Cohen (English)

Where does "Cohen" come from?

The surname Cohen originates from the Hebrew word 'kohén,' a term traditionally used to designate a Jewish priest. As the most prevalent Jewish surname, it has evolved from its ancient religious role to become a widely recognized family name and increasingly popular given name in English-speaking cultures.

Full etymology tree

• Cohen (English), 'A surname from Hebrew. The most popular Jewish surname.'
  • borrowed כֹּהֵן (kohén) (Hebrew), 'defective spelling of כוהן'

Direct ancestors

• כהן (Hebrew)

Updated June 2026

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris