Kosack

Kosack is a British surname of diverse origin and meaning. This name is classified as being of Anglo-Saxon, Olde English pre-7th-century derivation, and is also recorded in several continental countries including Germany. The surname Kosack is believed to have originated from the Old English word cyne, meaning "royal" and hors, meaning "horse." Therefore, the name may have denoted someone associated with royal horses or someone of noble descent with an association to horses.

First recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, the Kosack surname has seen various forms of spelling over the centuries including Custock, Horsick, and Costock. One notable individual bearing this surname is Walter Edgar Kosack (1907–1988), a renowned British mathematician and author known for his works on partial differential equations and fluid dynamics.

The distribution of the Kosack surname is relatively sparse in modern times, with a concentration in areas with historical ties to early Anglo-Saxon settlements. The name has a rich history and may represent a lineage of individuals with a connection to nobility or equestrian pursuits.

References:

  • Reaney, P.H., & Wilson, R.M. (2008). A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

There are approximately 16 people named Kosack in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Fewer than one in a million people in Britain are named Kosack.

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

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