NameCensus.

UK surname

Cotterill

A surname derived from a place name referring to someone who lived near a cottage or cottages.

In the 1881 census there were 2,626 people recorded with the Cotterill surname, ranking it #1,691 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,142, ranked #1,639, up from #1,691 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Tamworth and Darlaston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashfield, Cheshire East and Tamworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cotterill is 4,495 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.7%.

1881 census count

2,626

Ranked #1,691

Modern count

4,142

2016, ranked #1,639

Peak year

1999

4,495 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cotterill had 2,626 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,691 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,142 in 2016, ranked #1,639.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,535 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Cotterill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cotterill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cotterill 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 1,087 #2,585
1861 historical 1,040 #2,694
1881 historical 2,626 #1,691
1891 historical 2,530 #1,874
1901 historical 3,336 #1,676
1911 historical 3,535 #1,479
1997 modern 4,094 #1,583
1998 modern 4,462 #1,515
1999 modern 4,495 #1,517
2000 modern 4,411 #1,533
2001 modern 4,341 #1,526
2002 modern 4,412 #1,534
2003 modern 4,291 #1,537
2004 modern 4,265 #1,555
2005 modern 4,211 #1,548
2006 modern 4,201 #1,553
2007 modern 4,222 #1,560
2008 modern 4,236 #1,563
2009 modern 4,312 #1,577
2010 modern 4,332 #1,601
2011 modern 4,310 #1,590
2012 modern 4,241 #1,580
2013 modern 4,272 #1,605
2014 modern 4,282 #1,610
2015 modern 4,230 #1,611
2016 modern 4,142 #1,639

Geography

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Where Cotterills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Tamworth, Darlaston, Sheffield and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashfield, Cheshire East, Tamworth and Wolverhampton. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Tamworth Staffordshire
3 Darlaston Staffordshire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashfield 016 Ashfield
2 Cheshire East 021 Cheshire East
3 Tamworth 001 Tamworth
4 Wolverhampton 015 Wolverhampton
5 Cheshire East 027 Cheshire East

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cotterill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cotterill

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

Cotterill 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

Cotterill 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 Cotterill 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 Cotterill, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cotterill

The surname Cotterill is of English origin, with its roots tracing back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from a place called Cotterill or Cotterell, likely a small hamlet or village.

The name itself is a combination of two Old English words: "cot" meaning a small dwelling or cottage, and "hyll" meaning a hill. Thus, the name Cotterill would have initially referred to someone who hailed from a place where cottages stood on a hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Coterelle." This entry suggests that the name was already in use during the time of the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records with spellings such as "Coterel," "Coterelle," and "Cotterell." These variations reflect the changing orthography and pronunciation of the name over time.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Cotterill include:

1. John Cotterill (c. 1670-1732), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Southwark. 2. Thomas Cotterill (1779-1823), an English clergyman and author, known for his work on the Book of Common Prayer. 3. Henry Cotterill (1812-1886), an English churchman and author, who served as the Bishop of Edinburgh from 1872 until his death. 4. Sir John Cotterill (1859-1923), a British civil engineer and inventor, known for his contributions to the development of the modern bicycle. 5. Rodney Cotterill (born 1933), a British physicist and academic, who served as the President of the Royal Astronomical Society from 1991 to 1993.

