Cochran is a

surname In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form the full name of a person, although several give ...

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

(and most likely of Cumbric) origin. The earliest known appearance is in Dumbartonshire (14th cent). The definition is unclear, however, the name may be derived from the extinct

Cumbric Cumbric is an extinct Celtic language of the Brittonic subgroup spoken during the Early Middle Ages in the ''Hen Ogledd'' or "Old North", in Northern England and the southern Scottish Lowlands. It was closely related to Old Welsh and the ot ...

language, which is closely related to the

Welsh language Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic languages, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales by about 18% of the population, by some in England, and in (the Welsh c ...

. At the time of the

British census Coincident full censuses have taken place in the different jurisdictions of the United Kingdom every ten years since 1801, with the exceptions of 1941 (during the Second World War), Ireland in 1921/Northern Ireland in 1931, and Scotland in 2021. ...

of 1881, its relative frequency was highest in

Renfrewshire Renfrewshire () (; ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. Renfrewshire is located in the west central Lowlands. It borders East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire, and lies on the southern ba ...

(34.3 times the British average), followed by

Wigtownshire Wigtownshire or the County of Wigtown (, ) is one of the Counties of Scotland, historic counties of Scotland, covering an area in the south-west of the country. Until 1975, Wigtownshire was an counties of Scotland, administrative county used for ...

Ayrshire Ayrshire (, ) is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county, in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. The lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area of Ayrshire and Arran covers the entirety ...

Dunbartonshire Dunbartonshire () or the County of Dumbarton is a Shires of Scotland, historic county, lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Dunbar ...

Lanarkshire Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark (; ), is a Counties of Scotland, historic county, Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area and registration county in the Central Lowlands and Southern Uplands of Scotland. The county is no l ...

Buteshire The County of Bute (), also known as Buteshire, is a historic county and registration county of Scotland. Now replaced by Argyll and Bute for the Isle of Bute, with the Argyll and Bute Council. The Isle of Arran and The Cumbraes are now ...

Stirlingshire Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling ( ) is a Shires of Scotland, historic county and registration county of Scotland. Its county town is Stirling.Registers of Scotland. Publications, leaflets, Land Register Counties. It borders Perthshir ...

Argyll Argyll (; archaically Argyle; , ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a Shires of Scotland, historic county and registration county of western Scotland. The county ceased to be used for local government purposes in 1975 and most of the area ...

Kirkcudbrightshire Kirkcudbrightshire ( ) or the County of Kirkcudbright or the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright is one of the Counties of Scotland, historic counties of Scotland, covering an area in the south-west of the country. Until 1975, Kirkcudbrightshire was an ...

and

Forfarshire Angus (; ) is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Dundee City and Perth and Kinross. Main industries include agriculture and fishing. Global pharmaceuticals ...

. The Cochrans are traditionally mainly a Western

Lowlands Upland and lowland are conditional descriptions of a plain based on elevation above sea level. In studies of the ecology of freshwater rivers, habitats are classified as upland or lowland. Definitions Upland and lowland are portions of a ...

family. Notable people with the surname include: *

Alexander Gilmore Cochran Alexander Gilmore Cochran (March 20, 1846 – May 1, 1928) was an American attorney and one-term Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. Early life Cochran was born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania (now part ...

(1846–1928), US Congressman from Pennsylvania *

Alexander Smith Cochran Alexander Smith Cochran (February 28, 1874 – June 20, 1929) was a manufacturer, sportsman and philanthropist from Yonkers, New York. Biography He was born on February 28, 1874, to William Francis Cochran and Eva Smith. His grandfather was Alex ...

(1874–1929), American businessman and philanthropist *

Anita Cochran Anita Renee Cockerham (born February 6, 1967), known professionally as Anita Cochran, is an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She has released two albums for Warner Bros. Records Nashville and one for Straybranch Rec ...

, American singer-songwriter *

Anne Cochran Anne Cochran is a singer-songwriter from Cleveland, Ohio. She is best known as the lead touring vocalist for pianist and songwriter Jim Brickman, with whom she shared the top 5 Adult Contemporary radio format hit single "After All These Years" ...

, American singer *

Barbara Cochran Barbara Ann Cochran (born January 4, 1951) is a former FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, World Cup Alpine skiing, alpine ski racer and Winter Olympics, Olympic gold medalist from the United States. Born in Claremont, New Hampshire, Cochran was the secon ...

