How has Wikipedia's Cohen article changed?

Wikipedia's first sentence called it "jewish surname of biblical origins". Today it says "surname of jewish". This article was not filed under it. Today it is filed under Occupational surnames. We saved the article's opening at 5 moments between 2020 and 2025, and every claim links the exact revision.

How can I verify what Wikipedia's Cohen article used to say?

Each snapshot on this page links the Wikipedia revision it came from, so you can open their own history and compare. We also keep our own copy of the text, which stays readable if the article changes again.

How Wikipedia rewrote the Cohen article

The opening as it read in 2020

Cohen ( , kōhēn , " priest ") is a Jewish surname of biblical origins (see: Kohen ).¹ It is a very common Jewish surname, and the following information discusses only that origin.² The Suleiman ben Pinhas Cohen family of Sana'a , circa 1944 Bearing the surname often (although not always) indicates that one's patrilineal ancestors were priests in the Temple of Jerusalem . A single such priest was known as a Kohen, and the hereditary caste descending from these priests is collectively known as the Kohanim . As multiple languages were acquired through the Jewish diaspora , the surname acquired dozens of variants . Not all persons with related surnames are kohanim, and not all kohanim have related surnames. In the Russian Empire, where Jewish males were required to undertake extended compulsory military service, there was an exemption for priests and some men are said to have claimed to be Kohanim to avoid being drafted. Some Kohanim have added a secondary appellation to their surname, so as to distinguish themselves from other Kohanim—such as Cohen-Scali of Morocco, who trace their lineage to Zadok , and Cohen-Maghari (Meguri) of Yemen, who trace their lineage to the first ward, Jehoiariv, in the division of twenty-four priestly wards. Being a Kohen imposes some limitations: by Jewish law a Kohen may not marry a divorced woman, and may not marry a proselyte (someone who converted to Judaism). Nor should an observant Kohen come into contact with the dead or enter a cemetery. An effort to trace whether people named 'Cohen' actually have a common genetic origin has been undertaken, using a genealogical DNA test associated with the Cohen Modal Haplotype .³ The Shengold Jewish Encyclopedia . A Guide to Jewish Observance in Contemporary Life .⁴

This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 960179072.

The opening as it stood in 2010

Cohen ( kōhēn' , means: 'A Priest ') is a Jewish surname of biblical origins (see: Kohen ). It is a very common Jewish surname, comparable to ' Smith ' in an English-language context. Bearing the surname indicates that ones patriline were priests in the Temple of Jerusalem . A single such priest was known as a Kohen , and the hereditary caste descending from these priests is collectively known as the Kohanim . Being a Kohen imposes some limitations: by Jewish religious law a Kohen may not marry a divorced woman, and may not marry a proselyte (someone who converted to Judaism). Nor should an observant Kohen come into contact with the dead. An effort to trace whether or not people named 'Cohen' actually have a common genetic origin has been undertaken in the specific DNA signature associated with the name known as the Cohen Modal Haplotype .

Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 371234675.

The opening as it stood in 2015 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear

Cohen ( , kōhēn , " priest ") is a Jewish surname of biblical origins (see: Kohen ). It is a very common Jewish surname, and the following information discusses only that origin. Bearing the surname indicates that one's patrilineal ancestors were priests in the Temple of Jerusalem . A single such priest was known as a Kohen, and the hereditary caste descending from these priests is collectively known as the Kohanim . As multiple languages were acquired through the Jewish diaspora , the surname acquired dozens of variants . Being a Kohen imposes some limitations: by Jewish law a Kohen may not marry a divorced woman, and may not marry a proselyte (someone who converted to Judaism). Nor should an observant Kohen come into contact with the dead. An effort to trace whether or not people named 'Cohen' actually have a common genetic origin has been undertaken in the specific DNA signature associated with the name known as the Cohen Modal Haplotype . The Shengold Jewish Encyclopedia . A Guide to Jewish Observance in Contemporary Life .

Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 666045492.

The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023 11 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear

Cohen ( , kōhēn , " priest "), also spelled Cohn , Kohn , or Kahn , is a surname of Yehudi , Samaritan and Biblical origins (see: Kohen ). It is a very common Jewish surname (the most common in Israel), and the following information discusses only that origin. Cohen is one of the four Samaritan last names that exist in the modern day. Many Jewish immigrants entering the United States or United Kingdom changed their name from Cohen to Cowan (sometimes spelled " Cowen "), as Cowan was a Scottish name. The name "Cohen" is also used as a given name. The Shengold Jewish Encyclopedia . Taylor Trade Publications. אלון, אמיר (4 February 2019). "למ"ס: אלה שמות המשפחה הנפוצים בישראל" . ynet (in Hebrew).

Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1176252541.

The opening as it stood in 2025 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear

Cohen ( Hebrew : כֹּהֵן , romanized : kōhēn , lit. ' priest ' ) is a surname of Jewish , Samaritan and Biblical origins (see: Kohen ). It is a very common Jewish surname (the most common in Israel). Cohen is one of the four Samaritan last names that exist in the modern day. Many Jewish immigrants entering the United States or United Kingdom changed their name from Cohen to Cowan (sometimes spelled " Cowen "), as Cowan was a Scottish name. The name "Cohen" is also used as a given name. The Shengold Jewish Encyclopedia . Taylor Trade Publications. אלון, אמיר (4 February 2019). "למ"ס: אלה שמות המשפחה הנפוצים בישראל" . ynet (in Hebrew).

Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1296583142. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.

What Wikipedia says this is