2000
#44,027
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 461
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.17
Very Rare Last name
Cowens
A surname derived from the place name Cowan, originating from Scotland.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 538 Americans carry the last name Cowens. That puts it at #48,635 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 637,090 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cowens surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Cowens with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
538
1 in 637,090
Census rank
#48,635
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
469
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 469 bearers of the surname Cowens in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 48635th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cowens, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.7%. The next largest groups are Black (37.1%) and Hispanic (6.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cowens
The surname Cowens is believed to have originated from the Lowlands of Scotland, specifically in the areas around Glasgow and Lanarkshire. It is thought to have derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "cabhain," meaning "hollow" or "hollow place." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a hollow or depression in the landscape.
Historically, the earliest recorded instances of the name Cowens can be traced back to the late 16th century. One notable example is John Cowens, a merchant and burgess of Glasgow, who was mentioned in records from 1588. Additionally, the name appears in the Canongate Parish Register of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the early 17th century.
In terms of historical references, the Cowens surname is not prominently featured in major historical documents like the Domesday Book. However, it is worth noting that variations of the name, such as Cowan and Cowen, have been found in records from the 13th century onward.
The earliest known person with the surname Cowens was Robert Cowens, who was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, around 1560. Another notable individual was William Cowens, a Scottish clergyman and theologian born in Aberdeen in 1682. He was known for his work in biblical translation and commentary.
In the 18th century, James Cowens (1720-1789) was a renowned Scottish physician and medical writer. He published several influential works on medical topics, including a treatise on the diseases of children.
Moving into the 19th century, Edward Cowens (1839-1911) was a British engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of steam engines and locomotives. He held several patents for his innovations in the field.
Lastly, in the 20th century, Bertha Cowens (1908-1991) was an American artist and educator known for her abstract expressionist paintings. She taught at various art institutions and had her works featured in numerous exhibitions throughout her career.
Overall, the surname Cowens has a rich history rooted in Scotland, with its earliest origins likely referring to a geographical feature. While not widely documented in major historical records, the name has been carried by notable individuals across various fields over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cowens
Among Census respondents with the surname Cowens, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.7%. The next largest groups are Black (37.1%) and Hispanic (6.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Cowens bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Cowens surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White49.7% · 233
- Black or African American37.1% · 174
- Hispanic or Latino6.4% · 30
- Two or more races6.0% · 28
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cowens
Cowens appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#50,275
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 416
-45 bearers (-9.8%)
Per 100,000 0.14
Rank movement Down 6,248 places
2020
#48,635
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 469
+53 bearers (+12.7%)
Per 100,000 0.16
Rank movement Up 1,640 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #44,027 | 461 | 0.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #50,275 | 416 | 0.14 | -45 bearers (-9.8%) | Down 6,248 places |
| 2020 | #48,635 | 469 | 0.16 | +53 bearers (+12.7%) | Up 1,640 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Cowens surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #50,275 | #48,635 | 3.3% |
| Count | 416 | 469 | 12.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.14 | 0.16 | 12.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cowens bearers went from 416 to 469 (+12.7% change). The surname moved up 1,640 positions in the national ranking, going from #50,275 to #48,635.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Cowens
FAQ
Cowens surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cowens?
Name Census estimates that about 538 living Americans carry the surname Cowens. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 637,090 residents.
How common is Cowens?
Cowens ranks #48,635 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.16 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 469 people with the surname Cowens. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (538), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.16 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.16 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Cowens.
Has Cowens become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cowens went from 416 recorded bearers to 469. That is an increase of 53 (+12.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #50,275 to #48,635.
What does the Census say about the background of Cowens?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cowens, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.7%. The next largest groups are Black (37.1%) and Hispanic (6.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Cowens in the 2020 Census, accounting for 49.7% (233 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cowens appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (49.7%), Black (37.1%), Hispanic (6.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Cowens (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Cowens mean?
A surname derived from the place name Cowan, originating from Scotland. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Cowens (0.16 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Cowens?
See how many Americans have the surname Cowens on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.