Surname Cogen - Meaning and Origin
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Cogen: What does the surname Cogen mean?
The surname Cogen is of Jewish origin, particularly Ashkenazic Jewish from Eastern Europe. The exact meaning isn't clearly known but it is associated with several meanings depending on the cultural context. Some believe it could be a variant of "Cohen," which means "priest" in Hebrew. It was traditionally given to those who claimed to be direct male descendants from the Biblical Aaron, the brother of Moses, and first high priest of the Israelites.
Another interpretation is that it comes from a geographical location. There is also a Belgian locality named Cogen, from where the name could have potentially originated.
Given the uncertainty, the meaning of the surname Cogen can vary and can be tied to religious, geographical, or even occupational roots.
Order DNA origin analysisCogen: Where does the name Cogen come from?
The surname Cogen is of Belgian origin. It may have been derived either from Dutch words "ko" meaning "cow" and "gen," a suffix that means "belonging to." Put together, it could be translated as "belonging to the cow," possibly referring to a dairy farmer. Alternatively, the name has also been linked to "coghen," an Old Dutch word for "cook," suggesting an occupational origin. So, it could belong to those who worked as cooks in the past. Lastly, some migration also brought a modification or transformation to this name as they appeared in different phonetic forms based on local languages and dialects.
As for its prevalence, the name is more commonly found in the United States and to some extent, in Canada. Due to the migration of individuals bearing this surname in the past, it can also be found in various parts of Europe (like Belgium and the Netherlands) and some other parts of the world, but in smaller numbers. However, it's important to note that the surname is relatively rare when compared to other surnames.
Variations of the surname Cogen
The surname Cogen typically falls under Jewish origin but also has traces in English, and Irish heritages. "Cohen" is the most common variant or alternative rendering of the name 'Cogen'; this spelling is more commonly found in Jewish communities and can also be spelled as Coen, Kohn, or Kohen, with the latter two being popular in Germany and Eastern Europe.
In English context, it may be a variant of the surname 'Coggin'. Coggan, Cogan, Cogen, Coggins, and Goggin may also be phonetic equivalents or related surnames. The name itself could be a topographic name for someone who lived by a steep hill or an occupational name for a maker of wooden cogs. A slight variation is "Cogan" which is usually of Welsh origin.
In Irish origins, Cogen could be related to the McGrann surname, McGrogan, and McOggan through anglicization and phonetic translation.
Some notable people with surname "Cogen" include Sharon Cogen, an American writer, Neil Cogen, an American actor and Charles S. Cogen, an American educator and labor unionist. Similarly, Leonard Cohen, a famous Canadian singer-songwriter, also share a variant of the surname.
Famous people with the name Cogen
- David Cogen: an American entrepreneur known as the founder of TheUnlockr.com, a technology review blog.
- Stephen Cogen: former Chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, a policy planning and advocacy organization.
- Mary Cogen: a software engineer at Microsoft and technology innovator awarded with the Women in Technology award in 2020.
- Mark Cogen: an award-winning film producer, composer, and songwriter.
- Etai Cogen: an Israeli-American investor and venture capitalist.
- Natasha Cogen: a film editor and documentary filmmaker.
- Yoel Cogen: a professor of physics at Tel Aviv University.
- Shmuel Cogen: a Jewish philosopher and educator.
- Assaf Cogen: an Israeli-American technology executive and entrepreneur.
- Molly Cogen: a talent manager and music supervisor in the entertainment industry.