Meaning and origin
The last name Cash traces its origin to multiple sources and meanings. It can derive from the Old French word 'caisse' or the Latin word 'cassa' meaning "box" or "chest," potentially indicating an ancestor's occupation as a money handler or chest maker. Another possible origin is the Middle English word 'casche' or 'casce' meaning "boundary" or "fortified place," suggesting a locational surname for someone living near or in a fortified settlement. Additionally, the surname Cash can also stem from the Irish Gaelic name Ó Caisín, which means "descendant of Caisín," an old personal name referring to a curly-haired individual. Over time, variations of the name emerged, including Cashin and Cashion. Due to its diverse linguistic roots, the last name Cash demonstrates the intricate interplay of occupation, location, and personal attributes in the development of surnames throughout history.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#1,200
Cash was the 1,200th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 29,476 people, about 10 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Cash is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.