Cowan is a town in the state of New South Wales, Australia, approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Hornsby Shire. Cowan shares the postcode of 2081 with Berowra.

Numerous ideas exist concerning the origin of the town's name. These include that it comes from an Aboriginal word meaning big water, opposite or the other side; that it was derived from a tree on which cowa, meaning mountain, was carved; that it might be named for one of two convicts listed in the 1828 census; or, that it is named after Kirkcowan in Britain.

Besides the English botanist George Caley, who explored the area in 1805, the first Europeans to visit the area were timber-getters. The timber from Cowan was used for coach building, one of the first industries in the area.

The railway stop at Cowan was originally a crossing loop to allow trains on the single-line north track to pass each other, and it was also the point at which auxiliary steam engines, connected to the trains at Hawkesbury River station (Brooklyn), were disconnected after the steep haul to the top of the plateau. A station and platform were constructed in 1901. With the coming of the railway, Cowan become a popular holiday spot and a regular starting point for bushwalkers.

Cowan Public School opened in 1939.

In 1958, the rail line was electrified, and this also increased the number of people visiting the area, with families moving into the suburb, particularly those wanting to raise children in a bushland setting but near the city.

There has been little change in Cowan village since it was first laid out as a crown subdivision in 1910. Lots ranged from 1,500 to 4,500 square metres.

The predominance of freestanding three-bedroom houses set in gardens provides a sense of openness, and creates a pleasant transition to the bushland which surrounds the town.