COUSENS
Cousens is an English surname that has its roots in the medieval period of the British Isles. It originates from the Middle English word cosin, which meant “cousin.” Initially used as a nickname, it identified a person who was a close relative or a familiar acquaintance, and by the early modern era it had evolved into a hereditary family name.
The surname is a patronymic form of Cousin, deriving from early medieval English and French. It is ultimately based on the Old French words co(u)sin or cusin, which in turn come from the Latin term consobrinus. In the Middle Ages, and even in Shakespearean English, the word generally signified “relative” or “kinsman.” The adoption of Cousens by individuals who were regarded as closely connected with prominent local figures reflects this historical usage.
Like many early European surnames, Cousens emerged from the habitual use of nicknames. Such nicknames were given in reference to a variety of characteristics, including familial relationships, physical traits, personal habits, or occupations. The most frequent form of the name today is the patronymic, signifying descent from someone who was identified by the nickname “cousin.”
The earliest recorded spelling of the family name is Roger Cusin, dated to 1166 and found in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk during the reign of King Henry I, who reigned from 1154 to 1189. This indicates that the surname has been in use in England for over eight centuries.
An interesting historical figure bearing this surname was Alexander Cozens (d. 1786). A landscape painter in water-colours, he was born in Russia and is reputed to have been the son of Peter the Great. Cozens studied art in Italy before establishing himself in England in 1746, where he became noted for his subtle utilisation of colour and atmosphere.
Typical given names associated with the Cousens surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Mark
- Matthew
- Michael
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Gladys
- Julie
- Lucy
- Margaret
- Marie
- Sally
- Sophie
- Susan
- Suzanne
Similar and related surnames
- Casens
- Cassens
- Causens
- Cooson
- Cosens
- Cossens
- Cossin
- Cossins
- Cosyns
- Cousans
- Couse
- Cousen
- Cousien
- Cousin
- Cousines
- Cousins
- Cousions
- Couson
- Cousons
- Cousseau
- Coussens
- Coussins
- Coussions
- Cousson
- Coussons
- Cousuns
- Couszens
- Couzen
- Couzens
- Couzins
- Cowson
- Cozens
- Cuison
- Cusen
- Cusens
- Cuson
- Cussans
- Cussen
- Cussens
- Cussins
- Cusson
- Cussons
- Cuzen
- Cuzens
- Kusen
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Cousens in...
Braille
⠉⠕⠥⠎⠑⠝⠎
Morse
-.-.---..-....-....
Semaphore
There are approximately 690 people named Cousens in the UK. That makes it roughly the 9,800th most common surname in Britain. Around 11 in a million people in Britain are named Cousens.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Cousens
- Cecily Cousens - Diver (1918 to 2008)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.