Show ContentsCough History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Cough surname comes from the Middle English word "cuffe," which meant "glove." It is thought that the name was originally an occupational name for a maker or seller of gloves. Although most instances of the name in Ireland were through migration from England, there were native Irish bearers of Cough from the Gaelic form of Ó Duirnin. Although this name is usually Anglicized as Durnin, it had occasionally become "Cuffe" through mistranslation, since the Gaelic word "dorn" refers to "a fist." 1

Early Origins of the Cough family

The surname Cough was first found in Kilkenny (Irish: Cill Chainnigh), the former Kingdom of Osraige (Ossory), located in Southeastern Ireland in the province of Leinster, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

Early History of the Cough family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cough research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1563, 1598, 1601, 1641, 1670, 1678, 1694, 1733, 1737, 1744, 1781, 1793, 1797, 1804, 1821 and 1841 are included under the topic Early Cough History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cough Spelling Variations

Many spelling variations of the surname Cough can be found in the archives. One reason for these variations is that ancient scribes and church officials recorded names as they were pronounced, often resulting in a single person being recorded under several different spellings. The different spellings that were found include Cuff, Cuffe, Couffe, Couff, Cuffy, Cuffey, Cuffie and others.

Early Notables of the Cough family

Notable amongst the family up to this time was Sir James Cuffe (died 1678) was an Irish politician, son of Thomas Cuffe of Somerset, he moved to Ireland with his father and brother in 1641; Michael Cuffe (1694-1744), an Irish Member of Parliament; Agmondesham Cuffe, who lived in Castle Inch, County Kilkenny, father of Otway Cuffe, 1st Earl of Desart (1737-1804); and James Cuff M.P., the 1st and last Lord Tyrawley (d. 1821), he held the estate containing Deel Castle, a 16th Century Tower House, in County Mayo.Henry Cuff or Cuffe (1563-1601), was an English "author and politician, born in 1563...
Another 177 words (13 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cough Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Cough migration to the United States +

Irish families left their homeland in astonishing numbers during the 19th century in search of a better life. Although individual reasons vary, most of these Irish families suffered from extreme poverty, lack of work opportunities, and exorbitant rents in their homeland. Many decided to travel to Australia or North America in the hopes of finding greater opportunities and land. The Irish immigrants that came to North America initially settled on the East Coast, often in major centers such as Boston or New York. But like the many other cultures to settle in North America, the Irish traveled to almost any region they felt held greater promise; as a result, many Irish with gold fever moved all the way out to the Pacific coast. Others before that time left for land along the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara Peninsula, or the Maritimes as United Empire Loyalists, for many Irish did choose to side with the English during the American War of Independence. The earliest wave of Irish migration, however, occurred during the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists has revealed many people bearing the Cough name:

Cough Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Charles Cough, who arrived in Virginia in 1666 2

Canada Cough migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Cough Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. John Cough U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1783 3


The Cough 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: Animus tamen idem
Motto Translation: Yet our mind is unchanged.


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, More Irish Families. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-0126-0)
  2. 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)
  3. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X


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