NameCensus.

UK surname

Cottrell

An English occupational surname for a maker or seller of coats, cotehardies, or cottises.

In the 1881 census there were 2,681 people recorded with the Cottrell surname, ranking it #1,657 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,680, ranked #1,453, up from #1,657 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Biddulph, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, Mid Devon and Kettering.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cottrell is 4,976 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 74.6%.

1881 census count

2,681

Ranked #1,657

Modern count

4,680

2016, ranked #1,453

Peak year

1999

4,976 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cottrell had 2,681 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,657 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,680 in 2016, ranked #1,453.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,382 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cottrell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cottrell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cottrell 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 1,590 #1,813
1861 historical 1,425 #1,993
1881 historical 2,681 #1,657
1891 historical 2,830 #1,675
1901 historical 3,917 #1,440
1911 historical 4,382 #1,177
1997 modern 4,837 #1,355
1998 modern 4,952 #1,377
1999 modern 4,976 #1,381
2000 modern 4,910 #1,388
2001 modern 4,828 #1,383
2002 modern 4,913 #1,385
2003 modern 4,809 #1,378
2004 modern 4,856 #1,363
2005 modern 4,702 #1,381
2006 modern 4,661 #1,402
2007 modern 4,699 #1,401
2008 modern 4,692 #1,413
2009 modern 4,825 #1,408
2010 modern 4,869 #1,429
2011 modern 4,792 #1,438
2012 modern 4,660 #1,443
2013 modern 4,755 #1,443
2014 modern 4,803 #1,434
2015 modern 4,713 #1,446
2016 modern 4,680 #1,453

Geography

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Where Cottrells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Biddulph, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester, Mid Devon and Kettering. 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 Biddulph Cheshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 001 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Cheshire West and Chester 006 Cheshire West and Chester
3 Mid Devon 002 Mid Devon
4 Mid Devon 006 Mid Devon
5 Kettering 003 Kettering

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cottrell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cottrell

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cottrell 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

Cottrell 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

Cottrell falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cottrell

The surname Cottrell has its origins in England and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "cotertl" or "coterel," meaning a small cottage or hut. These words were used to describe people who lived in small dwellings or cottages.

In ancient records, the name appears in various spellings, such as Cotterell, Coterell, and Cotterill. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mentions a person named William Coterel.

The Cottrell surname was particularly common in the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire, and Worcestershire in the West Midlands region of England. Some notable places associated with the name include Cottrell Park in Worcestershire and the village of Cottrell in Somerset.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a person named Radulfus Cotrel is listed as a landowner in Somerset. This suggests that the name had already established itself by the late 11th century.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Cottrell surname. One of the earliest was Sir John Cottrell (circa 1370-1439), a Member of Parliament for Shropshire during the reign of King Henry V. Another was Sir Charles Cottrell (1615-1701), an English courtier and diplomat who served as Master of the Ceremonies during the reigns of Charles II and James II.

In the 18th century, John Cottrell (1708-1789) was a prominent British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. He achieved the rank of Lieutenant-General and played a role in the Siege of Charleston in 1780.

Moving into the 19th century, William Cottrell (1815-1879) was a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the former London Bridge Station and the Holborn Viaduct.

Lastly, Sir Clement Cottrell-Dormer (1828-1909) was a British politician and landowner who served as the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire in 1869 and was knighted in 1892.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cottrell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cottrell 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 344 Cottrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.32x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 344 1.32x
Staffordshire 258 2.94x
Lancashire 249 0.81x
Cheshire 243 4.23x
Surrey 190 1.50x
Gloucestershire 160 3.14x
Warwickshire 128 1.95x
Hampshire 125 2.34x
Somerset 124 2.96x
Devon 95 1.75x
Herefordshire 90 8.44x
Berkshire 88 4.51x
Norfolk 85 2.13x
Kent 59 0.66x
Yorkshire 47 0.18x
Wiltshire 46 2.00x
Worcestershire 44 1.30x
Sussex 41 0.94x
Glamorgan 37 0.82x
Essex 36 0.70x
Oxfordshire 32 1.99x
Derbyshire 27 0.66x
Nottinghamshire 14 0.40x
Lincolnshire 12 0.29x
Monmouthshire 12 0.64x
Shropshire 12 0.53x
Buckinghamshire 10 0.64x
Durham 9 0.12x
Flintshire 8 1.14x
Carmarthenshire 7 0.64x
Hertfordshire 6 0.33x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.30x
Dorset 5 0.29x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.38x
Merionethshire 4 0.84x
Montgomeryshire 4 0.67x
Clackmannanshire 3 1.40x
Channel Islands 1 0.13x
Cumberland 1 0.04x
Northamptonshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Biddulph in Staffordshire leads with 92 Cottrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 185.75x.

