NameCensus.

UK surname

Cottey

A locational surname referring to someone from a place with cottages.

In the 1881 census there were 90 people recorded with the Cottey surname, ranking it #20,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 228, ranked #17,936, up from #20,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sampford Peverell, Burlescombe, London parishes and Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Taunton Deane, South Somerset and East Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cottey is 259 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 153.3%.

1881 census count

90

Ranked #20,965

Modern count

228

2016, ranked #17,936

Peak year

2000

259 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cottey had 90 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 228 in 2016, ranked #17,936.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 182 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Cottey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cottey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cottey 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 56 #23,235
1861 historical 76 #24,114
1881 historical 90 #20,965
1891 historical 149 #18,420
1901 historical 133 #19,372
1911 historical 182 #15,859
1997 modern 253 #15,152
1998 modern 254 #15,508
1999 modern 253 #15,667
2000 modern 259 #15,390
2001 modern 250 #15,527
2002 modern 250 #15,819
2003 modern 236 #16,236
2004 modern 247 #15,821
2005 modern 241 #16,036
2006 modern 230 #16,690
2007 modern 237 #16,571
2008 modern 234 #16,827
2009 modern 245 #16,646
2010 modern 244 #17,056
2011 modern 250 #16,637
2012 modern 229 #17,537
2013 modern 237 #17,423
2014 modern 230 #17,872
2015 modern 225 #18,050
2016 modern 228 #17,936

Geography

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Where Cotteys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sampford Peverell, Burlescombe, London parishes, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton and Offwell, North Leigh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Taunton Deane, South Somerset, East Devon, West Berkshire and Neath Port Talbot. 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 Sampford Peverell, Burlescombe Devon
2 London parishes London 1
3 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
4 London parishes London 3
5 Offwell, North Leigh Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Taunton Deane 014 Taunton Deane
2 South Somerset 024 South Somerset
3 East Devon 001 East Devon
4 West Berkshire 005 West Berkshire
5 Neath Port Talbot 014 Neath Port Talbot

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cottey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cottey

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Cottey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Cottey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Cottey is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cottey 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

Cottey falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cottey

The surname Cottey has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "cot," which referred to a small, humble dwelling or a cottage. The name likely evolved from an occupational surname given to someone who lived in a cot or cottage.

Early records show various spellings of the name, such as Cotte, Cotti, and Cotty, indicating its evolution over time. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a Robert Cotte.

The Cottey surname was particularly prevalent in certain regions of England, including Wiltshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire. In the 16th century, records show the name associated with several place names, such as Cottey Farm in Berkshire and Cottey Hill in Wiltshire.

Notable individuals with the Cottey surname throughout history include:

1. William Cottey (c. 1590-1651), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for Westbury, Wiltshire. 2. John Cottey (1670-1734), an English landowner and benefactor from Wiltshire, who endowed schools and almshouses in the region. 3. Richard Cottey (1762-1838), a British officer who served in the Royal Navy and participated in the Battle of Trafalgar. 4. Elizabeth Cottey (1802-1878), a pioneering female educator and founder of the Cottey College for women in Nevada, Missouri, United States. 5. Arthur Cottey (1876-1952), a British architect known for his work in the Arts and Crafts style, including the design of several notable buildings in London.

While the Cottey surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, as families migrated and settled in new regions over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cottey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cottey 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. Devon leads with 41 Cotteys recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.44x.

County Total Index
Devon 41 22.44x
Middlesex 20 2.28x
Somerset 19 13.45x
Surrey 7 1.64x
Berkshire 2 3.03x
Cornwall 1 1.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Uplowman in Devon leads with 18 Cotteys recorded in 1881 and an index of 15000.00x.

Place Total Index
Uplowman 18 15000.00x
Hackney London 9 18.29x
North Petherton 9 789.47x
Sampford Peverell 9 4736.84x
Curland 8 13333.33x
South Molton 6 600.00x
Westminster St John 6 56.13x
Barnstaple 4 139.37x
Camberwell 4 7.13x
Hammersmith London 4 18.49x
Lambeth 2 2.61x
Offwell 2 2000.00x
Sandhurst 2 156.25x
Somerton 2 344.83x
Compton Gifford 1 175.44x
Mitcham 1 37.04x
St Erme 1 666.67x
St Marylebone London 1 2.13x
Tiverton 1 31.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Elizabeth 6
Emily 3
Emma 3
Ann 2
Helina 2
Jane 2
Julia 2
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Annie 1
Bessie 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Constance 1
Eda 1
Elizebeth 1
Ellen 1
Francis 1
Harriet 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Maria 1
Rhoda 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Cottey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cottey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 90 people were recorded with the Cottey surname. That placed it at #20,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cottey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 228 in 2016. That gives Cottey a modern rank of #17,936.

What does the Cottey surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a place with cottages.

What does the Cottey map show?

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