COUSINS tribes around the world

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COUSINS Family History

This unusual and interesting surname is a patronymic of Cousin, which is of early medieval English and French origin, and is from a nickname, derived from the Middle English (1200 - 1500), Old French "co(u)sin, cusin", from the Latin "consobrinus", which in the Middle Ages, as in Shakespearean English, had the general meaning "relative, kinsman". The surname would thus have denoted a person related in some way to a prominent figure in the neighbourhood. In some cases it may be also have been a nickname for someone who used the term "cousin" frequently as a familiar term of address. A sizeable group of early European surnames were gradually created from the habitual use of nicknames; these were given in the first instance with reference to a variety of characteristics, such as physical attributes or peculiarities, mental and moral characteristics, supposed resemblance to an animal's or bird's appearance or disposition, or to habits of dress, and occupation...

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Tell us about any famous COUSINS (or surname variant) you think we should add here. We will get our genealogists to check them out and add them to the list. Thanks!