Cussen
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Cussen is a surname in the English and Irish languages. In English, it is generally described as a matronymic, derived from the Middle English {{lang|enm|Cust}}, a pet name for Custance, and {{lang|enm|son}}, as in 'son of Cust'.{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Cussen |encyclopedia=A Dictionary of English Surnames |publisher=Routledge |location=London |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Uv1M6Au9yVYC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&lpg=PA830&dq=cussen%20AND%20surname&pg=PA830#v=onepage&q&f=false |access-date=2025-06-22 |last=Reaney |first=P. H. |date=2006 |orig-date=1991 |edition=3rd |page=830 |isbn=978-0-203-99355-2 |last2=Wilson |first2=R. M.}}{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Cussen |encyclopedia=The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland |publisher=Oxford University Press |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780199677764.001.0001/acref-9780199677764-e-09962 |date=2016 |editor-last=Hanks |editor-first=Patrick |editor-link=Patrick Hanks |edition=2 |doi=10.1093/acref/9780199677764.001.0001/acref-9780199677764-e-09962 |isbn=978-0-19-178179-7 |url-access=subscription |editor-last2=Coates |editor-first2=Richard |editor-last3=McClure |editor-first3=Peter}} In Irish, the surname is likely a variant of "Cousin", which is derived from the Middle English {{lang|enm|cusin}} or {{lang|enm|cosin}}, meaning 'kinsman or cousin'.{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Cussen |encyclopedia=Surnames of Ireland |publisher=Irish Academic Press |location=Dublin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hiGyDgAAQBAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&lpg=PT76&dq=cussen%20AND%20surname&pg=PT76#v=onepage&q&f=false |access-date=2025-06-22 |last=MacLysaght |first=Edward |date=1999 |author-link=Edward MacLysaght |orig-date=1985 |edition=6th |isbn=978-1-911024-64-4}}
Notable people with the surname include:
- Cliodhna Cussen, Irish sculptor married to activist and writer Pádraig Ó Snodaigh, and mother of Aengus Ó Snodaigh
- Laurence Cussen (1843–1903), New Zealand surveyor
- Leo Cussen (1859–1933), Australian judge
- Michael Cussen (born 1984), Irish hurler