Kos Family History

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Kos Name Meaning

Slovenian, Croatian, Czech, and Polish: nickname from kos ‘blackbird’, denoting someone thought to resemble the bird in some way, for example someone with a good singing voice. This is a very common surname in Slovenia and Croatia. Czech and Sorbian (Koš): metonymic occupational name for a basketmaker, from koš ‘basket’. German (Kös): possibly a nickname for a gossip or a smooth-talker, from Middle High German kose, koese ‘talk’, ‘chat’. Compare Koser. Jewish (Ashkenazic): of uncertain origin. It may be an ornamental name from Slavic kos ‘blackbird’, as in 1, or alternatively it may be from Hebrew kos ‘drinking glass’ or Yiddish kos ‘goblet’, ‘cup’, probably applied as a metonymic occupational name for someone who made glasses or cups. Dutch: from a Zeeland personal name derived from Constantius (see Constant). Hungarian (Kós): from a Turkish loanword kos ‘ram’ (from Old Turkish qoc, Ottoman Turkish qoç); perhaps a metonymic occupational name for a shepherd but more probably a nickname for someone thought to resemble the animal.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Kost, Kus, Koss, Kosa, Kot, Bos, Ko, Kon, Kor, Kops

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Kos Family Origin

Where is the Kos family from?

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You can see how Kos families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kos family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Kos families were found in the USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 14 Kos families living in Iowa. This was about 25% of all the recorded Kos's in the USA. Iowa had the highest population of Kos families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kos surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Kos

Kos Family Occupations

What did your Kos ancestors do for a living?

In 1880, the most common Kos occupation in the USA was Farmer. 42% of Kos's were Farmers. A less common occupation for the Kos family was Farm Laborer. Farmer, Tailor and Brewer were the top 3 reported jobs worked by Kos.

View Census data for Kos | Data not to scale

  • Farmer

    42%

  • Tailor

    25%

  • Brewer

    8%

  • Farm Laborer

    8%

Census records can tell you a lot of little known facts about your Kos ancestors, such as occupation. Occupation can tell you about your ancestor's social and economic status.

Kos Historical Records

What Kos family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Kos. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kos census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search 1940's US census records for Kos

Passenger List

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Kos. 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.

View all Kos immigration records

Draft Card

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Kos. For the veterans among your Kos ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kos military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kos family history.

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Kos Life Expectancy

What is the average Kos lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Kos life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Kos in 1949 was 53, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kos

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kos ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Famous Kos Family Ancestors

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