Cowan is a surname. It is an anglicized form of the old Scottish Gaelic MacEoghain or MacEoin. Irish variants include MacOwen, MacCown, MacCone, MacKeown.
Notable people with the surname include:
Andrew Cowan, former rally driver and rally team director
Barry Cowan (broadcaster), journalist and broadcaster
Barry Cowan (tennis), former tennis player
Cathy A. Cowan, American economist and social scientist
Charles Cowan (1801–1889), Scottish politician and papermaker
Charles Cowan (cricketer) (1883–1958), Welsh-born English cricketer and naval officer
Clyde Cowan, co-discoverer of the neutrino
Darcy Rivers Warren Cowan, Australian medical practitioner
David Tennant Cowan, British World War II general known as "Punch" Cowan
Denys Cowan, American comic book artist and television producer
Ed Cowan, Australian cricketer
Edith Cowan, first female member of an Australian parliament
Elliot Cowan, actor
Ernest Cowan, Western Australian politician
Glenn Cowan, American Table tennis player, involved in Ping Pong Diplomacy
Hendy Cowan, Western Australian politician
Henry Cowan, British politician
Hugh Cowan, a former Canadian church minister, historian, author and editor
James Alexander Cowan, son of Hugh Cowan, was a Canadian writer and a well known public relations consultant
James Cowan (author), Australian author
James Cowan (South Australian politician)
Jeff Cowan, ice hockey player
Jerome Cowan, actor
Joe Cowan, American football player
John Cowan, American soul music and progressive bluegrass vocalist and bass guitar player
John Cowan (RAN officer), Australian navy officer
John Cowan (sheriff), Lord Mayor of London
John Cowan (South Australian politician)
John Lancelot Cowan, South Australian politician
John Macqueen Cowan (1892-1960), Scottish botanist
Michael Cowan (born 1933), English cricketer
Nelson Cowan, American researcher in psychology, specialized in working memory
Patrick Cowan, American football player
Philip R. Cowan
Ralph Cowan (politician) (1902–1990), Canadian politician
Ralph Cowan (cricketer) (born 1960), English cricketer
Ralph Cowan (footballer), Scottish footballer
Reed Cowan, American journalist
Richard Cowan (bass-baritone) (1957–2015), American operatic bass-baritone
Richard Cowan (cannabis activist), a leader of NORML and proponent of the decriminalization of marijuana
Richard Cowan (soldier), posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor
Robert Cowan, Governor of Bombay from 1729 to 1734
Samuel Cowan (born 1941), British general
Thomas Cowan (South Australian politician)
Thomas F. Cowan, New Jersey State Senator and Assemblyman
Tim Cowan, American football player
Tom Cowan (born 1969), Scottish footballer
Tom Cowan (filmmaker) (born 1942), Australian filmmaker
Walter Cowan (1871–1956), Royal Navy admiral who saw service in both WWI and WWII
William "Mo" Cowan (born 1969), U.S. Senator from Massachusetts
