Tag: Cosgrove Surname

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The Origins and Meaning of the Cosgrove Surname

Introduction

A person’s surname is more than just “a last name.” The surname is often times the family name from a person’s direct paternal line. In many cultures, a family name can often inspire great pride, especially if the family is prominent within a person’s community. While we are often proud of the surnames we carry as our last names, many people may not be aware of the meaning or origins of their surnames beyond maybe the name’s ethnicity or nationality.

I have been studying the Cosgrove surname’s meaning and origin for four years now. To say the research has been a challenging endeavor is a bit of an understatement. While not entirely rare, the surname is uncommon enough to make finding reputable sources has been a difficult task. I wanted to avoid using material from commercial websites, such as those that sell surname histories and coats of arms, as my primary source of information. Their surname histories tended to be woefully incomplete and overly generalized compared to the vast amount of information that actually exists about the name.

Some of the better sources that I discovered during my research include:

The Cosgrove surname’s origins.

People often ask me what is the ethnicity of my “Cosgrove” name.  When I tell them it’s Irish, they immediately tell me it can’t be.  When I ask them what they thought it was, they usually tell me they couldn’t figure it out, hence why they asked me the question. Despite their unfamiliarity with the surname’s ethnicity, they are nonetheless adamant in their shared belief that the name is NOT Irish!

To be fair, “Cosgrove” is actually an English name.  According to Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=cosgrove) , Cosgrove is derived from an Old English name “Cof” and another Old English word “graf” for grove or thicket.  An English village by the name Cosgrove exists in Northamptonshire.  It was first referenced in Domesday Book in 1086, about 20 years following the Norman invasion of England.   The name of the village is likely the source of the word the English used as a replacement for the Gaelic name Coscraigh when British authorities began Anglicizing Gaelic surnames in the 1500s-1600s. 

Cosgrove, Northhamptonshire, England (Google Maps)

Coscraigh’s meaning and origins

Coscraigh is derived from the term coscur (or coscar) meaning “victory” or “triumph,” or simply put, victorious.  Most historians, such as O’Hart and Woulfe, use this meaning for the surname in their respective publications. However, I recently discovered that an alternative meaning for the name exists. According to the Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, it can also mean “slaughter” (http://www.dil.ie/12585). Personally, I prefer the former meaning over the latter.

The name Coscraigh can be found in many of the Irish Annals and other historical texts. We first encounter the name of Coscraigh on the Roll of the Monarchs of Ireland (Since the Milesian Conquest) in John O’Hart’s Irish Pedigrees or the Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation (3rd Edition, 1892).  According to the list, a king named Coscraigh (Crimthann Coscraigh to be exact) began his reign in 292 B.C.  Whether he actually existed or is if the character was just a matter of fabricated folklore is unknown.   While Coscraigh’s appearance on the list of Milesian Monarch is the most “distant” or earliest reference for the name, it is not an isolated occurrence.  Several Irish annals and other historical texts recorded men named Coscraigh, most of whom lived in the 700-1000s A.D. period, on the genealogies of various ancient Irish dynasties.  Dynasties, whose genealogies referenced men named Coscraigh, included :

  • Clan Colla fo Crith – Airchialla (Oriel):  A Coscraigh is listed under the Niallain line in ~700-850 AD;
  • Ui Maine:  A Coscrach is listed as a son of Fithcellach in the ~700s AD period;
  • Ui Briuin Seola – Iar Connacht: A Coscraigh Duinn is listed as a son of Cumascaigh under Ceanfaeladh’s line.  He likely lived in the ~700s AD period;
  • Dal Cais: Coscraigh, son of Lorcan.  Likely lived in the 800s-900s AD period.  Coscraigh’s brother, Cennetig (Kennedy), was King Brian Boru’s father.  Brian Boru was one of Ireland’s greatest heroes after he led the native Irish in victory over the Vikings at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014 A.D; and
  • Niall of the Nine Hostages: Cosgarach, son of Amalagach found in the pedigree for Mageoghegan.

Irish versus Scandinavian Origins.

