The Couch surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 26,615 people carried this name — #1,323 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 11,100 people counted. That is up 2% from 26,135 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Couch surname

As a Welsh surname, from coch (“red”).

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

In the Nordic population registers

24 people named Couch is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 24

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Couch was found among the farmers of Cornwall: 14 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Cornwall 14

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

68 families named Couch, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 371 people lived in those households, 5.5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 2 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

Connecticut 25
South Carolina 16
Pennsylvania 8
Massachusetts 5
New York 5
North Carolina 5
New Hampshire 3
Maine 1

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. 235 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Couch in American newspapers,
1902–1910.

Newspaper page from New Hampshire Farmer And Weekly Union carrying the name Couch
New Hampshire Farmer And Weekly Union 1910-05-11
Newspaper page from Fergus County Argus carrying the name Couch
Fergus County Argus 1902-10-08
Newspaper page from New Hampshire Farmer And Weekly Union carrying the name Couch
New Hampshire Farmer And Weekly Union 1910-10-26

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 3,383 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Couch in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2010s.

14,735 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Couch. The most, 2,468, date from the 1930s. 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 Victoria, at 1.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 6,142
Victoria 4,035
South Australia 1,813
Queensland 1,081
Tasmania 874
Western Australia 715
ACT (Canberra) 42
Northern Territory 8

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

Who carried it

People named Couch,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Jonathan Couch
    Jonathan Couch 1789–1870 · naturalist
  • Ira Couch
    Ira Couch 1806–1857 · businessperson
  • Robert Couch
    Robert Couch 1817–1896 · politician
  • Darius N. Couch
    Darius N. Couch 1822–1897 · naturalist
  • Edward Couch
    Edward Couch 1823–1848 · naval officer
  • Jessup Nash Couch 1778–1821 · judge

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Couch,
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 States1,714 records

1,714 records of the Couch name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 921
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 341
  • Other U.S. records 452
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Freddie Lee Couch

    Born 1947; from Lonoke, Arkansas. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Tay Ninh, South Vietnam. Buried at Little Rock National Cemetery, Arkansas.

    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 Hollan M. Couch

    Born 1906 in Tennessee. Enlisted 1943 at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia; barber from Gibson County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1987, buried at Memphis National Cemetery, Tennessee.

    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 George Couch

    Arrived at New York in 1864 aboard the Webster from Liverpool, aged 26; laborer. From Ireland; bound for New York.

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

Showing 3 of 1,714 records for Couch 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, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (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).

Australia404 records

404 records of the Couch name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 173
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 125
  • Other Australian records 106
  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 Couch

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Sir Charles Forbes, sailing from London in 1830. Native of Colebrook, Devon.

    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 David Couch

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Monteagle, aged 1; English.

    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 Ronald James Couch

    Retired of Bass, Victoria; died 1997.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 404 records for Couch in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). 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).

Canada35 records

35 records of the Couch name in Canada
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 8
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 7
  • 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 Couch

    Came to Ontario in 1874 aboard the Polynesian, bound for Owen Sound, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Roderick Gordon Couch

    Buried in 2000 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 63.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Sarah Jane Couch

    Died 1920 in Pugwash, Cumberland, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 35 records for Couch in Canada.

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

New Zealand11 records

11 records of the Couch name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 7
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 3
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Freda Ruby Couch

    Died 1972, aged 60; buried at Ruru Lawn, 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 Theodore Stanley Couch

    Died 1954, aged 64; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Dennis Raymond Couch

    Died 1991; buried at Rangiora Lawn Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 11 records for Couch in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District 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).

United Kingdom9 records

9 records of the Couch name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 7
  • Welsh wills index cards 2
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Benjamin Bennett Couch

    Will proved in 1940; of Swansea, Glamorgan.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record H. W. Couch

    Suffolk Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Mary Couch

    Will proved in 1941; of Swansea, Glamorgan.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Couch in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands5 records

5 records of the Couch name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 3
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 2
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Caroline Elisabeth Couch

    Died 1892 in Mossel, aged 26.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Theodorus Couch

    In the population register of Utrecht.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Irene Couch

    In a population register.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 5 records for Couch 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); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France2 records

2 records of the Couch 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 Leonard Couch

    Born 1908 in the United Kingdom; died 2001 in Paris.

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

    Born 1910 in Great Britain; died 1995 in Barfleur (Manche).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Couch.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Couch 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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