Surname Cousins - Meaning and Origin

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Q. Cousins

Cousins: What does the surname Cousins mean?

The surname "Cousins" is of English origin and it is derived from the old French word "cousin", which means "relative" or "cousin." It was commonly used as a nickname in the Middle Ages, often given to someone who was a relative or close friend of a noble family, or perhaps to someone who bore a resemblance to a known relative or friend. Sometimes it was even used to refer to someone who was related through marriage.

Apart from these specific connections to nobility or friendships, the surname could also imply a connection in a religious context, often being used to refer to fellow members of a religious order or community. In some cases, the surname "Cousins" was adopted when an ancestor migrated from elsewhere in Europe and was known as 'the relative' in the new community. Over time, it became a hereditary surname.

As with all surnames, it's possible for multiple unrelated families to have the same last name of Cousins without sharing any common ancestry, due simply to the various ways surnames have evolved and become hereditary over centuries.

Cousins: Where does the name Cousins come from?

The surname Cousins is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Middle English term "cousin", itself originating from the Old French "cusin", and from Latin "consobrinus", meaning a relative by blood or marriage, more specifically a cousin. The surname may have evolved as a nickname or term of address for someone who used the term "cousin" frequently in speech, or it may have been given to someone who had a significant or distinctive relative. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Robert Cosyn, dated about 1219, in the "Assize Court Rolls of Yorkshire".

Today, the surname Cousins is fairly common and can be found in English-speaking countries like the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia. According to Forebears, the highest prevalence of the surname Cousins in 2014 was in Jamaica followed by England. However, the highest density was in Saint Helena, where it was the 17th most common surname. Please note that the distribution has likely changed slightly in recent years.

Variations of the surname Cousins

The surname "Cousins" is of Anglo-Saxon origin derived from the Old French "cousin" and the Latin "consobrinus" which both mean "Cousin". The name was often given to a person who was related to someone well-known in the area where they originally lived. While "Cousins" is the most common form, there are several variants and similar surnames due to geographical dispersion, linguistic development, and differing spellings over time.

Such variants include Cousin, Couzins, Cozens, Cozins, and Cousens. The spelling Cossins is more common in Somerset, Cossens in Sussex. In some cases, it may have been anglicized from the Irish Mac Cuishin or O'Cuishin.

Moreover, the surname has regional variants in different countries. In French, Cousineau or Cousinot might be found, in Italian, Cugini or DeCugis, in Spanish, the equivalent name might be Primo or Vargas, in Portuguese, Primos, and in German, Vetter or Neffe.

It's important to note that surnames underwent considerable changes in spelling. Therefore, a single person's name was often spelled various ways over a lifetime. The listed variants and similar surnames all share a common ancestry with the original "Cousins".

Famous people with the name Cousins

• Kirk Cousins: He is a professional American football quarterback, currently playing for the Minnesota Vikings in the National Football League (NFL).
• DeMarcus Cousins: Another athlete, he is a professional basketball player in the NBA, currently signed to the Los Angeles Clippers.
• Norman Cousins: An American political journalist, author, professor, and world peace advocate, Cousins was editor-in-chief of the Saturday Review for over 35 years.
• Duzza Cousins: An English musician, he was the frontman for the punk rock band The Vibrators.
• Margaret Cousins: An Irish-Indian educationist, suffragist, and theosophist, she was instrumental in creating India's national anthem.
• Jean Cousins: She was a Canadian novelist and children's book author.
• Mark Cousins: A director and writer, he is known for his films and documentaries on cinema, like "The Story of Film: An Odyssey."
• Hardy Nickerson Jr. (full name Hardy Otto Nickerson Jr.): Though his surname isn't Cousins, he is a professional American football player and the cousin of NFL star Kirk Cousins.
• Al "Cousin Al" Lewis: An American actor, he is known for playing Grandpa Munster in "The Munsters" TV series. His nickname was "Cousin Al," but it is not his real surname.

Other surnames

Cousin