Contents [hide]

Cochrane History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Cochrane History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

The chronicles of the Cochrane family show that the name was first used in the Scottish/English Borderlands by the Strathclyde-Britons. It was a name for a person who lived in Renfrewshire, where they took on the name of the lands of Cochrane in the parish of Paisley, near Glasgow. This place name is of uncertain derivation, perhaps stemming from the Welsh word "coch," meaning "red."

Early Origins of the Cochrane family

The surname Cochrane was first found in Renfrewshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rinn Friù), a historic county of Scotland, today encompassing the Council Areas of Renfrew, East Renfrewshire, and Iverclyde, in the Strathclyde region of southwestern Scotland, where the first record of the name was Waldeve de Coueran, who was witness to a charter issued by Dugal, son of Syfyn, to Walter Stewart, fifth Earl of Menteith, regarding several lands in Kintyre. William de Coughran of Lanark swore an oath of allegiance to King Edward I of England during his short conquest of Scotland in 1296. Walter Cochrane was the first record of the more popular spelling used today in 1262. His son William Cochrane, the second chief of the Clan, also rendered homage to King Edward I in 1296.

Early History of the Cochrane family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cochrane research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1482, 1600, 1605, 1659, 1669, 1683, 1685, 1690, 1691, 1707, 1708, 1713, 1717 and 1778 are included under the topic Early Cochrane History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cochrane Spelling Variations

The origin of rules governing the spelling of names and even words is a very recent innovation. Before that, words and names were spelled according to sound, and, therefore, often appeared under several different spelling variations in a single document. Cochrane has been spelled Cochrane, Cochran, Cocrane, Cocran, Cochren, Cockram, Cockran, Cockren and many more.

Early Notables of the Cochrane family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

William Cochrane (1605-1685), 1st Earl of Dundonald. Of his children was Sir John Cochrane (d. 1707), who was a Member of Parliament for Ayrshire in 1669
in 1690 he was restored to his estates at Ochiltree, Scotland. Thomas Cochrane, 8th Earl of Dundonald (1691-1778) was a cousin who inherited the Earldom, and was a Member of Parliament for Renfrewshir...

Cochrane World Ranking

In the United States, the name Cochrane is the 4,055^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Cochrane is ranked the 749^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,146 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name Cochrane is the 649^th popular surname with an estimated 6,016 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks Cochrane as 316^th with 1,929 people. 4 The United Kingdom ranks Cochrane as 788^th with 8,580 people. 5

Migration of the Cochrane family to Ireland

Some of the Cochrane family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cochrane migration to the United States +

The persecution faced in their homeland left many Scots with little to do but sail for the colonies of North America. There they found land, freedom, opportunity, and nations in the making. They fought for their freedom in the American War of Independence, or traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In both cases, they made enormous contributions to the formation of those great nations. Among them:

Cochrane Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Sir John Cochrane of Ochiltree applied to the King for a grant of 12,000 acres in Carolina on which to settle his clansmen in 1682

Cochrane Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Richard Cochrane, who settled in Antigua in 1709
Ninian Cochrane and his wife Elizabeth, who settled in New Hampshire in 1728
James Cochrane, a soldier on record in Georgia in 1730
William and Mary Cochrane, who settled in New Hampshire in 1737
David Cochrane, who arrived in Virginia in 1777

Cochrane Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Henry Cochrane, who landed in New Jersey in 1811 6
Robert Cochrane, who landed in New Jersey in 1811 6
William Cochrane, who landed in New Jersey in 1811 6
John H Cochrane, aged 25, who arrived in Missouri in 1822 6
Julia Cochrane, aged 24, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Cochrane Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

John Cochrane, who landed in Wisconsin in 1912 6

Cochrane migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Cochrane Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Ms. Eliza Cochrane, aged 26 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Virginias" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 7
Mrs. Catherine Cochrane, aged 44 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Lady Milton" departing 5th May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 26th June 1847 but she died on board 8
Mr. John Cochrane who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Lady Milton" departing 5th May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 26th June 1847 but he died on board 8
Mr. John Cochrane, aged 1 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Argo" departing 4th May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 12th June 1847 but he died on board 8
Mr. Michael Cochrane, aged 23 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Jessie" departing 18th April 1847 from Limerick, Ireland; the ship arrived on 26th June 1847 but he died on board 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Cochrane migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Cochrane Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Cochrane, a weaver, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
Mr. James Cochrane, Scottish convict who was convicted in Perth, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 25th January 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 9
John Cochrane, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Stebonheath" in 1849 10
Mr. John Cochrane, (b. 1831), aged 19, Scottish brick maker who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ""Blenheim"" on 24th July 1850, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) and Norfolk Island, Australia 11
Miss Margaret Cochrane, (Reid, Martin, Cochran), (b. 1814), aged 38, Scottish cook who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the "Duchess of Northumberland" on 25th November 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), she died in 1866 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Cochrane migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Cochrane Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

D B Cochrane, who landed in Hokianga, New Zealand in 1831
Archibald Cochrane, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
John Cochrane, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
Samuel Cochrane, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
Miss Catherine Cochrane, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Katherine Stewart Forbes" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 9th March 1852 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Cochrane (post 1700) +

James Harwood Cochrane (1912-2016), American businessman and philanthropist, inductee into the Automotive Hall of Fame
Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane (1903-1962), American Major League Baseball manager and Hall of Fame baseball player
John C. Cochrane, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly, 1973-94 14
John Cochrane (1813-1898), American politician, Representative from New York 6th District, 1857-61; Defeated, 1860; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1860 14
James W. Cochrane (b. 1840), American Republican politician, Member of Michigan State Senate 28th District, 1879-80 14
James D. Cochrane, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1884 14
Harry Cochrane, American Republican politician, Member of Maine State House of Representatives from Kennebec County, 1919-20 14
George W. Cochrane, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Cornwall; Elected 1902 14
Faye Cochrane, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Indiana, 1924 14
Don F. Cochrane, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan, 1928 14
... (Another 27 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Cochrane family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. Andrew Leslie Cochrane (d. 1914), British Engineer’s Boy from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 15

Halifax Explosion

Mrs. Annie M. Cochrane (1860-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 16
Mrs. Malinda Cochrane, Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 16
Mrs. Mabel Cochrane (1884-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 16
Miss Dorothy Cochrane (1917-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who survived the Halifax Explosion (1917) but later died due to injuries 16

HMS Cornwall

Frederick Henry Cochrane (d. 1942), British Able Seaman aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 17

SS Caribou

Mr. Gordon Cecil Cochrane (b. 1916), British passenger who was Royal Army Lieutenant Sergeant from Pembroke, Ontario was travelling aboard the railway ferry "SS Caribou" when it was struck by a German submarine torpedo on 14th October 1942, the most significant sinking in Canadian waters at that time, he died in the sinking

The Cochrane Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Virtute et labore
Motto Translation: By valour and exertion.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 19)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 69)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) STEBONHEATH 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Stebonheath.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blenheim
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duchess-of-northumberland
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A