Show ContentsCossin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Cossin is a name whose history dates possibly as far back as 1066 when the Normans first arrived in Britain following their Conquest of the island. It was a name for a person who was related to someone of note in the area. Further research showed the name was derived from the Old French, cusin, and the Old English, cousin, which means relative. [1]

Early Origins of the Cossin family

The surname Cossin was first found in Norfolk and in the southern counties of England, where the first on record appears to be Roger Cusin, listed in the Pipe Rolls in that county in 1166. Robert Cusyn and his wife Joan were landowners in Ellisfield, Hampshire during the Reign of Henry III (1216-1272). Peter Cusin was a sheriff of London in 1273. A Galfridus Cusyn of Hardingham, Norfolk is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls for that county in 1327. [2]

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 lists: Johannes Cosyn, tiropour; Ricardus Cosyn; and Alicia Cosyn, 1379. [2]

Early History of the Cossin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cossin research. Another 51 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1535, 1541, 1547, 1549, 1558, 1585, 1594, 1597, 1672, 1697, 1743 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Cossin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cossin Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Cossin include Cousin, Cousins, Cozens, Cossins, Couzins, Cossens, Cosin, Cosyns, Cousens, Couzens, Cossins, Cosin and many more.

Early Notables of the Cossin family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • John Cossins (1697-1743), was an early map maker, renowned for making city maps

Ireland Migration of the Cossin family to Ireland

Some of the Cossin family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Cossin migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Cossins to arrive on North American shores:

Cossin Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Nicholas Cossin, who arrived in Maryland in 1640 [3]
  • James Cossin, who landed in Virginia in 1650 [3]
Cossin Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Edmd Cossin, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 [3]


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. 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)


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