Cochran is a surname of Scottish (and most likely of Cumbric) origin. The earliest known appearance is in Dumbartonshire (14th cent). The definition is unclear, however, the name may be derived from the extinct Cumbric language, which is closely related to the Welsh language. At the time of the British census of 1881, its relative frequency was highest in Renfrewshire (34.3 times the British average), followed by Wigtownshire, Ayrshire, Dunbartonshire, Lanarkshire, Buteshire, Stirlingshire, Argyll, Kirkcudbrightshire and Forfarshire. The Cochrans are traditionally mainly a Western Lowlands family. Notable people with the surname include: