NameCensus.

UK surname

Cort

A Scottish surname derived from the French place name "Courtes".

In the 1881 census there were 351 people recorded with the Cort surname, ranking it #8,742 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 426, ranked #11,279, down from #8,742 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Belgrave, London parishes and Bowden Magna. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lambeth, North Devon and Southwark.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cort is 463 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.4%.

1881 census count

351

Ranked #8,742

Modern count

426

2016, ranked #11,279

Peak year

2010

463 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cort had 351 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,742 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 426 in 2016, ranked #11,279.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 395 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cort surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cort surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cort 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 252 #8,733
1861 historical 293 #8,589
1881 historical 351 #8,742
1891 historical 354 #9,741
1901 historical 361 #10,196
1911 historical 395 #9,373
1997 modern 434 #10,361
1998 modern 444 #10,513
1999 modern 441 #10,631
2000 modern 442 #10,597
2001 modern 429 #10,634
2002 modern 444 #10,553
2003 modern 432 #10,635
2004 modern 415 #10,989
2005 modern 405 #11,078
2006 modern 414 #10,946
2007 modern 429 #10,747
2008 modern 441 #10,600
2009 modern 449 #10,690
2010 modern 463 #10,660
2011 modern 456 #10,676
2012 modern 437 #10,915
2013 modern 445 #10,928
2014 modern 437 #11,176
2015 modern 431 #11,206
2016 modern 426 #11,279

Geography

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Where Corts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Belgrave, London parishes, Bowden Magna, Manchester and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lambeth, North Devon, Southwark and Manchester. 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 Belgrave Leicestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Bowden Magna Leicestershire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lambeth 032 Lambeth
2 North Devon 013 North Devon
3 Lambeth 034 Lambeth
4 Southwark 009 Southwark
5 Manchester 007 Manchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cort

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cort

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cort, 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 Cort surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cort 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, Cort 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

Cort 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

Cort falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cort 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 Cort, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cort

The surname Cort is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "cort," meaning "court" or "courtyard." It first emerged in the regions of Normandy and Brittany during the Middle Ages.

Cort was a common occupational name given to individuals who lived or worked in the courtyard of a manor or castle. It was sometimes used as a descriptive nickname for those who spent significant time in the court or had a connection to the nobility.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Cort can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cort" and "Corte." This comprehensive survey of land ownership in England, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during that period.

In the 13th century, the surname Cort was found in various forms, such as "de la Cort," "de Cort," and "de Courte," indicating a connection to a specific place or location. These variations often denoted the place of origin or residence of the family.

Notable individuals with the surname Cort throughout history include:

1. Robert Cort (c. 1350 - 1415), an English landowner and member of the gentry from Wiltshire. 2. Jean de Cort (c. 1480 - 1560), a French nobleman and military commander who served under King Francis I during the Italian Wars. 3. Cornelis Cort (1536 - 1578), a renowned Flemish engraver and printmaker who worked in Venice and Rome. 4. William Cort (1572 - 1635), an English ironmaster and inventor who pioneered the puddling process for refining pig iron. 5. Hendrick de Cort (1742 - 1810), a Dutch merchant and explorer who established trading posts in the East Indies.

The surname Cort has been associated with various place names throughout history, such as Cort-sur-Sarthe in France, Court in Belgium, and Courttown in Ireland. These place names often derived from the same root word as the surname, further emphasizing the connection between the name and its geographical origins.

