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Cogan Family History

Cogan Name Meaning

Americanized form of Jewish (from Ukraine) Kogan from the Russian pronunciation of Cohen . 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. Irish (Leitrim): variant of Coogan . English: variant of Cockayne .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Wogan, Coggan, Logan, Kogan, Cohan, Coan, Coran, Colgan, Gogan

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Cogan family from?

You can see how Cogan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cogan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cogan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 12 Cogan families living in New York. This was about 34% of all the recorded Cogan's in USA. New York had the highest population of Cogan families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cogan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Cogan ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Cogan. 15% of Cogan men worked as a Laborer and 13% of Cogan women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cogan were Clerk and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Cogan | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    15%
  • Salesman
    11%
  • Farmer
    7%
  • Clerk
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    13%
  • Secretary
    10%
  • Clerk
    9%
  • Teacher
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Cogan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 35,000 census records available for the last name Cogan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cogan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Cogan

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Cogan. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Cogan. For the veterans among your Cogan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Cogan lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Cogan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Cogan in 1943 was 57, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cogan

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