Cochran is a surname of Scottish origin with its earliest known appearance in Dumbartonshire. While the specific definition of the name remains unclear, it may be derived from the extinct Cumbric language, which shares close ties with the Welsh language.
Historically, families bearing the name Cochran are primarily associated with the Western Lowlands. According to the British census of 1881, the surname's relative frequency was highest in Renfrewshire, followed by several other regions including Wigtownshire, Ayrshire, Dunbartonshire, Lanarkshire, Buteshire, Stirlingshire, Argyll, Kirkcudbrightshire, and Forfarshire.