The English Cushman surname comes from the Latin term ‘coxa’ which refers to the hip. During the Medieval period in Europe a person who made special armor to protect the thigh of a knight was referred to as a cuish man. There is also the Old French term ‘cusin’ which refers to a relative, such as a cousin. The various spellings for Cushman include Cosin, Kushman, Cosyns, Cozens, Cousin, Cossens, Cusyn and Couzen. In England Cushman families are primarily located in Kent, Sussex, Middlesex, London, Warwickshire, Lancashire and Cheshire counties. In Scotland just in Midlothian and Dunbartonshire counties is where some Cushman families reside. The earliest Cushman families settled in the New England region of America. Into the 20th century the Cushman families were concentrated in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Michigan, Ohio, California and Illinois. Those famous with the Cushman name are Charlotte Saunders Cushman (19th century stage actress), Danielle Cushman (reality TV show personality) and Dr. Laura Cushman (founder of the Cushman School in Miami-Dade County, FL).