Surname Cockburne - Meaning and Origin

Cockburne: What does the surname Cockburne mean?

Cockburne is a Scottish surname derived from a place name, which refers to a location in Berwickshire, Scotland. The name can be broken down into two parts: "Cock," derived from the Old English 'cocc' meaning a rooster, and "burne," an Old English term that generally refers to a stream or a small river. Therefore, the name is thought to mean a stream where wild birds, specifically cocks, were spotted. It is important to note that pronunciation of the name often doesn't follow its spelling, and is commonly pronounced as "Coburn". Over generations, the name has been found in various forms including Cockburn, Cockburne, Cocburne, and others. The name is most widely recognized in history through Alexander Cockburn, a prominent British judge. The surname Cockburne has mirrored many other British surnames in its history, by adapting and changing forms influenced by migration and regional dialects.

Cockburne: Where does the name Cockburne come from?

The surname Cockburne is of Scottish origin, deriving from the lands of Cockburn in Berwickshire. The name is said to be territorial, taken from a burn (a Scottish term for a stream or small river) where roosters (cocks) were found. Its first recorded patron was a certain Pero de Cockburn in the 12th century.

The traditional pronunciation of the name is "Coburn," which can lead to confusion in its spelling and speech. Today, the surname has variations including Coburn, Cockbain, and Cokburne. The prevalence of the name has varied over time and it is not considered as common a surname as others. Today, it is more frequently encountered in Australia, Scotland, England, Canada, and the United States. Notable people carrying this surname include journalists Patrick Cockburn and his son Alexander Cockburn, as well as musician Bruce Cockburn.

Variations of the surname Cockburne

The surname Cockburne is of Scottish origin and there can be several variations, spellings, and related surnames. These include Cockburn, Coburn, Cogburn, Cockburne, Cokburn, Coborne, Coburne, Cobourne, Cockbourne, Cockborne, Cokborne, and Cogborne.

The pronunciation of the name has evolved over time and across regions, often leading to variant spellings. A common pronunciation in Scotland is /ˈkoʊbərn/, and this has led to the spelling 'Coburn.' Similarly, the spelling 'Cogburn' likely arose from an attempt to phonetically spell a dialectal pronunciation of the name.

The name stems from "Cocca's Burn" which is Old English. Burn in Old English and Scots means a stream, therefore the name would translate as the "stream of Cocca" or "Cocca's stream". The change from Cockburne to the variants listed may have occurred due to a variety of factors such as migration, regional accent variations and illiteracy in the past when written records were less common.

The Cockburn surname has also been combined with other surnames, creating hyphenated names like Cockburn-Smith, Cockburn-Stewart, and Cockburn-Wilson. Similarly, the variations Coburn and Cogburn have been used in hyphenated names, such as Coburn-Smith or Cogburn-Wilson.

Famous people with the name Cockburne

• Bruce Cockburn: A renowned Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist, Bruce produced many hits spanning folk, rock, and jazz. His politically and socially conscious lyrics have earned him numerous accolades and respect from critics.
• Alexander Cockburn: A prominent Irish-American political journalist, Alexander was well-known for his syndicated column "Beat the Devil". He co-founded the political newsletter 'CounterPunch'.
• Andrew Cockburn: A revered Irish journalist and writer known for his works on defense and international policies. He also co-produces documentary films for television with his wife, Leslie.
• Leslie Cockburn (née Corkill Redlich): An admired American journalist, filmmaker, and writer. Working alongside her husband, Andrew Cockburn, she has produced award-winning documentaries.
• Claud Cockburn: The father of Alexander, Andrew, and Patrick Cockburn, Claud was a British journalist who famously reported on the Spanish Civil War.
• Patrick Cockburn: Like his brothers and father, Patrick is an acclaimed journalist, currently serving as a Middle East correspondent for ‘The Independent’.
• Olivia Wilde (born Olivia Jane Cockburn): Esteemed American actress and filmmaker. She's known for her role in the TV series 'House' and for films like 'Tron: Legacy' and 'Booksmart'. Olivia is the daughter of Andrew Cockburn and Leslie Cockburn. Note: Most of these individuals use the pronunciation "co-burn" for their surname.

Other surnames

Cockburn