Cohen
A Jewish surname meaning “priest,” originally marking descent from the hereditary priestly class in ancient Israel.
The #351 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 3,466 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Cohen comes from Hebrew kohen, meaning “priest.” In Jewish tradition, the term referred to members of the priestly line descended from Aaron, and the surname developed as a hereditary identifier for such families. In some European languages, especially German and French, the name was also borrowed into local spellings such as Cohn, Kohn, or Cahen.
History
The name is one of the most recognizable Jewish surnames and spread widely through Jewish communities in Europe and beyond. Historical surname dictionaries often treat it as a direct occupational-religious name, though in this case the “occupation” is a sacred hereditary office rather than a trade. Modern bearers include many prominent figures in politics, entertainment, scholarship, and the arts.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Many Cohen families traditionally claim priestly status in synagogue life, which is why the surname can still carry religious significance today.
From the historical record
“fish abound, a fishing-place. COHEN. (Heb.) A bishop or priest. COIT. Local A wood. COLBERN. Colbrin, Welsh, the hazel-hill; from CoU (plural), hazel, and bryn, a hilL 100 ETYMOLOGICAL DICTIONARY COLBURN. (Cor. Br.) The dry well, or the well on the neckofthehilL”
— An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names