(born 1951), American Olympic gold medal skier *

Bert Cochran Bert Cochran, born Alexander Goldfarb (December 25, 1913 – June 6, 1984) was an American Communist politician and writer. A Trotskyist, he was a member of the Socialist Workers Party from the 1930s to the 1950s. Biography Cochran was born in P ...

(1913–1984), American Communist politician and writer *

Beth Cochran Alice Beth Cochran (born June 11, 1964) is a Canadian-American educator, educational consultant, and former basketball player. She played for the Winnipeg Wesmen from 1982 to 1987 and served as team captain from 1985 to 1987. Cochran was selected ...

(born 1964), Canadian basketball player * Charles B. Cochran (1872–1951), English stage actor and theatrical manager *

Curtis Cochran Curtis Cochran is an American politician. He is a member of the Montana House of Representatives for the 90th district. Life Cochran graduated from Helena High School. He also attended University of Montana The University of Montana (UM) ...

, American politician *

Dale M. Cochran Dale M. Cochran (November 20, 1928 – August 27, 2018) was an American politician from the state of Iowa. Career Cochran was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa in 1928. He attended Iowa State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree, and ...

(1928–2018), American farmer and politician *

Denny Cochran Dennis Eugene Cochran (December 4, 1915 – January 18, 1992) was an American football player. Cochran was born on December 4, 1915, in East St. Louis, Illinois. He attended high school there before playing college football at St. Louis Univer ...

(1915–1992), American football player *

Dorcas Cochran Dorcas Cochran (c. 1903 – July 6, 1991) was an American lyricist and screenwriter. She is also referenced by her married name, Dorcas Cochran Jewell. Biography As a lyricist, her best-known song was " Again," which had multiple recorded ver ...

(c. 1903–1991), American lyricist and screenwriter *

Doris Mable Cochran Doris Mable Cochran (May 18, 1898 – May 22, 1968) was an American herpetologist and custodian of the American Natural Collection at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., for many years. Life Born in North Girard, Pennsylvania, she g ...

(1898–1968), American zoologist *

Eddie Cochran Ray Edward Cochran ( ; October 3, 1938 – April 17, 1960) was an American rock and roll musician. His songs, such as " Twenty Flight Rock", " Summertime Blues", " C'mon Everybody" and " Somethin' Else", captured teenage frustration and desire in ...

(1938–1960), American rock and roll singer-songwriter and guitarist *

Gregory Cochran Gregory M. Cochran (born 1953) is an American physicist, anthropologist and author who argues that cultural innovation resulted in new and constantly shifting selection pressures for genetic change, thereby accelerating human evolution and diverg ...

(born 1953), American professor at the University of Utah *

Hank Cochran Garland Perry "Hank" Cochran (August 2, 1935 – July 15, 2010) was an American country music singer and songwriter. Starting during the 1960s, Cochran was a prolific songwriter in the genre, including major hits by Patsy Cline, Ray Price, Eddy ...

(1935–2010), American country music singer and songwriter * Jacob Cochran (1782–1836), "spiritual wifery" cult leader in Saco, Maine *

Jacqueline Cochran Jacqueline Cochran (May 11, 1906 – August 9, 1980) was an American pilot and business executive. She pioneered women's aviation as one of the most prominent racing pilots of her generation. She set numerous records and was the first woman to br ...

(1906–1980), American aviator *

John Cochran (disambiguation) John Cochran may refer to: * John Cochran (artist) (fl. 1821–1865), British portrait miniaturist and engraver * John Cochran (Australian politician) (1864–1926), member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly * John Cochran (cricketer) (1 ...

, multiple people *

Johnnie Cochran Johnnie Lee Cochran Jr.Adam Bernstei ''The Washington Post'', March 30, 2005; retrieved April 17, 2006. ( ; October 2, 1937 – March 29, 2005) was an American attorney from California who was involved in numerous civil rights and Police b ...

(1937–2005), American attorney *

Joseph Gallup Cochran Joseph Gallup Cochran (1817–1871) was an American Presbyterian missionary to Qajar Iran, as well as a minister, theologian, teacher, and translator of ancient Syriac texts. Early life and education Joseph Gallup Cochran was born 5 February 1 ...

