Cowdin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The name Cowdin is from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of the Britain and comes from Cuthbert in the patronymic form where it was used as son of Cutt. 1 Alternatively, the name could have denoted "the son, or family, of Cutha (famous)." 2

Early Origins of the Cowdin family

The surname Cowdin was first found in Norfolk where Herlewin and WIllian Cutting were listed in 1221. Later, Richard Cutting was listed in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1235. 1

"The Cuttings are at present at home in Ipswich and its neighbourhood. Edward Cuttinge held land in Haughley, Stowmarket, in the reign of Edward IV." 3

The Cowden variant came from Cowden, a small village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent. Great Cowden dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was first listed as Coledun 4 and literally meant "hill where charcoal is made," from the Old English "col" + "dun." 5

Alternatively, the family could have originated in Scotland at "Cowden in the parish of Dalkeith, Midlothian. There is also a Cowden near Dollar but Cowden near Dalkeith is more probable source of the name." 6

Early History of the Cowdin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cowdin research. Another 145 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1550, 1595, 1599, 1634, 1685 and 1689 are included under the topic Early Cowdin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cowdin Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Cowdin has been spelled many different ways, including Cutting, Cudden, Cudding, Cuttin, Cutten, Cuttan, Cuddan, Cuddin, Cuddon, Cuding, Cuting, Cuden, Cutin, Cutine, Cudan, Cudane, Coudan, Couding, Coutting, Coutten, Couttan, Couttin, Cutton and many more.

Early Notables of the Cowdin family

Distinguished members of the family include Francis Cuttinge (c. 1550-1595/6), English lutenist and composer. He "was one of the most distinguished composers of lute music towards the close of the reign of Elizabeth and the beginning of that of James. Nothing is...
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cowdin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cowdin migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Cowdins to arrive in North America:

Cowdin Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

James Cowdin, who landed in New England in 1728 7
Thomas Cowdin, who arrived in New England in 1728 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Cowdin (post 1700) +

Joseph Cowdin, American politician, U.S. Consul in Glasgow, 1845-50 8
George D. Cowdin (b. 1835), American Republican politician, Member of Michigan State House of Representatives from Oakland County 2nd District, 1907-08 8
Elliot C. Cowdin, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from New York County 11th District, 1877 8
C. E. Cowdin, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Oregon, 1944 8

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html