Place Total Index
Biddulph 92 185.75x
Birmingham 57 2.61x
Birkenhead 51 11.14x
West Bromwich 46 9.15x
Portsmouth 45 36.67x
Great Neston 43 226.91x
Toxteth Park 41 3.92x
Aston 35 1.94x
Camberwell 30 1.81x
Heydon 27 1398.96x
Darlaston 26 21.43x
Lambeth 26 1.15x
Tadley 26 286.66x
Tipton 26 9.67x
Ashton Under Lyne 25 3.71x
Bampton 24 144.75x
Battersea 24 2.51x
Hackney London 23 1.58x
Kings Norton 23 7.55x
Chelsea London 22 2.81x
Reading St Mary 22 14.07x
Ashbrittle 21 621.30x
Dukinfield 21 7.92x
Bethnal Green London 20 1.77x
Cheltenham 20 5.08x
Manchester 20 1.44x
St Marylebone London 20 1.44x
West Ham 20 1.76x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 19 3.96x
Hornsey 19 5.78x
Islington London 19 0.75x
Kensington London 19 1.31x
Tiverton 19 20.38x
Tormarton 19 503.98x
Allensmore 18 349.51x
Openshaw 18 12.45x
Wood Dalling 18 417.63x
Ness 17 507.46x
Swindon 17 9.53x
Hereford All Sts 16 32.75x
Shoreditch London 16 1.42x
St George Hanover Square 16 3.49x
St Pancras London 16 0.76x
Stayley 16 24.38x
Bristol St James In 15 20.00x
Didsbury 15 36.60x
Bedminster 14 3.56x
Llangarren 14 146.29x
Studley 14 49.93x
Brighton 13 1.47x
Churchill 13 194.61x
Hungerford 13 49.24x
Barnes 12 22.39x
Clerkenwell London 12 1.95x
Handsworth 12 5.55x
Wellington 12 21.14x
Wokingham 12 26.93x
Bermondsey 11 1.42x
Everton 11 1.12x
Harmondsworth 11 68.11x
Ledbury 11 30.04x
Little Neston 11 119.57x
Old Windsor 11 48.69x
Plumstead 11 3.72x
Portsea 11 1.05x
Richmond 11 6.19x
Saddleworth 11 5.53x
Chute 10 261.10x
Croydon 10 1.42x
Deptford St Paul 10 1.46x
Middlesbrough 10 2.98x
Mile End Old Town London 10 1.81x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 1.91x
St George In East London 10 4.09x
Ardwick 9 3.23x
Baglan Lower 9 191.08x
Cromhall 9 352.94x
Grantham 9 16.61x
Reading St Giles 9 4.70x
Whitchurch 9 20.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 188
Elizabeth 116
Sarah 111
Emma 47
Eliza 45
Annie 44
Emily 44
Jane 43
Alice 42
Ann 41
Ellen 35
Hannah 34
Maria 23
Martha 23
Ada 21
Margaret 21
Edith 20
Fanny 18
Louisa 16
Florence 14
Charlotte 13
Kate 13
Susan 13
Esther 12
Harriet 12
Caroline 11
Agnes 10
Rebecca 10
Anna 9
Anne 9
Clara 9
Frances 9
Jessie 8
Rosa 8
Amy 7
Catherine 7
Eleanor 7
Julia 7
Lucy 7
Lydia 7
Amelia 6
Ethel 6
Bertha 5
Bessie 5
Betsy 5
Minnie 5
Ruth 5
Sophia 5
Harriett 4
Rose 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 173
John 130
Thomas 100
George 81
James 71
Charles 60
Henry 60
Joseph 49
Alfred 42
Samuel 35
Arthur 33
Frederick 32
Richard 24
Edward 23
Harry 20
Albert 19
Walter 19
Francis 16
Ernest 15
Wm. 15
Robert 13
Herbert 10
David 9
Frank 9
Chas. 7
Edwin 7
Peter 7
Abraham 6
Benjamin 6
Stephen 6
Fred 5
Mathew 5
Tom 5
Alexander 4
Daniel 4
Geo. 4
Isaac 4
Mark 4
Reginald 4
Enoch 3
Fredk. 3
Isaiah 3
Job 3
Jonathon 3
Matthew 3
Michael 3
Phillip 3
Reuben 3
Clement 2
Wm.Hy. 2

FAQ

Cottrell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cottrell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,681 people were recorded with the Cottrell surname. That placed it at #1,657 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cottrell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,680 in 2016. That gives Cottrell a modern rank of #1,453.

What does the Cottrell surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a maker or seller of coats, cotehardies, or cottises.

What does the Cottrell map show?

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