Cohen () is a surname of Jewish, Samaritan and Biblical origins (see: Kohen). It is a common Jewish surname, and is the most common surname in Israel.
Origin Bearing the surname often (although not always) indicates that one's patrilineal ancestors were priests in the Temple of Jerusalem. Although not all Kohenic lines stem from Aaron, the brother of Moses, he is generally regarded as the patriarch of the lineage and the first Kohen. A single such priest was known as a Kohen, and the hereditary caste descending from these priests is collectively known as the Kohanim. As multiple languages were acquired through the Jewish diaspora, the surname acquired dozens of variants. Not all persons with related surnames are kohanim, and not all kohanim have related surnames.
Some Kohanim have added a secondary appellation to their surname, so as to distinguish themselves from other Kohanim—such as Cohen-Scali of Morocco, who trace their lineage to Zadok,Shlomo bar Yosef ha-Cohen Atzvan, Ma'alot Shlomo, Jerusalem 1985, p. 56 in PDF (Hebrew) and Cohen-Maghari (Meguri) of Yemen, who trace their lineage to Jehoiarib, one of the priestly divisions.
Being a Kohen imposes some limitations: by Jewish law a Kohen may not marry a divorced woman and may not marry a proselyte (someone who converted to Judaism).Donin p. 291 Nor should an observant Kohen come into contact with the deadDonin p. 304 or enter a cemetery unless for the death of a close relative.
An effort to test whether people named "Cohen" have a common genetic origin has been undertaken, using a genealogical DNA test associated with the Cohen Modal Haplotype (see Y-chromosomal Aaron). Y chromosome research has shown that Cohanim predominantly share a common ancestry, regardless of geography, a finding that agrees with common Jewish origins in the Near East. In contrast, for the caste of Levites, indications are that it has multiple origins.
Variants and derivations
Some Jewish immigrants to the United States or the United Kingdom changed their name from Cohen to Cowan (sometimes spelled "Cowen"), as Cowan was a Scottish name. In Ireland, Coyne is also a similar replacement. The name "Cohen" is also used as a given name.
Cahn Cahen Coen Cohan Cohn Kahane (Aramaic for kohenכָּהֵן, כָּהֵין, כַּהֲנָא) Kahanow/Kahanov//Kokhanov Kahn For some bearers, the surname Katz may stem from "Kohen Tzedek", meaning "righteous or authentic priest." Kohn Kon (surname) Polish variant Kagan (surname) (transliterated from Russian) Kaganovich (disambiguation) Kogan Kogen (disambiguation) Kogon (surname) Ancient/Modern Hebrew: Kohen, HaKohen, ben-Kohen, bar-Kohen, (Sephardic Portuguese variants) Cunha, Coina, Coinha
References