(1817–1871), American missionary and translator in Iran * Joseph Plumb Cochran (1855–1905), American missionary and doctor in Iran *

Julian Cochran 200px, Julian Cochran in 1998 Julian Cochran (born 1974) is an English-born Australian composer. Cochran's earlier works show stylistic influences from Impressionist music and his later works are more noticeably influenced by Classical music a ...

(born 1974), Australian composer *

Leslie Cochran Albert Leslie Cochran (June 24, 1951March 8, 2012) was an American homeless man, peace activist, cross-dresser, urban outdoorsman, and outspoken critic of police treatment of the homeless. Cochran was known in Austin as Leslie. Cochran was cons ...

(1951–2012), American homeless man and activist *

Neil Cochran Neil Cochran (born 12 April 1965) is a Scottish former competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain in the Olympics, European championships and World University Games, and swam for Scotland in the Commonwealth Games, during the 1980s. Coc ...

(born 1965), Scottish swimmer *

Neil Kennedy-Cochran-Patrick Neil Aylmer Kennedy-Cochran-Patrick-Hunter (5 May 1926 in London – 14 October 1994 in Andorra) was a British sailor. He won a silver medal in the 5.5 metre class at the 1956 Summer Olympics. Neil was the son of the Scottish World War I ...

(1926-1994), British Olympic sailor * Philip Cochran (1910–1979), U.S. Army Air Forces colonel and inspiration for characters in the comic strips, ''

Terry and the Pirates ''Terry and the Pirates'' is an action-adventure comic strip created by cartoonist Milton Caniff, which originally ran from October 22, 1934, to February 25, 1973. Captain Joseph Patterson, editor for the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndica ...

'' and ''

Steve Canyon ''Steve Canyon'' is an American Action-adventure comics, action-adventure comic strip by cartoonist Milton Caniff. Launched shortly after Caniff retired from his previous strip, ''Terry and the Pirates (comic strip), Terry and the Pirates'', ''S ...

'' * Ron Cochran (1912–1994), American television news journalist * Robert Cochran (disambiguation), several people *

Russ Cochran Russell Earl Cochran (born October 31, 1958) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour Champions, having previously been a member on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour. He is one of the few natural left-handed players to wi ...

(born 1958), American golfer *

Samuel Cochran Samuel Cochran (May 9, 1871 – December 26, 1952) was an American medical missionary and Philanthropy, philanthropist who worked for over twenty years in Eastern China. One of the "first half-dozen physicians in China," Cochran was the Station ...

(1871–1952), American medical missionary * Stephen Cochran (born 1979), American country music singer and songwriter * Thomas C. Cochran (1877–1935), US Congressman from Pennsylvania *

Thad Cochran William Thad Cochran ( ; December 7, 1937 – May 30, 2019) was an American attorney and politician who served as a United States senator for Mississippi from 1978 to 2018. A Republican, he previously served in the U.S. House of Representative ...

(1937–2019), American politician *

Wayne Cochran Talvin Wayne Cochran (May 10, 1939 – November 21, 2017) was an American singer, known for his outlandish outfits and platinum blond pompadour hairstyle. He was sometimes referred to as The White Knight of Soul. Cochran is best known toda ...

(1939–2017), American singer *

William Gemmell Cochran William Gemmell Cochran (15 July 1909 – 29 March 1980) was a prominent statistician. He was born in Scotland but spent most of his life in the United States. Cochran studied mathematics at the University of Glasgow and the University of Camb ...

(1909–1980), British statistician working in the United States, the person

Cochran's theorem In statistics, Cochran's theorem, devised by William G. Cochran, is a theorem used to justify results relating to the probability distributions of statistics that are used in the analysis of variance. Examples Sample mean and sample variance ...

, Cochran's C test, Cochran's Q test and Cochran’s sample size formula were named for *

William Kennedy-Cochran-Patrick Major William John Charles Kennedy-Cochran-Patrick Distinguished Service Order, DSO, Military Cross, MC & medal bar, Bar (25 May 1896 – 26 September 1933) was a Scottish World War I, First World War flying ace, credited with 21 aerial victori ...

(1896-1933), Scottish flying ace

Notes

{{surname Scottish toponymic surnames