NameCensus.

UK surname

Cott

A surname deriving from an archaic term for a small dwelling or cottage.

In the 1881 census there were 149 people recorded with the Cott surname, ranking it #15,551 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 157, ranked #23,006, down from #15,551 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Walton, West, Manchester and Wisbech St Peter. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Norwich, Salford and King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cott is 425 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5.4%.

1881 census count

149

Ranked #15,551

Modern count

157

2016, ranked #23,006

Peak year

1861

425 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cott had 149 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,551 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016, ranked #23,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 425 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Cott surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cott surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cott 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 228 #9,418
1861 historical 425 #6,043
1881 historical 149 #15,551
1891 historical 313 #10,723
1901 historical 254 #13,005
1911 historical 304 #11,342
1997 modern 172 #19,371
1998 modern 175 #19,658
1999 modern 168 #20,312
2000 modern 158 #21,055
2001 modern 153 #21,197
2002 modern 158 #21,178
2003 modern 155 #21,217
2004 modern 162 #20,756
2005 modern 161 #20,799
2006 modern 153 #21,643
2007 modern 157 #21,546
2008 modern 157 #21,766
2009 modern 163 #21,715
2010 modern 161 #22,385
2011 modern 153 #22,996
2012 modern 163 #21,989
2013 modern 155 #23,108
2014 modern 164 #22,445
2015 modern 157 #22,997
2016 modern 157 #23,006

Geography

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Where Cotts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Walton, West, Manchester, Wisbech St Peter, Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Norwich, Salford, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Tameside and Dover. 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 Walton, West Cambridgeshire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Wisbech St Peter Cambridgeshire
4 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Norwich 005 Norwich
2 Salford 026 Salford
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 011 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 Tameside 008 Tameside
5 Dover 002 Dover

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cott

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cott

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cott, 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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Cott surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Cott household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Cott is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cott is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cott falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cott is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Cott

The surname Cott is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "cot," which referred to a small, humble dwelling or cottage. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for someone who lived in a cot or worked as a cottager.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Cott appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166, where a person named William Cot is mentioned. Another early reference is found in the Assize Court Rolls of Lancashire in 1246, which mentions a Thomas de Cot.

The name Cott is also related to various place names in England, such as Cotton in Cheshire, Cottenham in Cambridgeshire, and Cottingham in Yorkshire. These place names likely originated from the same Old English word "cot," indicating the presence of cottages or small settlements.

Notables throughout history with the surname Cott include:

1. Sir John Cott (c. 1490 - c. 1550), an English judge and Member of Parliament during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI.

2. Roger Cott (c. 1600 - 1675), an English clergyman and author who wrote a treatise on the divine origin of civil government.

3. Jonathon Cott (1736 - 1807), an American Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Vermont.

4. Nathaniel Cott (1767 - 1842), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

5. Emma Cott (1835 - 1907), an English novelist and writer known for her works depicting rural life in Hampshire.

While the name Cott may have originated as a humble occupational surname, it has been borne by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, including judges, clergymen, soldiers, and authors.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cott families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cott 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. Norfolk leads with 41 Cotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.47x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 41 18.47x
Middlesex 22 1.52x
Cambridgeshire 16 17.50x
Lancashire 15 0.88x
Derbyshire 12 5.31x
Lanarkshire 8 1.71x
Gloucestershire 6 2.12x
Somerset 6 2.58x
Essex 5 1.75x
Surrey 4 0.57x
Yorkshire 3 0.21x
Wiltshire 2 1.57x
Cornwall 1 0.61x
Devon 1 0.33x
Hampshire 1 0.34x
Kent 1 0.20x
Northamptonshire 1 0.74x
Renfrewshire 1 0.89x
Royal Navy 1 5.81x
Sussex 1 0.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Derby All Sts in Derbyshire leads with 12 Cotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 634.92x.

Place Total Index
Derby All Sts 12 634.92x
Heigham 10 83.96x
Wisbech St Peter 10 218.34x
Govan 7 6.06x
Rusholme 7 153.17x
Bedminster 6 27.49x
Everton 6 10.99x
Islington London 6 4.29x
Newton 6 1666.67x
Bow London 5 27.20x
Emneth 5 1020.41x
Kensington London 5 6.23x
Tilney All Sts 5 1785.71x
Dursley 4 344.83x
Low Leyton 4 1538.46x
Terrington St Clement 4 400.00x
Walpole St Andrew 3 857.14x
Camberwell 2 2.17x
Frimley 2 100.00x
Hackney London 2 2.47x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 2 30.03x
Norwich Liberty Of Town 2 1333.33x
Norwich St Edmund 2 555.56x
Shernborne 2 2500.00x
Southcoates 2 25.19x
Broadwater 1 17.92x
Cheltenham 1 4.58x
Deene 1 909.09x
Deptford St Nicholas 1 25.58x
Falmouth 1 17.30x
Glasgow 1 1.21x
Gorton 1 6.21x
Landford 1 769.23x
Laycock 1 172.41x
Lymington 1 46.08x
Manningtree 1 217.39x
Mile End Old Town London 1 3.26x
Narford 1 1428.57x
Norwich St Gregory 1 256.41x
Norwich St Stephen 1 49.02x
Paddington London 1 1.88x
Rackheath 1 666.67x
Royal Navy 1 6.80x
St Marylebone London 1 1.30x
West Greenock 1 4.98x
West Teignmouth 1 43.48x
West Walton 1 238.10x
Westbury On Trym 1 10.43x
Westminster St James 1 6.74x
Whittingham 1 133.33x
Wiggenhall St Mary 1 294.12x
York St Maurice 1 37.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Emily 5
Margaret 5
Sarah 5
Catherine 4
Elizabeth 3
Jane 3
Louisa 3
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Maud 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Anguila 1
Ann 1
Carolina 1
Cynthia 1
E. 1
Eda 1
Edith 1
Gertrude 1
Ginie 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Katherine 1
Kathlinn 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
M. 1
Margerate 1
Maria 1
Sophia 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 7
Robert 6
William 6
John 5
Frederick 4
Thomas 4
Harry 3
James 3
Joseph 3
Henry 2
Matthew 2
A.T. 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Daniel 1
F.A. 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederiak 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Henrey 1
Hugh 1
J.R. 1
M. 1
Martin 1
Minney 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Cott surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cott surname in 1881?

In 1881, 149 people were recorded with the Cott surname. That placed it at #15,551 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cott surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016. That gives Cott a modern rank of #23,006.

What does the Cott surname mean?

A surname deriving from an archaic term for a small dwelling or cottage.

What does the Cott map show?

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