The Cochran surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 59,350 people carried this name — #567 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 4,970 people counted. That is up 2% from 58,233 in 2000.

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Where the name comes from

The origin of the Cochran surname

Variant of Cochrane.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Cochran» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Scotland’s registers today

Cochran was recorded 11 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1788th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 19. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

192 families named Cochran, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 1,162 people lived in those households, 6.1 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 10 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 49
New Hampshire 36
North Carolina 26
South Carolina 19
Maryland 18
New York 14
Virginia 13
Massachusetts 7
Maine 4
Vermont 4
Connecticut 2

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 234 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Cochran in American newspapers,
1899–1912.

Newspaper page from The Morning Astorian carrying the name Cochran
The Morning Astorian 1899-09-16
Newspaper page from The Laramie Republican carrying the name Cochran
The Laramie Republican 1908-12-04
Newspaper page from East Oregonian : E.O carrying the name Cochran
East Oregonian : E.O 1912-04-20

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 451,510 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Cochran in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

20,894 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Cochran. The most, 3,914, date from the 1940s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Queensland, at 1.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 8,081
Queensland 6,092
Victoria 4,244
Western Australia 900
South Australia 776
Tasmania 409
ACT (Canberra) 334
Northern Territory 18

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Cochran.

Who carried it

People named Cochran,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Cochran
    John Cochran 1730–1807 · military physician
  • Thomas Cochran
    Thomas Cochran 1733–1801 · politician
  • William Cochran
    William Cochran 1757–1833 · clergyman
  • John P. Cochran
    John P. Cochran 1809–1898 · politician
  • Nelson Cochran
    Nelson Cochran 1824–1886 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 236 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Cochran,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States4,098 records

4,098 records of the Cochran name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 2,024
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 841
  • Other U.S. records 1,233
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Paul Jefferey Cochran

    Born 1947; from Philomath, Oregon. U.S. Army, indirect fire infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Thua Thien, South Vietnam. Buried at Willamette National Cemetery, Oregon.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Hubert F. Cochran

    Born 1918 in Georgia. Enlisted 1941 at Fort McPherson Atlanta; carpenter from Pickens County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1999, buried at Jerusalem Bapt Church Cemetery, Jasper, Georgia.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Eliza Cochran

    Arrived at New York in 1857 aboard the Cultivator from Liverpool, aged 15; domestic. From Cork, Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 4,098 records for Cochran in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada536 records

536 records of the Cochran name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 506
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 10
  • Other Canadian records 20
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Cochran

    Came to Ontario in 1874 aboard the Manitoban, bound for Stayner, Ontario; Scotch.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record William Thomas Cochran

    Died 1974 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 86.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Johanna Thornton Cochran

    Died 1917; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.

Showing 3 of 536 records for Cochran in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Australia411 records

411 records of the Cochran name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 228
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 80
  • Other Australian records 103
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record William Cochran

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the David Lyon, sailing from London in 1830. Native of Wapping, Middlesex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1844.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record James Cochran

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Sea Ranger, aged 53; British subject.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William L. Cochran

    Newsagent of Ballarat, Victoria; died 1958.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 411 records for Cochran in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Netherlands18 records

18 records of the Cochran name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 12
  • Dutch population registers 5
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Lin Cochran

    Died 1966 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 56.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Andrew Cochran

    Married in 1744 in Rotterdam; born in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Mary Louis Cochran

    In the population register of 's-Gravenhage; born 1908 in Newport.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 18 records for Cochran in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

United Kingdom10 records

10 records of the Cochran name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 5
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 2
  • Other British records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Alexander Cochran

    Buried in 1955 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 68.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Francis A. Cochran

    Died 1915. Named in the roll of honour (1926).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record R. B. Cochran

    Labour Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 10 records for Cochran in the United Kingdom.

Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France3 records

3 records of the Cochran name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Thomas Patrick Murray Cochran

    Born 1901 in the United Kingdom; died 1991 in Aressy (Pyrénées-Atlantiques).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Camille Cochran

    Born 1894 in the United States; died 1993 in Baugé (Maine-et-Loire).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Cochran in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Cochran name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret Russell Cochran

    Died 1930, aged 83; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Benjamin F. Cochran

    Died 1934, aged 87; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Cochran.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Cochran is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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