Coumans is a Dutch surname, principally a variant of Koopman. The root name Koopman is an occupational surname meaning "merchant" in Dutch, related to the word koop (purchase) and man (man).Etymology and VariantsThe surname Coumans belongs to a family of Dutch names derived from Koopman, including Koeman, Koemans, Coeman, Coemans, and Koumans. The variations in spelling (C vs. K, -ou- vs. -oe- vs. -oo-, with or without final -s) reflect regional dialectal differences in the Netherlands and perhaps archival scribal variation. Culturally, occupational surnames became common in the Dutch-speaking regions when hereditary family names were fixed, roughly from the 16th through the 19th centuries.Notable BearersSeveral individuals have borne the Coumans surname. André Coumans (1893–1958) was a Belgian horse rider who competed at the 1920 Summer Olympics. Hans Coumans (1943–1986) was a Dutch painter and sculptor. Theo Coumans was the drummer of the Dutch pop band Pussycat, which had international hits in the 1970s. Thomas Coumans (born 1984) is a Belgian actor known for television work.Regional DistributionAs a Dutch surname, Coumans is most common in the Netherlands and Belgium (particularly Flanders). It is relatively rare in other countries. Cognate surnames in other languages — used for the same meaning, "merchant" — include English Chapman and German Jewish Kaufmann (or Kaufman).Meaning: Occupational – "merchant"Origin: Dutch variant of KoopmanUsage: Primarily in the Netherlands and Belgium