NameCensus.

UK surname

Cotter

An occupational surname referring to a cottager or cottage dweller, derived from the Old English "cot."

In the 1881 census there were 1,124 people recorded with the Cotter surname, ranking it #3,548 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,447, ranked #2,693, up from #3,548 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wellingborough and Dover.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cotter is 2,548 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 117.7%.

1881 census count

1,124

Ranked #3,548

Modern count

2,447

2016, ranked #2,693

Peak year

2010

2,548 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cotter had 1,124 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,548 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,447 in 2016, ranked #2,693.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,280 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Cotter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cotter surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cotter 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 589 #4,340
1861 historical 879 #3,157
1881 historical 1,124 #3,548
1891 historical 1,056 #3,971
1901 historical 1,239 #3,993
1911 historical 1,280 #3,716
1997 modern 2,429 #2,593
1998 modern 2,493 #2,621
1999 modern 2,508 #2,630
2000 modern 2,465 #2,648
2001 modern 2,441 #2,613
2002 modern 2,457 #2,664
2003 modern 2,362 #2,694
2004 modern 2,373 #2,688
2005 modern 2,314 #2,707
2006 modern 2,349 #2,680
2007 modern 2,359 #2,693
2008 modern 2,416 #2,655
2009 modern 2,517 #2,630
2010 modern 2,548 #2,655
2011 modern 2,478 #2,691
2012 modern 2,455 #2,667
2013 modern 2,522 #2,643
2014 modern 2,528 #2,649
2015 modern 2,478 #2,673
2016 modern 2,447 #2,693

Geography

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Where Cotters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, Toxteth Park and Merthyr Tydfil. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wellingborough, Dover, Shepway and Plymouth. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Toxteth Park Lancashire
5 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 006 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 Wellingborough 010 Wellingborough
3 Dover 011 Dover
4 Shepway 006 Shepway
5 Plymouth 026 Plymouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cotter

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cotter

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cotter, 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 Cotter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Cotter 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cotter 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

Cotter 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

Cotter 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 Cotter is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Cotter

The surname Cotter is of Anglo-Irish origin, deriving from the Irish Gaelic word "coteir," meaning a small hut or cottage. It is believed to have first emerged as a surname in the 12th century in Ireland. The name likely referred to a person who lived in a small dwelling or cottage.

In the late 12th century, the surname Cotter appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, England, suggesting that those bearing the name may have migrated to England during the Norman conquest of Ireland. The name was also recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273, indicating its presence in various parts of England at that time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Cotter surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals mention a Cotter family in County Cork, Ireland, in the 14th century.

The Cotter surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was Sir James Cotter (1689-1761), an Irish Baronet and Member of Parliament for Askeaton in County Limerick. Another notable figure was John Cotter (1761-1808), an Irish artist and engraver known for his portraits and landscapes.

In the late 18th century, John Cotter (1753-1825), a British politician and landowner from Rockforest, County Cork, served as a Member of Parliament for Callington in Cornwall. Additionally, the Cotter family produced several Catholic priests and bishops, including Reverend Edward Cotter (1794-1854), who served as the Bishop of Leighlin in Ireland.

