Coo History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Coo is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. Coo was a name used for a jackdaw. Checking further we found the name was derived from the Old English word coo. This was in turn derived from the Old Norse word ka, which was their word for jackdaw. Thus the original bearer of this name must have reminded his contemporaries of a jackdaw and was referred to as "Coo" as a nickname.

Early Origins of the Coo family

The surname Coo was first found in Lancashire, where the Coo family held a family seat from ancient times. The earliest known bearer of the name was Osbert Ka, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1188.

Early History of the Coo family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Coo research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1188, 1221, 1783 and 1860 are included under the topic Early Coo History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Coo Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Coo include Coe, Coes, Cowe, Kow, Cawe, Kowe, Coo, Ku, Koo and others.

Early Notables of the Coo family

More information is included under the topic Early Coo Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Coo family to Ireland

Some of the Coo family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Coo family

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Coo were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: Robert Coe, who sailed from Ipswich to Watertown on the ship Francis in 1634; Matthew Coe, who emigrated from Bristol to Portsmouth in the year 1640; Alester Cowe, who arrived in Boston, Massachussets in 1652.