While the name Cotterill has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and settlement. Over the centuries, the name has undergone various orthographic changes, reflecting the linguistic and cultural influences of different regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cotterill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cotterill 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. Staffordshire leads with 734 Cotterills recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.49x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 734 8.49x
Warwickshire 354 5.48x
Lancashire 274 0.90x
Cheshire 224 3.96x
Yorkshire 208 0.82x
Worcestershire 205 6.13x
Derbyshire 135 3.37x
Middlesex 82 0.32x
Durham 54 0.71x
Nottinghamshire 42 1.22x
Surrey 35 0.28x
Kent 27 0.31x
Leicestershire 26 0.92x
Lincolnshire 23 0.56x
Shropshire 23 1.04x
Northamptonshire 21 0.87x
Berkshire 19 0.99x
Essex 18 0.36x
Oxfordshire 15 0.95x
Sussex 14 0.32x
Hampshire 12 0.23x
Herefordshire 12 1.14x
Gloucestershire 10 0.20x
Buckinghamshire 9 0.58x
Midlothian 9 0.26x
Wiltshire 6 0.27x
Denbighshire 4 0.41x
Devon 4 0.08x
Cumberland 3 0.14x
Flintshire 3 0.44x
Monmouthshire 3 0.16x
Rutland 3 1.60x
Bedfordshire 2 0.15x
Hertfordshire 2 0.11x
Lanarkshire 2 0.02x
Norfolk 2 0.05x
Suffolk 2 0.06x
Northumberland 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.33x
Somerset 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 143 Cotterills recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.65x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 143 6.65x
Aston 110 6.19x
Stoke Upon Trent 74 8.08x
Wolverhampton 74 11.14x
Darlaston 57 47.73x
Congleton 48 49.17x
West Bromwich 48 9.70x
Tamworth 42 90.91x
Biddulph 36 73.85x
Kings Norton 36 12.01x
Worcester St Peter 34 53.74x
Ecclesall Bierlow 32 6.20x
Warrington 32 8.89x
Ecclesfield 30 16.13x
Manchester 30 2.20x
Ryhope 30 56.74x
Macclesfield 29 11.55x
Willenhall 28 17.30x
Salford 25 2.80x
Wolstanton 25 9.53x
Stafford St Mary 24 19.62x
Tettenhall 24 45.43x
Sheffield 22 2.72x
Walsall Foreign 22 4.93x
Hathersage 21 187.00x
Kimberworth 21 14.92x
Leamington Priors 20 12.59x
Wednesfield 19 14.94x
Bilston 18 10.75x
Bonsall 17 143.22x
Tipton 17 6.43x
Wharton 17 55.25x
Worksop 17 16.61x
Horton 16 151.23x
Brightside Bierlow 15 3.02x
Fazeley 14 89.12x
Rowley Regis 14 5.81x
Wednesbury 14 6.48x
Buglawton 13 95.59x
Lichfield St Chad 13 66.91x
West Ham 13 1.17x
Accrington 12 4.35x
Brewood 12 48.17x
Holmer 12 63.49x
Kingswinford 12 3.83x
Belbroughton 11 63.44x
Bowdon 11 49.06x
Brighton 11 1.26x
Didsbury 11 27.28x
Dronfield 11 21.42x
Hulme 11 1.73x
Middleton 11 270.27x
Uttoxeter 11 24.87x
Knowle 10 75.36x
Leicester St Margaret 10 1.44x
Marple 10 25.78x
Newington 10 1.06x
Oldbury 10 6.08x
Oldham 10 1.02x
Wolstanton Knutton 10 18.95x
Yardley 10 11.69x
Abbots Bromley 9 70.26x
Alfreton 9 7.39x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 1.36x
Barnsley 9 3.44x
Bollington In 9 17.90x
Camberwell 9 0.55x
Coleshill 9 43.48x
Derby St Alkmund 9 7.49x
Gateshead 9 1.58x
Harborne 9 3.25x
Hasland 9 22.06x
Hyde 9 5.40x
Ledsham 9 379.75x
Milton In Gravesend 9 6.87x
Rotherhithe 9 2.85x
Solihull 9 19.40x
Sutton In Macclesfield 9 15.35x
Monks Coppenhall 8 3.75x
Shifnal 8 13.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 193
Sarah 117
Elizabeth 109
Ann 61
Alice 46
Annie 45
Jane 44
Emma 43
Ellen 41
Hannah 40
Eliza 36
Emily 33
Martha 31
Harriet 23
Fanny 18
Maria 18
Louisa 16
Florence 15
Margaret 15
Agnes 12
Harriett 11
Anne 10
Clara 10
Lucy 10
Phoebe 10
Susan 10
Caroline 9
Rose 9
Amelia 8
Charlotte 8
Edith 8
Amy 7
Frances 7
Sophia 7
Beatrice 6
Catherine 6
Julia 6
Matilda 6
Selina 6
Kate 5
Rebecca 5
Ada 4
Eleanor 4
Elizebeth 4
Esther 4
Lizzie 4
Olive 4
Susannah 4
Isabella 3
Jessie 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 183
John 152
George 97
Thomas 94
Joseph 77
James 74
Charles 61
Henry 41
Samuel 39
Arthur 35
Alfred 30
Edward 28
Walter 19
Albert 18
Frederick 18
Robert 16
Benjamin 14
Richard 13
David 12
Harry 11
Francis 10
Herbert 10
Wm. 10
Edwin 9
Ernest 9
Daniel 7
Frank 7
Fred 7
Chas. 6
Enoch 6
Peter 6
Thos. 6
Isaac 5
Eli 4
Frederic 4
Hugh 4
Isaiah 4
Jonathan 4
Levi 4
Matthew 4
Michael 4
Christopher 3
Clement 3
Coleman 3
Jesse 3
Job 3
Leonard 3
Louis 3
Percy 3
Saml. 3

FAQ

Cotterill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cotterill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,626 people were recorded with the Cotterill surname. That placed it at #1,691 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cotterill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,142 in 2016. That gives Cotterill a modern rank of #1,639.

What does the Cotterill surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name referring to someone who lived near a cottage or cottages.

What does the Cotterill map show?

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