NameCensus.

UK surname

Cooter

A surname derived from the Middle English word "coture," meaning a hut or small cottage.

In the 1881 census there were 127 people recorded with the Cooter surname, ranking it #17,166 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 118, ranked #27,873, down from #17,166 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Amberley, St George in the East and Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Hampshire, Shropshire and Gravesham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cooter is 190 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 7.1%.

1881 census count

127

Ranked #17,166

Modern count

118

2016, ranked #27,873

Peak year

1891

190 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cooter had 127 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,166 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016, ranked #27,873.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 190 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cooter surname distribution map

The map shows where the Cooter surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Cooter surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cooter over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 97 #17,484
1861 historical 118 #18,512
1881 historical 127 #17,166
1891 historical 190 #15,486
1901 historical 144 #18,505
1911 historical 151 #17,797
1997 modern 118 #24,423
1998 modern 116 #25,332
1999 modern 120 #24,960
2000 modern 122 #24,698
2001 modern 122 #24,366
2002 modern 127 #24,267
2003 modern 130 #23,672
2004 modern 112 #26,159
2005 modern 116 #25,564
2006 modern 111 #26,565
2007 modern 114 #26,491
2008 modern 120 #25,922
2009 modern 131 #25,056
2010 modern 129 #25,900
2011 modern 118 #27,192
2012 modern 110 #28,514
2013 modern 121 #27,255
2014 modern 122 #27,358
2015 modern 121 #27,405
2016 modern 118 #27,873

Geography

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Where Cooters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Amberley, St George in the East, Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, London parishes and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Hampshire, Shropshire, Gravesham, Chichester and Tonbridge and Malling. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Amberley Sussex
2 St George in the East London (East Districts)
3 Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst Sussex
4 London parishes London 3
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Hampshire 016 East Hampshire
2 Shropshire 004 Shropshire
3 Gravesham 004 Gravesham
4 Chichester 014 Chichester
5 Tonbridge and Malling 014 Tonbridge and Malling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cooter

These lists show first names that appear often with the Cooter surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cooter

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cooter, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Cooter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cooter household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cooter is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cooter is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cooter falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cooter is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Cooter, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cooter

The surname "Cooter" is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the region of East Anglia, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "cot," which referred to a small, humble dwelling or cottage. The name may have initially been used as a nickname or descriptive term for someone who lived in a cot or cottage.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, dated around 1273, where a person named John le Cotere is mentioned. This spelling variation, "le Cotere," is indicative of the French influence on English surnames during the Norman conquest and subsequent centuries.

Another early reference to the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1327, where a William Cotere is listed. This record suggests that the name was present in the region of East Anglia during the 14th century.

In the 15th century, the surname took on the spelling "Cooter," as evidenced by records from the Court of the Marshalsea in London, which mention a Thomas Cooter in 1492. This spelling variation likely arose due to regional dialects and variations in pronunciation.

One notable historical figure with the surname "Cooter" was William Cooter, who lived in the 16th century and was a merchant and alderman in the city of Norwich, England. He was born around 1520 and served as an alderman in Norwich from 1568 until his death in 1592.

Another individual of note was John Cooter, a wealthy landowner and farmer from the village of Bressingham in Norfolk, England. He was born in 1637 and was known for his extensive property holdings and agricultural activities in the region.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure named Robert Cooter lived in the town of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. Born in 1712, he was a successful businessman and served as a town councillor for several years until his death in 1792.

Moving into the 19th century, a notable figure was Elizabeth Cooter, born in 1823 in the village of Oakham, Rutland. She was a pioneering educator and founded one of the first girls' schools in the region, which operated from 1845 until her retirement in 1890.

Finally, in the early 20th century, there was Arthur Cooter, born in 1887 in the city of Cambridge. He was a renowned historian and author, known for his works on the history and architecture of the region, including the book "Cambridge and Its Colleges" published in 1925.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cooter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cooter surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Sussex leads with 56 Cooters recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.40x.

County Total Index
Sussex 56 26.40x
Middlesex 23 1.83x
Kent 20 4.66x
Surrey 12 1.96x
Hampshire 6 2.33x
Suffolk 5 3.26x
Nottinghamshire 2 1.18x
Royal Navy 2 13.34x
West Lothian 2 10.55x
Midlothian 1 0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Broadwater in Sussex leads with 25 Cooters recorded in 1881 and an index of 513.35x.

Place Total Index
Broadwater 25 513.35x
Brighton 14 32.71x
Amberley 8 2580.65x
St George In East London 8 67.62x
Faversham 7 171.15x
Reigate Borough 7 496.45x
Ramsgate 6 85.59x
Rustington 6 3750.00x
Cretingham 5 3846.15x
Kilmiston 4 5714.29x
Mile End Old Town London 4 14.94x
Poplar London 4 16.84x
Bethnal Green London 3 5.49x
Egham 3 79.79x
Beckingham 2 1052.63x
Paddington London 2 4.32x
Queensferry 2 434.78x
Royal Navy 2 15.60x
Tonbridge 2 12.92x
Bedhampton 1 322.58x
Betchworth 1 131.58x
Bromley London 1 3.61x
Canterbury St Alphage 1 217.39x
Fittleworth 1 333.33x
Greenwich 1 4.99x
Highclere 1 625.00x
Islington London 1 0.82x
Lewisham 1 4.37x
Maresfield 1 112.36x
Petersham 1 416.67x
Pulborough 1 128.21x
Queensferry 1 588.24x
Seasalter 1 185.19x
Sevenoaks 1 28.74x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cooter surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Cooter surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
George 7
William 6
James 4
Thomas 4
Charles 3
Frederick 3
John 3
Christopher 2
Henry 2
Tom 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Claus 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Dennis 1
Diedrich 1
E. 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Johan 1
Leopold 1
Lewis 1
Percy 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Cooter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cooter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 127 people were recorded with the Cooter surname. That placed it at #17,166 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cooter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016. That gives Cooter a modern rank of #27,873.

What does the Cooter surname mean?

A surname derived from the Middle English word "coture," meaning a hut or small cottage.

What does the Cooter map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cooter bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.