While the surname Cort has undergone minor spelling variations over the centuries, it has maintained a distinct presence in various regions of Europe and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cort families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cort 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. Lancashire leads with 115 Corts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.83x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 115 2.83x
Leicestershire 101 26.61x
Kent 24 2.05x
Northamptonshire 18 5.59x
Surrey 14 0.84x
Middlesex 13 0.38x
Staffordshire 11 0.95x
Cheshire 7 0.93x
Denbighshire 7 5.41x
Durham 6 0.59x
Yorkshire 6 0.18x
Buckinghamshire 5 2.42x
Carmarthenshire 5 3.47x
Rutland 5 19.89x
Warwickshire 5 0.58x
Gloucestershire 2 0.30x
Hampshire 2 0.29x
Devon 1 0.14x
Lincolnshire 1 0.18x
Somerset 1 0.18x
Sussex 1 0.17x
Worcestershire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 51 Corts recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.18x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 51 47.18x
Belgrave 22 256.71x
Great Bowden 22 637.68x
Chorlton On Medlock 18 27.89x
Leicester St Margaret 14 15.12x
Market Harborough 14 813.95x
Wolverhampton 11 12.38x
Lewisham 10 16.05x
Ramsgate 10 52.44x
Pilkington 9 58.33x
Newington 8 6.33x
Brymbo 7 155.56x
Leicester St Mary 7 22.82x
Northampton St Giles 7 57.05x
Rishton 7 146.75x
Framwellgate 6 99.50x
Great Bolton 6 11.15x
Hallaton 6 714.29x
Leicester St Leonard 6 167.13x
Spratton 6 618.56x
Aston 5 2.10x
Bow London 5 11.47x
Clifton Reynes 5 2000.00x
Dunham Massey 5 215.52x
Llanelly 5 15.38x
Thurmaston North 5 1020.41x
Everton 4 3.09x
Little Bolton 4 7.66x
Northampton Priory St 4 20.70x
St George In East London 4 12.42x
Bury 3 6.46x
Haslingden 3 17.84x
Uppingham 3 100.00x
West Derby 3 2.52x
Aylestone 2 66.89x
Battersea 2 1.59x
Bromley London 2 2.66x
Carisbrooke 2 20.53x
Lambeth 2 0.67x
Northbourne 2 180.18x
Pilling 2 104.71x
Sale 2 21.58x
Tonge With Haulgh 2 25.28x
Aberford 1 129.87x
Ashwell 1 344.83x
Barnoldswick 1 21.10x
Bermondsey 1 0.98x
Bolton By Bowland 1 121.95x
Bridgewater 1 6.68x
Clifton 1 2.95x
Croydon 1 1.08x
East Langton 1 357.14x
Fazakerley 1 158.73x
Gillingham 1 4.15x
Gisburn Forrest 1 322.58x
Grantham 1 14.01x
Hastings St Mary 1 6.96x
Huddersfield 1 2.02x
Kensington London 1 0.53x
Kings Norton 1 2.49x
Lubenham 1 144.93x
Marston Trussell 1 416.67x
Nether Hallam 1 2.18x
Oakham Lordshold 1 38.02x
Pendleton In Salford 1 2.07x
Prestwich 1 9.86x
Smeeton 1 217.39x
St George Bloomsbury 1 5.09x
Upottery 1 116.28x
Westbury On Trym 1 4.40x
Wilmington 1 61.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 22
Sarah 15
Annie 11
Emma 8
Alice 7
Jane 6
Ellen 5
Florence 5
Margaret 5
Martha 5
Ann 4
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Eliza 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
Amy 2
Eleanor 2
Francis 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Louisa 2
Agnes 1
Anna 1
Betty 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Cecilla 1
Eda 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Ellin 1
Emerald 1
Ethel 1
Flora 1
Helen 1
Hephzibah 1
Isabella 1
Louise 1
Margret 1
Marion 1
Marry 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Phoebe 1
Rachel 1
Selina 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 27
William 20
Thomas 19
James 13
George 9
Charles 8
Peter 8
Edward 6
Alfred 5
Henry 5
Joseph 5
Robert 5
Arthur 4
Benjamin 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Edmund 2
Fredk. 2
Harry 2
Benjn. 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Georth 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Jonn 1
Lewis 1
Reginald 1
Rowland 1
Stephen 1
Thos.Cook 1

FAQ

Cort surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cort surname in 1881?

In 1881, 351 people were recorded with the Cort surname. That placed it at #8,742 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cort surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 426 in 2016. That gives Cort a modern rank of #11,279.

What does the Cort surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the French place name "Courtes".

What does the Cort map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cort 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.