The Cotter surname also has ties to various place names, such as Cotterville and Cotterstown in Ireland, further emphasizing its connection to the concept of a small dwelling or cottage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cotter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cotter 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. Middlesex leads with 264 Cotters recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.38x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 264 2.38x
Lancashire 164 1.25x
Glamorgan 112 5.81x
Kent 86 2.28x
Surrey 73 1.35x
Gloucestershire 55 2.53x
Essex 47 2.15x
Warwickshire 45 1.61x
Lanarkshire 43 1.20x
Yorkshire 39 0.36x
Hampshire 31 1.37x
Somerset 18 1.01x
Devon 17 0.74x
Monmouthshire 17 2.12x
Royal Navy 15 11.37x
Staffordshire 14 0.37x
Durham 9 0.27x
Midlothian 9 0.61x
Norfolk 9 0.53x
Worcestershire 9 0.62x
Renfrewshire 8 0.93x
Berwickshire 7 5.22x
Cornwall 7 0.56x
Berkshire 6 0.72x
Cheshire 6 0.25x
Flintshire 6 2.02x
Sussex 6 0.32x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.43x
Oxfordshire 2 0.29x
Angus 1 0.10x
Ayrshire 1 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.15x
Hertfordshire 1 0.13x
Isle of Man 1 0.49x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.07x
Peeblesshire 1 1.92x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.28x
Suffolk 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 40 Cotters recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.01x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 40 5.01x
Birmingham 39 4.19x
Merthyr Tydfil 39 21.05x
Camberwell 34 4.81x
Bristol St James In 31 97.09x
St George In East London 31 29.77x
Everton 25 5.97x
St Marylebone London 21 3.55x
Llandaff 19 29.62x
Islington London 18 1.68x
Poplar London 18 8.61x
Cardiff St Mary 17 16.01x
Toxteth Park 17 3.82x
Portsea 16 3.60x
Lambeth 15 1.55x
Royal Navy 15 13.30x
Leeds 14 2.26x
Greenwich 13 7.38x
Shoreditch London 13 2.71x
Dalziel 12 31.15x
Kensington London 12 1.95x
West Coker 12 330.58x
Bedwellty 11 7.78x
Whitechapel London 11 10.08x
Charlton Next Woolwich 10 25.38x
Limehouse London 10 8.23x
Walthamstow 10 12.71x
Wavertree 10 23.78x
Aberdare 9 6.80x
Cwmdu 9 38.31x
Harborne 9 7.51x
Bothwell 8 8.24x
Ealing 8 8.08x
Glasgow 8 1.26x
Hackney London 8 1.29x
Manchester 8 1.35x
Ratcliffe London 8 13.08x
Salford 8 2.07x
Teddington London 8 31.89x
Arreton 7 96.15x
Ayton 7 89.97x
Bermondsey 7 2.12x
Bethnal Green London 7 1.46x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 3.42x
Great Crosby 7 19.54x
Great Yarmouth 7 4.96x
Hanwell 7 35.66x
Kidderminster Foreign 7 34.25x
Plumstead 7 5.56x
Skipton 7 20.27x
Stoke Damerel 7 4.34x
Westminster St Margaret 7 13.11x
Woolwich 7 5.02x
Aston 6 0.78x
Cardiff St John 6 9.53x
Chelsea London 6 1.80x
Colchester St Peter 6 68.65x
Crayford 6 36.36x
East Wickham 6 133.93x
Hawarden Pentrobin 6 126.58x
Saltash 6 61.73x
Springfield 6 62.63x
St Botolph Aldgate London 6 26.32x
St Pancras London 6 0.67x
Swansea Town 6 3.80x
West Derby 6 1.56x
West Greenock 6 3.90x
Bedminster 5 2.99x
Bow London 5 3.55x
Bromley London 5 2.05x
Clerkenwell London 5 1.91x
Colchester St Mary 5 247.52x
Edinburgh Trinity 5 104.60x
Great Bolton 5 2.87x
Minster In Thanet 5 63.61x
Roath 5 5.71x
Stockton On Tees 5 3.15x
Wigan 5 2.72x
Woodford St Mary 5 202.43x
Bristol St Paul In 4 6.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 96
Ellen 40
Margaret 37
Elizabeth 33
Catherine 29
Sarah 19
Ann 16
Jane 16
Alice 13
Hannah 13
Johanna 11
Kate 11
Julia 10
Annie 9
Bridget 8
Maria 8
Emily 7
Eliza 6
Frances 6
Jessie 6
Louisa 6
Anne 5
Charlotte 5
Emma 5
Florence 5
Isabella 5
Norah 5
Rose 5
Eleanor 4
Honora 4
Rosa 4
Amy 3
Clara 3
Fanny 3
Harriet 3
Susan 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Anna 2
Edith 2
Francis 2
Katharine 2
Laura 2
Lydia 2
M. 2
Margeret 2
Margt. 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Miriam 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 70
William 64
James 51
Thomas 36
Edward 22
Richard 21
Charles 14
Henry 11
Michael 11
Patrick 11
Daniel 9
George 9
Joseph 9
Alexander 7
Alfred 7
Cornelius 6
Edmund 5
Samuel 5
Timothy 5
Wm. 5
David 4
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Harry 4
Lawrence 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Denis 3
Morris 3
Robert 3
Thos. 3
Benjamin 2
Ed. 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Gerald 2
Jeremiah 2
Laurence 2
Philip 2
Bernard 1
Chas.D. 1
Claud 1
Claude 1
Edmond 1
Emanuel 1
Ernest 1
Eustice 1
Ferdinand 1
Jas. 1
Wm.L. 1

FAQ

Cotter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cotter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,124 people were recorded with the Cotter surname. That placed it at #3,548 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cotter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,447 in 2016. That gives Cotter a modern rank of #2,693.

What does the Cotter surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a cottager or cottage dweller, derived from the Old English "cot."

What does the Cotter map show?

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