Explore the Family Name Cowdrey

The meaning of Cowdrey

English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Coudrai in Seine-Maritime, France, or Coudray in Eure, France, or from Cowdray or Cowdry in Sussex, England. The latter was probably named after one of the places in France. All are named with Old French coudraie ‘hazel copse’ (a collective noun from coudre ‘hazelnut tree’, Late Latin colurus, a metathesized form of classical Latin corylus, from Greek korylos). Alternatively, but less likely, a topographic name from Old French coudraie ‘hazel copse’, adopted into English, denoting someone who lived near a hazel copse.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Cowdrey saw a decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Cowdrey was ranked 26,898 in popularity but dropped to rank 31,285 by 2010, marking a 16.31% decrease. The count of people with this surname also decreased from 849 in 2000 to 741 in 2010, a drop of 12.72%. The proportion of people with the Cowdrey surname per 100k individuals declined by 19.35%, from 0.31 in 2000 to 0.25 in 2010.

20002010Change
Rank#26,898#31,285-16.31%
Count849741-12.72%
Proportion per 100k0.310.25-19.35%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Cowdrey

The ethnic identity associated with the surname Cowdrey primarily identifies as white, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, 94.58% identified as white, and this percentage rose slightly to 95.28% in 2010. The second most common ethnic identification was Hispanic, which increased from 1.41% in 2000 to 2.16% in 2010, a significant growth of 53.19%. On the other hand, those identifying as two or more races fell from 2.00% to 1.35%, a reduction of 32.50%. No Cowdreys identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native during these years.

20002010Change
White94.58%95.28%0.74%
Hispanic1.41%2.16%53.19%
Two or More Races2%1.35%-32.5%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.82%0%0%