I have found a couple of websites that suggest the Cosgrove surname may possibly have Scandinavian roots.   However, none of the sites’ owners explained how they came to this shared conclusion nor did they provide any references to source documents regarding the matter.   At the moment, I cannot find any conclusive evidence to suggest that a Scandinavian link exists for the surname.  I can only assume a Scandinavian word similar in spelling or phonetics to Cosgrove or Coscraigh exists that has has caused the various people to assume there was a Scandinavian connection.  

I should also note that all of the Cosgrove men who have conducted Y-DNA testing as part of our Cosgrove Surname Project at Family Tree DNA all belong to the M-269 haplogroup, which is the most common Y-DNA haplogroup among Western European males.  If the Cosgrove surname had Scandinavian roots, its highly probable that the men who carried the name would also have the genetic signatures of Scandinavian men, which is usually form the I Haplogroup.  However, none of the Cosgrove men who have tested to date have tested positive for the I Haplogroup (the most prevalent haplogroup of Scandinavian men).  Thus, I am highly confident that the name Coscraigh is of Irish, and not of Scandinavian, origins.

The next blog posting will explore the different Irish Dynasties that listed either a man named Coscraigh in their pedigrees and/or a Clan Coscraigh among their Clans.

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Where to get started with your genealogy research: Part 1

Introduction: Stepping off on the right foot with your research

When most people begin their genealogy journey, one of the first things they do is join a genealogy website.   There isn’t anything wrong with taking this as your first step in your journey.   However, I often recommend to people that they start their journeys by sitting down with living family members to discuss your shared family histories.    

Too often, people overlook the fact that some of the most critical pieces of information that they need to start their family trees often exist within their own homes or the homes of their grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.   For instance, I discovered that my late grandfather still has five first cousins alive today.  I was floored by this discovery.   I discovered one on Facebook and she in turn put me in touch with other cousins.  Each cousin provided clues that helped me at some point along my journey, whether it was pointing me in a certain direction with my research or, just as important, confirming research findings I had already made that I was unsure about.  One was even kind enough to show me the family plot at a cemetery where my great-grandfather and his parents were interned. Luckily, I discovered my cousins early on in my research and their support helped focus my efforts from the beginning.

In another instance, my paternal aunt and a second cousin both saved family photo albums that contained photos dating back to the 1870s along with other various family artifacts. I was able to use the photos and other documents to fill out my family lines and confirm existing research findings.  Each treasure trove of information was the result of me simply asking each relative if they had any information in their possessions that they would be willing to share with me!  I’m thankful for their support as well as for the fact that they have taken great care over the years to keep these family treasures safe for future generations (such as the photo above of my grandfather as a young boy with his father).

The other reason I recommend speaking to family members first before conducting any research (well, technically, “interviewing” family members is a form of research) is that the information you gain may help provide both context to the time periods certain family members lived as well as provide focus and scope for your research.   Genealogy means something different for each person.   Some people are content with identifying and documenting a couple of earlier generations while other people want to conduct deeper research into the lives of their individual ancestors.    Interviewing family members may motivate you to conduct more extensive research or may cause you to limit your approach and scope, at least initially as you begin.

Setting Goals and Objectives

Before you speak to relatives, take a moment to write out some tentative goals and objectives for your overall genealogical journey.   Are you only interested in making a pedigree tree in which you document up to your great-grandparents’ or 2nd great-grandparents’ generation?  Do you want to go further back in your pedigree?  Do you want to make a more comprehensive family tree that documents relatives from each family line as far back and as far forward (i.e., living cousins) as your research will take you? Are you interested in writing detailed family histories for each family line or particular ancestors?  Or are you limiting your research to focus on one particular family line?

These are just a fraction of questions a family historian may, and should, ask him or herself.  Answers to these questions will help focus your research and establish a scope for it and will help prepare you for interviews with family members.   Ensure you maintain some level of flexibility with your goals as the probability exists you will adjust these goals overtime.   Initially, my goals were to determine which direct ancestor from each family line was the first to immigrate to North America and to trace him or her back to their places of origin down to either the county or city/town level.  That was it…pretty simple in theory.  However, as I conducted more research, I became fascinated with the lives of many of my direct ancestors, great aunts and uncles, cousins, etc.  Thus, while my initial goals remained the foundation for my research, I added several more goals along the way, many of which were inspired by the research I was (and still am) conducting.

