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Kos Family History

Kos Surname Meaning

Polish, Slovenian, Croatian, Serbian, Czech, and Slovak; Sorbian (Kós): nickname from kos (Sorbian kós) ‘blackbird’ denoting someone thought to resemble the bird in some way, for example, someone with a good singing voice. The Sorbian surname is found mainly in Germanized forms Koss and Kuss. Compare also Cos and Coss.

Czech, Slovak, and Croatian (Koš): metonymic occupational name for a basketmaker from koš ‘basket’. The Sorbian cognates Kóš (Lower Sorbian) and Koš (Upper Sorbian) are found in Germanized or Americanized forms only (see Kosch and Kosh).

Jewish (Ashkenazic): probably an artificial name from Slavic kos ‘blackbird’ as in 1; alternatively, from Hebrew kos ‘drinking glass’ or Yiddish kos ‘goblet cup’, probably applied as a metonymic occupational name for someone who made glasses or cups.

Dutch: from a pet form of the personal name Constantius (see Constant).

Hungarian (Kós): from kos ‘ram’, a loanword from Ottoman Turkish qoç (compare Koc); perhaps a metonymic occupational name for a shepherd but more probably a nickname for someone thought to resemble the animal.

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


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Where is the Kos family from?

You can see how Kos families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kos family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Kos families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 2 Kos families living in Surrey. This was 100% of all the recorded Kos's in United Kingdom. Surrey had the highest population of Kos families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kos 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 Kos ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Saleslady Costum was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Kos. 100% of Kos women worked as a Saleslady Costum.

View Census Data for Kos | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Saleslady Costum
    100%

What Kos family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Kos. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kos census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kos

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Kos. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Kos. For the veterans among your Kos ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Kos lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Kos life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Kos in 1949 was 53, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kos

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kos 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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