Cowan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  Scotland 
  Ireland 
  England 


The ancient Scottish name Cowan was first used by the Strathclyde-Briton people of the Scottish/English Borderlands. The original bearer of the name lived in the Scottish-English border region. The Cowan family lived in Ayrshire, Dumfriesshire, and other Lowland counties. The name may be from the Scottish word cowan, a dry-stone-diker or more likely a corruption of Colquhoun, the common pronunciation of which is Cohoon. "Mr. Alexander Cowan, father of Sir John Cowan of Beeslack is said to have left on record that many of his grandfather's books bore the name of Colquhoun." 1

Early Origins of the Cowan family

The surname Cowan was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland where a name like Iain MacComhain becomes Iain Comhan in Gaelic while the English equivalent is Cowan. The name of James Cowhen, chaplain in North Berwick, 1560. 1

Early History of the Cowan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cowan research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1852, 1865, 1868, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1876 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Cowan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cowan Spelling Variations

Spelling and translation were hardly exact sciences in Medieval Scotland. Sound, rather than any set of rules, was the basis for spellings, so one name was often spelled different ways even within a single document. Spelling variations are thus an extremely common occurrence in Medieval Scottish names. Cowan has been spelled Cowan, Cowans, Cowen, Cowens, MacCowan, MacCowden and many more.

Early Notables of the Cowan family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Frederic Hymen Cowen, born Jan. 29, 1852, at Kingston, Jamaica, exhibited early an extraordinary love of music, was brought to England by his parents when four years old, and placed under the tuition of Sir J. Benedict and Sir J. Goss, whose pupil he remained until the winter of 1865. He then studied at the conservatoires of Leipzig and Berlin, returning to London...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cowan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cowan World Ranking

In the United States, the name Cowan is the 1,008th most popular surname with an estimated 29,844 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Cowan is ranked the 624th most popular surname with an estimated 8,269 people with that name. 3 And in Australia, the name Cowan is the 621st popular surname with an estimated 6,268 people with that name. 4 New Zealand ranks Cowan as 421st with 1,578 people. 5 The United Kingdom ranks Cowan as 560th with 11,571 people. 6

Migration of the Cowan family to Ireland

Some of the Cowan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 75 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Cowan migration to the United States +

Such hard times forced many to leave their homeland in search of opportunity across the Atlantic. Many of these families settled along the east coast of North America in communities that would become the backbones of the young nations of the United States and Canada. The ancestors of many of these families have rediscovered their roots in the 20th century through the establishment of Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. Among them:

Cowan Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Cowan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Cowan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Cowan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Cowan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
Cowan Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Cowan migration to Australia +

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

Cowan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Cowan 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:

Cowan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Cowan (post 1700) +


The Cowan 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: Sic itur in altum
Motto Translation: This is the way to heaven.


Suggested Readings for the name Cowan +
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