Surname Cossar - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'C'
Cossar: What does the surname Cossar mean?
The last name Cossar is believed to have originated from the Scottish borders. The name is thought to be a locational surname that originated from the village of Cosar in the Borders region. This is in the former ancient kingdom of the same name in the western part of Scotland.
The name itself derives from the Old English words cosa meaning "cushion" and sær meaning "rush" and is believed to have referred to the type of grass that is often found in the region around Cosar.
The earliest recorded use of the name is in 1250, when Raef de Cosere was recorded as holding lands in East Lothian, at the border of Scotland and England. This makes it one of the oldest recorded surnames in Scotland.
The name is believed to have had multiple variations at the time of its origin, including Cosare, Cosar, Cossar, and Kossar. It is also believed that the surname was spread across the area during the subsequent centuries by people migrating out of the region and to other parts of the country.
Today, people with the last name Cossar are found in Scotland, England, Ireland, Canada, and the US, where they are believed to have migrated during the 19th and early 20th centuries in search of better economic opportunities and less restrictions.
Order DNA origin analysisCossar: Where does the name Cossar come from?
The surname Cossar has its roots in Scotland, where it is still quite common today. Cossar is predominantly a Scottish name, however, it is also present in England, Australia, and Canada. It is an habitational name, derived from a place called Cosar in the parish of Hamilton, Lanarkshire.
On its Scottish homeland the ranks of Cossar in the 1881 census were amongst the top 10,000 most common surnames. Today, there are still Cossar’s living in the greater Glasgow area, and throughout central Scotland.
The popularity of the surname in Canada is quite limited, however, there are still a few families bearing the name Cossar present there. The largest concentrations of Cossar are found in Ontario and British Columbia, with more scattered throughout.
In Australia, the Cossar name has a rich past going back to the early 19th century. Settlers first traveled to the continent during the early years of colonialization, and today the name remains popular amongst several generations of Australians. It has spread throughout the continent, and is present in all of the states and territories.
The surname Cossar is quite common in the United Kingdom, particularly in Scotland and England. While primarily a Scottish name, it is also present in smaller numbers in Wales. Although some Cossar families have emigrated to other countries, this is primarily a British surname.
Variations of the surname Cossar
The surname Cossar is believed to have originated in Scotland. It is a habitational name from the Cossar Farm in East Lothian. The variant spellings of the name include Cossar, Cossaray, Cossard, Cossart, Cossal, Cosser, Cossert, Cossier, Cossor, Cosseray, and Cosserat. It is thought that some Cossar families later adopted other forms of the name including Cockshott, Coash, Cusker, Coasher, Cosher, and Cocker.
In France, some variants of the surname are Coucres, Coucer, and Coucou. In England, variant spellings include Cosser, Cossor, Cossard, and Cossar. In Ireland, Kimaler and Gamble can also be derived from the Cossar name.
In Scotland, the Cossar family name is generally a habitational name from the Cossar estate in East Lothian. During the medieval period, many people took on the name of the estates on which they worked. This would explain why Cossar is now used as a surname in many parts of Scotland.
The Cossar name is also extremely popular in Northern Ireland, where many families of the name have settled. Some of the variant spellings in Northern Ireland include Cosser, Cossor, Cossard, and Cossaray.
Cossar is an old, well-established Scottish surname. It is known to have been in use for at least 500 years, with various branches of the family now spread around the world. Although the name has evolved, it can still be traced back to its roots in Scotland.
Famous people with the name Cossar
- Kim Cossar: Canadian comedian, actress, and entertainer.
- Kirsten Cossar: Canadian singer and songwriter.
- John Cossar: British sportsman, soldier, and engineer.
- Jim Cossar: Scottish actor and comedian.
- Joyce Cossar: Canadian dairy farmer and an active environmentalist.
- Matthew Cossar: American cyclist and co-founder of The Cyclist's Consulate, an organization dedicated to connecting bicycling enthusiasts.
- Dale Cossar: Canadian carpenter, and one of North America's most prolific wood sculptors.
- Henry Cossar: British explorer and travel writer.
- William Cossar: British mathematician and music theorist.
- Deuce Cossar: American actor, writer, director, and producer best known for his work on the web series "Turn Down For What".