Surname Cockrane - Meaning and Origin

Cockrane: What does the surname Cockrane mean?

The surname Cockrane is of Scottish origin and is both geographical and locational. It is derived from the lands of Cochrane situated near Paisley, in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The linguistic roots of the name can be traced back to the Gaelic "Each" meaning horse and "Druim" or "Dhruim" meaning ridge. This suggests that the name might originally denote a location that was a ridge where horses were kept or bred. Variants of the name include Cochran, Cocrane, Cochrane, and others. Like many surnames, it would have started being used to identify individuals coming from that location. Over time as families and individuals moved, married, and spread to new lands, the name would have become a way to connect those bearing it to their geographical and familial roots.

Cockrane: Where does the name Cockrane come from?

The surname Cockrane is of Scottish origin, specifically from the lands of Cochrane in the parish of Paisley, Renfrewshire. It derives from the Gaelic words "coch" which means "red" and "raineach" which means "fern", suggesting a locality filled with red ferns. Some families with the surname Cochrane or Cockrane emigrated to various countries, particularly during and after the Highland Clearances in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, the surname, in its different variants (Cochrane, Cochran, etc.), is common in Scotland and other English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It also has a significant presence in Northern Ireland. Some notable people with the surname Cochrane include Thomas Cochrane, a daring naval officer of the Napoleonic era, and the Nobel laureate Archibald Cochrane.

Variations of the surname Cockrane

The surname "Cockrane" is most likely a variant of "Cochrane", a surname of Scottish origin. The name refers to a person from Cochrane, located in the parish of Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. In the Middle Ages, it was custom for surnames to be taken from local places.

Here are some of its spelling variations that resulted from sound-based translation, spelling errors, and phonetic spelling among other reasons: Cochran, Cocoran, Cochren, Cochrain, Cocrane, Cockran, Cockren, Coghrane, Cogran, Cocheren, Cocherin, and Cookran.

There were likely many more variations of the name as Scots emigrated across the world, particularly to Ireland and North America, and adapted the spelling of their name to fit their new circumstances. For instance, those who moved to Ireland during the Ulster Plantation sometimes changed their name to "Coghran".

Keep in mind that even within documents from the same time and place, names were often spelled differently from one record to another. This was mostly because literacy and standardized spelling were not common in the past. Therefore, when researching genealogy, it is important to consider all possible spellings of a surname.

Famous people with the name Cockrane

• Rob Cochrane: An internationally recognized Canadian athlete who competed in sailing events during the 1976 Summer Olympics.
• Allison Cochrane: A professional ballet dancer, who has danced with the Colorado Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet.
• Tom Cochrane: A renowned Canadian musician known for his hit songs like "Life is a Highway".
• William R. Cochrane: A notable American scientist who made significant contributions in signal processing.
• Nicola Cochrane: A New Zealand-based actress known for her role in the soap opera "Shortland Street".
• Yvon Cochrane: A Canadian professional hockey player who played for the Quebec Nordiques in the National Hockey League.
• Claude Cochrane: A well-known French politician who served in the French National Assembly.
• James Cochrane: British editor, who has been with The Times newspaper of London since 1992. Note that the list includes people with the last name Cochrane, as it appears there aren't famous figures with the exact spelling 'Cockrane'. Also, some people might be only regionally known.

Other surnames

CockramCockran