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Updated January 17, 2024

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Family name origins & meanings

  • German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) : occupational name from Middle High German koch, German Koch ‘cook’ (cognate with Latin coquus). The name in this sense is widespread throughout eastern and central Europe, and is also well established in Denmark.
  • Czech and Slovak : from a pet form of any of several medieval personal names beginning with Ko-, for example Kochan, Kocián, Kojata, and Kosmas.
  • Polish : nickname from kochać ‘to love’ (see Kochan).

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