Contents [hide]

Cowley History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand West Indies South Africa

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Sources

Cowley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Cowley

What does the name Cowley mean?

Cowley is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name that is derived from the personal name Nicholas. A common diminutive of the name Nicholas was Colin. 1

Saint Collen was a 7th-century monk who gave his name to Llangollen, Denbighshire which translates from the Welsh as "church of the hazel-wood."

Early Origins of the Cowley family

The surname Cowley was first found in various counties throughout old Britain. By example, the Hundreorum Rolls of 1273 list William de Colince or Colunce as holding lands at Chadlington, Oxford, and Hugh de Culunce had custody of Pont Orson temp. King John, c. 1200. Ernis de Coulonces married a daughter of William de Warrenne, Earl of Surrey, temp. Henry I. and Hugh de Colonches in 1165, held a barony of four fees. Adam de Coulnce paid a fine to the King in Oxfordshire 1203, and Hugh de Coulnce confirmed lands to Mottisfont Priory 2

We must look to Somerset to view an early entry for an early phonetic match to the more popular spellings of today. For it is there that John Colyngs was listed as holding lands, 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) 3

Down in Cornwall, the Halset manor in Lesnewth, "belonged to the family of Colyn but in the reign of James I. it was the property of Thomas Southcott, Esq. and Mr. Humphrey Brown." 4

Again in Cornwall, "the manor of Luxulian was in the family of Collins in the reign of Elizabeth, after which it became the property of the Kendalls." 4

Early History of the Cowley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cowley research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1500, 1576, 1618, 1623, 1624, 1625, 1651, 1653, 1660, 1667, 1683, 1690, 1697, 1705, 1711 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Cowley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cowley Spelling Variations

Cowley has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Cowley have been found, including Collins, Collin, Collings, Colling, Collis, Caullins, Caulling, Caullings, Caullis, Colins, Colings, Coliss and many more.

Early Notables of the Cowley family

Distinguished members of the family include

Samuel Collins (1576-1651), an English clergyman and academic, Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge and Provost of King's College, Cambridge; and his son, John Collins (1624-1711), an English aca...

Cowley World Ranking

In the United States, the name Cowley is the 4,425^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 5 However, in New Zealand, the name Cowley is ranked the 844^th most popular surname with an estimated 864 people with that name. 6 And in the United Kingdom, the name Cowley is the 850^th popular surname with an estimated 7,974 people with that name. 7

Migration of the Cowley family to Ireland

Some of the Cowley family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 72 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cowley migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Cowleys to arrive on North American shores:

Cowley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Benjamin Cowley, who settled in New England in 1635
Mr. William Cowley, aged 20, from England who arrived in Virginia aboard the ship "America" arriving in June 1635 8
William Cowley, who arrived in Virginia in 1647 9
Tobyas Cowley, who arrived in Virginia in 1650 9
Sara Cowley, who arrived in Virginia in 1650 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Cowley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Antho Cowley, who landed in Virginia in 1719 9
Agnes Cowley, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1746 9
Mary Cowley, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1765
Robert Cowley, who settled in Maryland in 1774

Cowley Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Sarah Cowley, aged 29, who landed in Massachusetts in 1813 9
Sarah Cowley, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1823
Patrick Cowley, who settled in New York State in 1823
James Cowley, who arrived in Mobile County, Ala in 1840 9
Miss Ann Cowley, aged 15, British settler from Isle of Man who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Rochester" on 20th May 1841
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Cowley Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. Alfred Cowley, (b. 1874), aged 29, Cornish innkeeper travelling aboard the ship "Oceanic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1903 en route to the United States 10

Cowley migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Cowley Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Miss. Noreen Cowley, aged 5 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Bee" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in May 1847 11

Cowley Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

P Cowley, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907

Cowley migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Cowley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Robert Cowley, English convict who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 2nd February 1831, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
Mr. Robert Cowley, (b. 1800), aged 33, English convict who was convicted in Somerset, England for life for malicious wounding, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 27th April 1833, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 13
Mr. George Cowley, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Aurora" on 18th June 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 14
Mr. Robert Cowley, English convict who was convicted in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Aurora" on 18th June 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 14
Albion Cowley, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Navarino" in 1837 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Cowley migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Cowley Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Robert Cowley, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mermaid" in 1859 16
Robert H. Cowley, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mermaid" in 1859 16
George Cowley, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mermaid" in 1859 16
Walter Cowley, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mermaid" in 1859 16
Jane Cowley, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mermaid" in 1859 16
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Cowley migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 17

Cowley Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Bryan Cowley, aged 30, who arrived in Barbados in 1635 9
Alice Cowley, who settled in Jamaica in 1661
Roger Cowley, who settled in Barbados with his wife Susanna and daughter Elizabeth in 1678

Contemporary Notables of the name Cowley (post 1700) +

Neil Cowley (b. 1972), American contemporary jazz pianist
Matthew Cowley (1897-1953), American missionary
Samuel P. Cowley (1899-1934), American agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Robert Cowley, American military historian
Patrick Joseph Cowley (1950-1982), American disco and Hi-NRG dance music composer and recording artist
Joseph Alan Cowley (b. 1958), former American professional baseball pitcher
Malcolm Cowley (1898-1989), American critic and poet
James A. Cowley, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1912 18
Harold Cowley, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kentucky, 1964 18
Charles Cowley, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Mayor of Erie, Pennsylvania, 1955 18
... (Another 29 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Cowley family +

HMS Cornwall

Charles Grenville Cowley, British Lieutenant aboard the HMS Cornwall (1942) when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he survived the sinking 19

Sources +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 22)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th August 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/aurora
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) NAVARINO 1837. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1837Navarino.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 5th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A