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Cockburn Family History

Cockburn Surname Meaning

Scottish (Midlothian) and northern English: habitational name from a place in Berwickshire named Cockburn from Old English cocc ‘cock rooster’ (or the related byname Cocca) + burna ‘stream’ (see Bourne).

This surname is traditionally pronounced Coburn.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Cockburn family from?

You can see how Cockburn families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cockburn family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cockburn families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 602 Cockburn families living in Northumberland. This was about 29% of all the recorded Cockburn's in United Kingdom. Northumberland had the highest population of Cockburn families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cockburn surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Cockburn ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Cockburn. 13% of Cockburn men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Cockburn women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cockburn were Solicitor and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Cockburn | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    13%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • Farmer
    4%
  • Solicitor
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%

What Cockburn family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 64,000 census records available for the last name Cockburn. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cockburn census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cockburn

Passenger Lists

There are 11,000 immigration records available for the last name Cockburn. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Cockburn immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Cockburn. For the veterans among your Cockburn ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cockburn military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cockburn family history

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What is the average Cockburn lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Cockburn life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Cockburn in 1954 was 62, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cockburn

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cockburn ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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