Cochrane (surname) facts for kids

The name Cochrane is a family name, also known as a surname. It has a cool history with a few different beginnings. Two of its origins are from Scotland, and one is from Ireland. One Scottish origin comes from a specific place in Scotland. The Irish surname and the other Scottish surname both became "Cochrane" by changing their original Irish or Scottish Gaelic spellings into English. This process is called anglicisation.

Where the Name Comes From

The name Cochrane first came from a place in Scotland called the "Lowlands of Cochrane." This area is near a town called Paisley in Renfrewshire. We're not totally sure what the place name means. One idea is that it comes from the Welsh language word coch, which means "red." But this idea doesn't quite fit with how the name was spelled a long time ago, which was Coueran.

Another idea is that it comes from the Welsh word "cywrain," meaning "skilled." Some of the earliest people recorded with this name were Waldeve de Coueran in 1262, William de Coughran in 1296, and Robert de Cochrane around 1360.

In Scotland, during the 1700s, the name Cochrane was also used by people in the Scottish Lowlands. They used it as an English version of the Scottish Gaelic name Maceachrain.

In Ireland, the name Cochrane was adopted as an English version of the surnames Ó Cogaráin and Mac Cogaráin. These names mean "descendant of Cogarán" or "son of Cogarán." Cogarán likely came from the word cogar, which means "confidant" (someone you trust with secrets).

Where People with the Name Live Today

The Cochrane surname is quite common in certain parts of England. You'll find many people with this name in the counties of Durham in the north and Kent in the south. In Scotland, the name Cochrane is very common in South Lanarkshire, West Lothian, and Renfrewshire.

The name Cochrane is the 224th most common surname in Scotland. It's the 957th most common in England. It's also one of the top 100 surnames in several countries that used to be British colonies. There are a few different ways to spell the name, like Cochran, Cockren, and Coughran.

Scotland and England together have the highest percentage of people named Cochrane anywhere in the world. In Ireland, the Cochrane surname is mostly found in the northern area called Ulster. It was brought there by Protestant Scottish settlers in the 1600s. Some families named Corcoran also started using Cochrane as an English version of their name.

In Northern Ireland, the Cochrane surname is common in Antrim, Londonderry, Down, and Tyrone. A man named James Cochrane, who was from Ulster, was an important businessman in the 1800s. He helped the Irish whiskey brand Bushmills and the Old Bushmills Distillery become famous around the world.

In the United States, some of the first Cochranes arrived with Ulster-Scots immigrants. They settled in the British colonies of New Hampshire and Pennsylvania in the 1700s. Many Cochranes lived in Windham, New Hampshire. Later, some moved to Boston, and now some live in Reston, Virginia. Some of the very first Cochranes in the US came from County Antrim, Northern Ireland. They arrived in the early 1700s after getting land from the Governor of Massachusetts. Later, more Cochranes came from Scotland and England.

Family Motto

The Cochrane family motto is Virtute et labore. This is a Latin phrase that means "by valour and exertion." It suggests that success comes from bravery and hard work.

Famous People Named Cochrane

Many interesting people have carried the Cochrane name. Here are a few:

• Annalisa Cochrane (born 1996), an American actress.
• Archie Cochrane, a British doctor and researcher. A famous group that helps people find reliable health information, the Cochrane Collaboration, is named after him.
• Blake Cochrane (born 1991), an Australian Paralympic swimmer. He has won medals in swimming competitions.
• Elizabeth Jane Cochrane (Nellie Bly, 1864–1922), a famous American journalist, writer, and inventor. She was known for her investigative reporting.
• Josephine Cochrane, an American inventor. She invented the first successful automatic dishwasher!
• Mickey Cochrane, a Hall of Fame baseball player. He was a catcher and manager in the early 1900s.
• Ralph Cochrane, a British RAF Air Chief Marshal during World War II. He was a high-ranking officer in the Royal Air Force.
• Rory Cochrane, an American actor. You might have seen him in movies or TV shows.
• Ryan Cochrane, a Canadian swimmer. He has won Olympic medals for his country.
• Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, a famous British Royal Navy Admiral in the 1800s. He was known for his daring tactics.
• Tom Cochrane, a Canadian musician. He is famous for his songs.

Thomas Hesketh Douglas Blair Cochrane, 13th Earl of Dundonald

Fictional Characters Named Cochrane

• Zefram Cochrane, a character in the Star Trek universe. He is famous for inventing the warp drive, which allows spaceships to travel faster than light.
• Col. Cochrane, a character in the movie Child's Play 3.

See also

• Cochrane baronets (1903– )
• Cochran
• Corcoran