Preparations for Family Interviews

Ensure you take some time to prepare for the interviews.  First, draw up a list of potential family members to interview.  Second, assess whether you think the family members will be willing to discuss that particular family line’s history with you.  Some family members have zero interest in family history and may not want to take the personal time to engage in such topics.  Other people, unbeknownst to you, may have knowledge or experienced trauma earlier in their lives in which discussing family history may cause them to relive some painful memories.  So be prepared for some relatives to show little interest in your desire to learn about your family or for other relatives who may avoid such discussions because of personal issues they rather not think about let alone discuss. Regardless of the reason, respect their decisions. How you handle this initial rejection may bear fruit down the road if the family member eventually changes his or her mind and agrees to the interview at a later date. My final thought on preparing a list of family members to interview is to prioritize the older family members first. Life is short and time is precious. Take advantage of interviewing older family members while the opportunity exists.

Third, I strongly recommend preparing some questions ahead of time for your interview.  Having a list of prepared questions can help you stay focused and on track during the interview.  Plus it will give you some idea of how long the interviews may take. However, don’t take such a rigid approach to the questioning that you inadvertently discourage the family members who you are interviewing from sharing interesting stories or facts with you that may be outside the scope of your question list.   Also think through how you are going to record the information.  You can tape record the interview, videotape it, or hand-write the responses in a dedicated family history research notebook…or a combination of the three. 

Suggested Topics for Family Interviews

I always find it easier to come up with a list of topics and questions if I can see some ideas first, especially from others who have had great success interviewing their own family members. Here are some possible topics you may want to discuss with family members during the interviews.  Don’t limit yourself to discussing only past generations.  Ask family members about living relatives as well. You may not realize it initially, but you are actually building a network of living family historians that can assist you, mentor you, and guide you along your genealogical journey! Topics of discussion may include (list is not all inclusive):

  • Names of family members to include nicknames (sometimes you may find nicknames instead of legal names on records such as census records and city directories or listed in obituaries).
  • Dates and locations of births, marriages, and deaths (to include locations of cemeteries where families are interned).
  • Dates and locations of other important life events (baptisms, communions, engagements, graduations, etc.).
  • Residential address of ancestors (family homes, family vacation homes, etc.)(this is critical so you can use the information to verify you are looking at the right family when analyzing census record, vital records, or city directories).
  • Religion denominations of ancestors and the churches they attended.
  • Occupation(s) and specific names of employers (i.e., name of a company)for whom they worked for, businesses they may have owned, etc .
  • Education/training and specific names, dates, and locations of schools they attended.
  • Memberships to professional associations or social groups.
  • Military service.
  • Immigration paths (departure points, arrival destinations, ship’s names, family members accompanying them or following later (or who had arrived previously)).
  • Citizenship and naturalization (dates, locations, etc.).
  • Information regarding family dynamics to include:
    • Names of parents and children within specific family units/branches;
    • How many times an ancestor may have been married, the reasons why (ie, their first spouse could have passed away) and the children the ancestor had with each spouse;
    • Adoptions;
    • Divorces;
    • Illegitimate family members.
    • Ensure you collect information regarding years and places children were born or passed away (some families were transient for periods of time and knowing when and where children were born (and maybe passed away) may help you track them through various records at these locations.
  • Availability of family records and artifacts such as:
    • Family bibles that have recorded information on births, marriages, deaths, baptisms, first communions, etc.
    • Photo albums (remember to check the back of each photo as it may include names, dates, locations, etc.)(photo albums tend to contain other information other than photos to include letters, newspaper clippings, obituaries, funeral cards, etc. so don’t forget to ask if you can look through the albums).
    • Certificates (education, training, birth, etc.) and licenses (driver’s, hunting, occupational, etc.)
    • Military records (awards, discharge paperwork, promotion certificates, uniforms, etc.)
    • Immigration and naturalization records

As you can see, depending on how well memories are and the preservation of family artifacts over the generations, you may encounter a large amount of information simply by talking to family members!  Thus, you must prepare yourself on how you plan to manage, store, and use both physical and digital evidence that you WILL come into possession of during your genealogical research.  We will cover the topic of storage in Part II of this blog series.