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Kos Family History

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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Where is the Kos family from?

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.
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What did your Kos ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the US named Kos. 31% of Kos men worked as a Laborer and 16% of Kos women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kos were Labor and New Worker.

View Census data for Kos | 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
    31%
  • Farmer
    12%
  • Carpenter
    5%
  • Labor
    4%

Top Female Occupations in 1940

  • Maid
    16%
  • Stenographer
    14%
  • Teacher
    10%
  • New Worker
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Kos family records will you find?

Census Records

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 US census records for Kos

Passenger Lists

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.

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Draft Cards

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.

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

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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

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