NameCensus.

UK surname

Cottington

A habitation surname derived from a location in Northamptonshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 166 people recorded with the Cottington surname, ranking it #14,496 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 387, ranked #12,170, up from #14,496 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Chailey, Buxted and Tunbridge, Bidborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wealden, Shepway and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cottington is 441 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 133.1%.

1881 census count

166

Ranked #14,496

Modern count

387

2016, ranked #12,170

Peak year

2000

441 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cottington had 166 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,496 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 387 in 2016, ranked #12,170.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 274 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cottington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cottington surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cottington 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 136 #13,892
1861 historical 90 #22,312
1881 historical 166 #14,496
1891 historical 174 #16,520
1901 historical 187 #15,793
1911 historical 274 #12,150
1997 modern 430 #10,423
1998 modern 435 #10,678
1999 modern 433 #10,807
2000 modern 441 #10,611
2001 modern 430 #10,619
2002 modern 432 #10,801
2003 modern 415 #10,962
2004 modern 398 #11,321
2005 modern 396 #11,271
2006 modern 387 #11,514
2007 modern 393 #11,526
2008 modern 398 #11,525
2009 modern 405 #11,616
2010 modern 408 #11,804
2011 modern 396 #11,943
2012 modern 382 #12,127
2013 modern 386 #12,243
2014 modern 393 #12,168
2015 modern 391 #12,113
2016 modern 387 #12,170

Geography

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Where Cottingtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Chailey, Buxted, Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes and Rotherfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wealden, Shepway, St. Helens and Liverpool. 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 Chailey Sussex
2 Buxted Sussex
3 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
4 London parishes London 3
5 Rotherfield Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wealden 006 Wealden
2 Shepway 011 Shepway
3 St. Helens 007 St. Helens
4 Liverpool 044 Liverpool
5 St. Helens 008 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cottington

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cottington

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Cottington is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cottington is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Cottington

The surname Cottington has its roots in England, originating in the late 12th or early 13th century. It is a locational name derived from the village of Cottington in Northamptonshire, located near the town of Rockingham. The name likely came from the Old English words "cot" meaning a small dwelling or hut, and "ing" meaning a meadow or enclosure, suggesting it referred to a settlement of small huts or cottages in a meadow.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1208, where it appears as "Cottingtun". The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also list a "Richard de Cotington" in Oxfordshire. These early records indicate the name's widespread use across various regions of England during the Middle Ages.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire (1327) and the Poll Tax Returns for Yorkshire (1379), further solidifying its presence in different parts of the country. The Cottington family held land and property in various counties, including Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire.

Notable individuals bearing the Cottington surname include Sir Francis Cottington (1579-1652), an English diplomat and statesman who served as Lord Treasurer under King Charles I. Another prominent figure was William Cottington (1609-1678), an English merchant and member of the Virginia Company, who played a significant role in the early colonization of America.

Other historical figures include Nicholas Cottington (c.1550-1628), a Catholic theologian and writer, and Philip Cottington (1762-1835), an English clergyman and author. Additionally, Thomas Cottington (1668-1733), a British naval officer, is recorded as having served in the Royal Navy during the early 18th century.

While the surname Cottington is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history dating back to the medieval period, with references spanning various regions and social classes, from landowners to clergymen and military officers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cottington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cottington 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. Sussex leads with 121 Cottingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.32x.

County Total Index
Sussex 121 44.32x
Kent 21 3.80x
Surrey 13 1.65x
Middlesex 8 0.49x
Essex 1 0.31x
Hampshire 1 0.30x
Lancashire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Framfield in Sussex leads with 32 Cottingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3764.71x.

Place Total Index
Framfield 32 3764.71x
Buxted 12 1121.50x
Tonbridge 12 60.21x
Arlington 10 3030.30x
Rotherfield 9 375.00x
Berwick 7 7000.00x
East Hoathly 7 1458.33x
Waldron 7 945.95x
Cobham 6 465.12x
Eastbourne 6 47.77x
Horsham 6 113.21x
Wingham 6 937.50x
Chailey 5 588.24x
Jevington 5 3125.00x
Newick 5 833.33x
St Pancras London 5 3.84x
Croydon 3 6.85x
St George Hanover Square 3 10.52x
Frant 2 103.63x
Sutton 2 35.03x
Uckfield 2 168.07x
Alfriston 1 312.50x
Ash Next Sandwich 1 81.97x
Bonchurch 1 270.27x
Camberwell 1 0.97x
Hellingly 1 109.89x
Lewes All Sts 1 91.74x
Liverpool 1 0.86x
South Malling 1 243.90x
Speldhurst 1 35.59x
Subdeanery 1 48.31x
Ticehurst 1 59.88x
Walmer 1 41.67x
West Ham 1 1.42x
Weybridge 1 59.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 6
Jane 5
Fanny 4
Harriet 4
Kate 4
Louisa 4
Charlotte 3
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Harriett 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Anna 2
Catherine 2
Eliza 2
Francis 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Naomi 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Annie 1
Ansley 1
Barbara 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Carry 1
Charity 1
Eleanor 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Hannah 1
Henrietta 1
Hester 1
Janet 1
Lois 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Mercy 1
Rohda 1
Ruth 1
Sidney 1
Susanah 1
Tamar 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Cottington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cottington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 166 people were recorded with the Cottington surname. That placed it at #14,496 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cottington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 387 in 2016. That gives Cottington a modern rank of #12,170.

What does the Cottington surname mean?

A habitation surname derived from a location in Northamptonshire, England.

What does the Cottington map show?

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