Cogan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  Wales 
  Ireland 
  Scotland 


Celtic in origin, the name Cogan came from the rugged landscape of Wales. The name's origins go back to a time when the Cogan family lived in the parish of Cogan, which is in the diocese of Llandaff in the county of Glamorgan. The name literally means "a cup or bowl" 1 and probably meant "dweller in a bowl-shaped valley." 2

Early Origins of the Cogan family

The surname Cogan was first found in Glamorganshire (Welsh: Sir Forgannwg), a region of South Wales, anciently part of the Welsh kingdom of Glywysing at Cogan, a parish, in the union of Cardiff, hundred of Dinas-Powys, county of Glamorgan, South Wales. 3

"Cogan or Coggan is an ancient west of England name. There was a John de Cogan, of Hunispull, Somerset, in the reign of Edward I.; and in the reign of Richard II., William Cogan was sheriff of the county. De Cogan was a name found also in different parts of Devonshire in the time of Edward I., and it has long been an old Tiverton name." 4

Exploring Somerset in more detail, Richard Cogan was registered there 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III) 5 and the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: John de Cogan, Somerset; and John de Cogan, Devon 6

"From this it is clear that the south-west forms of the surname are derived from the Llandaff parish. To Somerset and Devon was not a long journey." 6

In Devon, Bampton was the passed from the Paganell "heiress to Sir Milo Cogan, 'the great soldier and undertaker of the Irish Conquest.' Her descendant, Richard Cogan, had licence in 1336 to castellate his mansion house at Bampton, and to empark his wood and other lands at Uffculme. Every vestige of the castle has long disappeared." 7

Scotland was home to the family about this time. "Peter Cogan witnessed the gift of an acre of land in Coldingham to the monks of St. Cuthbert, and Robert Cogan witnessed a charter of lands in Raynigton to the Priory of Coldingham, 1275. Robert Cogan del counte de Berewyk rendered homage, 1296. [(to King Edward I during his invasion of Scotland)]" 8

The name "is uncommon in the Isle of Man." 9

Early History of the Cogan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cogan research. Another 183 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1230, 1233, 1278, 1545, 1591, 1593, 1605, 1607, 1684, 1686, 1716, 1723, 1731, 1780 and 1809 are included under the topic Early Cogan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cogan Spelling Variations

Although there are comparatively few Welsh surnames, they have a great many spelling variations. Variations of Welsh names began almost immediately after their acceptance within Welsh society. In the Middle Ages, it was up to priests and the few other people that recorded names in official documents to decide how to spell the names that they heard. Variations that occurred because of improper recording increased dramatically as the names were later transliterated into English. The Brythonic Celtic language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, featured many highly inflected sounds that could not be properly captured by the English language. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were all indicated by the particular variation of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Cogan have included Cogan, Cogen, Coogan, Coogen, Coogin, Coggan, Coggen, Coggin, Coggins, Gogan, Goggin and many more.

Early Notables of the Cogan family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was

Cogan Ranking

In the United States, the name Cogan is the 9,460th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 10

Migration of the Cogan family to Ireland

Some of the Cogan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 93 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Cogan migration to the United States +

Many people from Wales joined the general migration to North America in the 19th and 20th centuries, searching for land, work, and freedom. Like the many other immigrants from the British Isles, they made a significant contribution to the development of Canada and the United States. The Welsh and their descendents added a rich cultural tradition to the newly developed towns, cities, and villages. An investigation of the immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Cogan:

Cogan Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Cogan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Cogan Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Cogan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Cogan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Cogan migration to Australia +

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

Cogan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Cogan 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:

Cogan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Cogan (post 1700) +


The Cogan 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: Constans fidei
Motto Translation: Constant to honor.
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