 5.84%. This suggests a gradual diversification in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Coward.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 63.33% | 59.63% | -5.84% |
| Black | 31.62% | 34.06% | 7.72% |
| Hispanic | 2.62% | 3.16% | 20.61% |
| Two or More Races | 1.7% | 2.22% | 30.59% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.51% | 0.59% | 15.69% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.22% | 0.33% | 50% |
Coward 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 Coward is British & Irish, which comprises 59.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (19.2%) and Nigerian (4.4%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Eastern European, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Spanish & Portuguese, and Italian.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 59.5% |
| French & German | 19.2% |
| Nigerian | 4.4% |
| Other | 16.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Coward
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 Coward have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 82.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 82.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 82.80% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 82.80% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 81.80% |
What Coward 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 Coward is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-Z58 and E-M2, which are predominantly found among people with European and Sub-Saharan African ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Thurman, Beaman, Gladden, Ritchey, Thatcher, Prichard, Prescott, Rowlands, Renner, Cutler.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Coward surname are: H1, N, 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 Coward 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.
"Coward" Surname 35.3%
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.
"Coward" Surname 21.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Coward" Surname 16.7%
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.
"Coward" Surname 15.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Coward?
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 Coward are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition