UK surname
A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "cottage dweller" or "cottager".
In the 1881 census there were 60 people recorded with the Cottman surname, ranking it #25,133 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 19, ranked #36,760, down from #25,133 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Ringwood, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Stranton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cottman is 129 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 68.3%.
1881 census count
60
Ranked #25,133
Modern count
19
2016, ranked #36,760
Peak year
1861
129 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Cottman surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Cottman surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 51 | #24,096 |
| 1861 | historical | 129 | #17,271 |
| 1881 | historical | 60 | #25,133 |
| 1891 | historical | 88 | #25,677 |
| 1901 | historical | 48 | #28,808 |
| 1911 | historical | 37 | #29,263 |
| 1997 | modern | 18 | #36,053 |
| 1998 | modern | 19 | #36,009 |
| 1999 | modern | 13 | #36,693 |
| 2000 | modern | 10 | #37,001 |
| 2001 | modern | 11 | #36,727 |
| 2002 | modern | 19 | #35,991 |
| 2003 | modern | 20 | #35,915 |
| 2004 | modern | 19 | #36,147 |
| 2005 | modern | 16 | #36,530 |
| 2006 | modern | 16 | #36,601 |
| 2007 | modern | 17 | #36,628 |
| 2008 | modern | 19 | #36,534 |
| 2009 | modern | 18 | #36,682 |
| 2010 | modern | 22 | #36,462 |
| 2011 | modern | 19 | #36,668 |
| 2012 | modern | 19 | #36,641 |
| 2013 | modern | 22 | #36,477 |
| 2014 | modern | 20 | #36,654 |
| 2015 | modern | 20 | #36,653 |
| 2016 | modern | 19 | #36,760 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Ringwood, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Stranton, Dorchester Holy Trinity, Fordington and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ringwood | Hampshire |
| 2 | Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars | Leicestershire |
| 3 | Stranton | Durham |
| 4 | Dorchester Holy Trinity, Fordington | Dorset |
| 5 | Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken | Warwickshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Cottman surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cottman, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Cottman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Cottman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Cottman is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cottman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Cottman, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Cottman is of English origin, with its roots tracing back to the 12th century. It is believed to have originated from the village of Cottingham, located near the city of Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The name is derived from the Old English words "cot" meaning cottage and "ham" meaning homestead or settlement, thus translating to "the homestead of cottages."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cottman can be found in the Cartulary of Burton Priory, a manuscript dating back to the late 12th century. This document mentions a person named Richard Cottman, who was a landowner in the village of Cottingham. The name also appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, where it is spelled as "Cotingham."
During the 13th century, the Cottman surname spread beyond Yorkshire to other parts of England. In 1273, a record shows a John Cottman residing in the village of Halton, Buckinghamshire. Another notable figure from this period was Sir Robert Cottman, a knight who served in the army of Edward III during the Hundred Years' War with France in the mid-14th century.
In the 16th century, the Cottman family established themselves as prominent landowners and merchants in various parts of England. One of the most notable members was William Cottman (1536-1615), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol. His grandson, also named William Cottman (1609-1679), was a renowned Puritan minister and author who wrote several religious treatises.
Another significant figure in the history of the Cottman surname was Sir John Cottman (1670-1743), a Member of Parliament for the borough of Portsmouth and a successful naval merchant. He played a crucial role in establishing the British East India Company's trade routes in the early 18th century.
As the centuries progressed, the Cottman surname continued to be found throughout England, with variations in spelling such as Cotman, Cotteman, and Cottingham appearing in various records. Notable individuals include John Cottman (1792-1876), a renowned landscape artist known for his paintings of the Norfolk Broads, and Sir William Cottman (1879-1956), a distinguished British diplomat who served as the Ambassador to Belgium and the Netherlands.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cottman surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Durham leads with 12 Cottmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.89x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Durham | 12 | 6.89x |
| Dorset | 7 | 18.23x |
| Middlesex | 7 | 1.20x |
| Northamptonshire | 6 | 10.90x |
| Hampshire | 5 | 4.17x |
| Kent | 5 | 2.50x |
| Leicestershire | 5 | 7.71x |
| Staffordshire | 3 | 1.52x |
| Yorkshire | 3 | 0.52x |
| Fife | 2 | 5.77x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.29x |
| Brecknockshire | 1 | 8.55x |
| Lincolnshire | 1 | 1.07x |
| Wiltshire | 1 | 1.93x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wingate in Durham leads with 7 Cottmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 588.24x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Wingate | 7 | 588.24x |
| Kettering | 6 | 269.06x |
| Fordington | 5 | 602.41x |
| Leicester St Margaret | 5 | 31.61x |
| Lewisham | 5 | 46.95x |
| Stranton | 5 | 85.32x |
| Bromley London | 3 | 23.31x |
| Hanbury | 3 | 2727.27x |
| Pannal | 3 | 535.71x |
| Chorlton On Medlock | 2 | 18.13x |
| East Wellow | 2 | 3333.33x |
| Kirkcaldy | 2 | 116.28x |
| Brecknock St John | 1 | 101.01x |
| Fisherton Anger | 1 | 104.17x |
| Friskney | 1 | 333.33x |
| Hound | 1 | 123.46x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 3.07x |
| Melcombe Regis | 1 | 62.89x |
| Ringwood | 1 | 129.87x |
| St George Hanover Square | 1 | 9.70x |
| St Mary Woolnoth London | 1 | 3333.33x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 2.12x |
| Tarrant Rushton | 1 | 3333.33x |
| Warblington | 1 | 208.33x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cottman surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Cottman surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Cottman households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 11 |
| Baker | 1 |
| Brewers Commercial Clerk | 1 |
| Chemist | 1 |
| Chemist Assist | 1 |
| Coal Merchant & Corn Dealer | 1 |
| Commercial Traveller | 1 |
| Cook Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Domestic | 1 |
| Gardener (Domestic Serv) | 1 |
| Generl Lab | 1 |
| Generl Lab Wife | 1 |
| Governess | 1 |
| Hosier | 1 |
| Hosier (Manuf) | 1 |
| House Wife | 1 |
| Lab | 1 |
| Labourer At Oil Mills | 1 |
| Labourer General | 1 |
| Labourer Wife | 1 |
| Milliner | 1 |
| No Occupation | 1 |
| Nurse Child | 1 |
| Pte 24 Regt | 1 |
| Shopman (Gen) | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 60 people were recorded with the Cottman surname. That placed it at #25,133 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 19 in 2016. That gives Cottman a modern rank of #36,760.
A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "cottage dweller" or "cottager".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cottman bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.