NameCensus.

UK surname

Cottrill

Derived from a place name meaning "cottage on a hill" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 608 people recorded with the Cottrill surname, ranking it #5,765 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 593, ranked #8,799, down from #5,765 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Manchester and Hope. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include High Peak, Wychavon and Warrington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cottrill is 806 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.5%.

1881 census count

608

Ranked #5,765

Modern count

593

2016, ranked #8,799

Peak year

1911

806 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cottrill had 608 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,765 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 593 in 2016, ranked #8,799.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 806 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cottrill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cottrill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cottrill 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 531 #4,730
1861 historical 367 #6,963
1881 historical 608 #5,765
1891 historical 690 #5,677
1901 historical 790 #5,701
1911 historical 806 #5,454
1997 modern 633 #7,827
1998 modern 673 #7,713
1999 modern 694 #7,567
2000 modern 660 #7,847
2001 modern 637 #7,904
2002 modern 650 #7,942
2003 modern 640 #7,911
2004 modern 643 #7,902
2005 modern 636 #7,906
2006 modern 632 #7,973
2007 modern 619 #8,161
2008 modern 611 #8,284
2009 modern 639 #8,177
2010 modern 645 #8,294
2011 modern 624 #8,425
2012 modern 631 #8,266
2013 modern 636 #8,345
2014 modern 633 #8,429
2015 modern 613 #8,592
2016 modern 593 #8,799

Geography

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Where Cottrills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Manchester, Hope, Droitwich St Andrew and St Mary, Droitwich St Nicholas, Dodderhill (Dodderhill in Liberties), Malbor 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 High Peak, Wychavon, Warrington, Solihull and Derbyshire Dales. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Hope Derbyshire
4 Droitwich St Andrew and St Mary, Droitwich St Nicholas, Dodderhill (Dodderhill in Liberties), Malbor Worcestershire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 High Peak 013 High Peak
2 Wychavon 008 Wychavon
3 Warrington 021 Warrington
4 Solihull 004 Solihull
5 Derbyshire Dales 001 Derbyshire Dales

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cottrill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cottrill

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Cottrill is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cottrill is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cottrill falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cottrill

The surname Cottrill is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name such as Cotterhill or Cotterill, which may have referred to a cottage on a hill or a cottage by a hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327, where a Robert de Cotterell is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use in the Midlands region of England during the 14th century.

In the late 16th century, the surname appears in various parish records across England, including in Oxfordshire, where a Thomas Cottrell was mentioned in the records of Watlington in 1591. Other early spellings of the name include Cotterell, Cotterill, and Cotrill.

The Cottrill surname is also associated with several notable historical figures. One such figure is Sir Charles Cottrell (1615-1701), an English politician and courtier who served as Master of the Ceremonies to King Charles II. Another prominent individual was Thomas Cottrell (1698-1764), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for Bletchingley.

In the 18th century, the Cottrill surname gained further prominence with the birth of Samuel Cottrill (1755-1832), an English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Ormskirk in Lancashire. His son, Charles John Cottrill (1798-1871), followed in his footsteps and became a renowned Anglican clergyman and author.

Additionally, the Cottrill name has been linked to several place names in England, such as Cotterill Farm in Derbyshire and Cotterill Hall in Staffordshire, which may have served as the original locations from which the surname derived.

While the Cottrill surname is most prevalent in England, it has also been recorded in various other parts of the world, likely due to migration and immigration patterns over the centuries. However, its origins can be firmly traced back to the English counties of Staffordshire, Oxfordshire, and Derbyshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cottrill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cottrill 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. Lancashire leads with 209 Cottrills recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.01x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 209 3.01x
Worcestershire 105 13.74x
Derbyshire 44 4.80x
Staffordshire 41 2.08x
Warwickshire 39 2.64x
Cheshire 32 2.48x
Yorkshire 19 0.33x
Lincolnshire 17 1.82x
Somerset 13 1.38x
Middlesex 12 0.21x
Surrey 12 0.42x
Berkshire 11 2.50x
Nottinghamshire 10 1.27x
Wiltshire 6 1.16x
Gloucestershire 5 0.44x
Dorset 4 1.04x
Hampshire 4 0.33x
Shropshire 4 0.79x
Flintshire 3 1.91x
Oxfordshire 3 0.83x
Devon 2 0.16x
Glamorgan 2 0.20x
Kent 1 0.05x
Leicestershire 1 0.15x
Rutland 1 2.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Salford in Lancashire leads with 26 Cottrills recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.73x.

Place Total Index
Salford 26 12.73x
West Bromwich 20 17.68x
Birmingham 19 3.86x
Hulme 18 12.41x
Broughton In Salford 16 25.20x
Hopwood 16 176.21x
Little Bolton 15 16.80x
Grimley 13 902.78x
Stretford 12 31.41x
Ashton Under Lyne 11 7.25x
Aston 11 2.71x
Droitwich St Peter 11 639.53x
Heaton Norris 10 25.30x
Pendleton In Salford 10 12.09x
Upton Snodsbury 10 1369.86x
Camberwell 9 2.41x
Chapel En Le Frith 9 107.53x
Crumpsall 9 54.98x
Droitwich St Nicholas 9 318.02x
Gorton 9 13.79x
Pinxton 9 193.13x
Reading St Giles 8 18.56x
Dodderhill In Liberties 7 666.67x
Dukinfield 7 11.73x
Hope 7 1044.78x
Liverpool 7 1.66x
Openshaw 7 21.52x
Pendlebury 7 47.75x
St Martin Lincoln 7 80.65x
Altrincham 6 26.58x
Bedminster 6 6.78x
Brightside Bierlow 6 5.27x
Hope Woodlands 6 1363.64x
Kings Norton 6 8.76x
Little Bytham 6 983.61x
Penkridge 6 117.88x
Prestwich 6 34.62x
Beighton 5 120.48x
Biddulph 5 44.84x
Bilston 5 13.06x
Crudwell 5 331.13x
Dronfield 5 42.59x
Holy Cross 5 1428.57x
Shepton Mallet 5 47.30x
Stourbridge 5 25.42x
Tottington Lower End 5 15.15x
Worcester St Peter 5 34.55x
Ardwick 4 6.39x
Cheetham 4 7.72x
Corfe Castle 4 112.36x
Fairfield 4 65.25x
Horwich 4 52.84x
Pershore Holy Cross 4 81.63x
Shrewsbury St Alkmond 4 142.35x
Stockport 4 6.02x
Warley Salop 4 363.64x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 2.78x
Cheadle 3 12.16x
Claines 3 14.30x
Dormston 3 1500.00x
East Woodhay 3 98.04x
Flint 3 33.59x
Glossop Dale 3 6.99x
Greasbrough 3 39.16x
Hatton In Runcorn 3 410.96x
Himbleton 3 326.09x
Kensington London 3 0.92x
Kirkdale 3 2.57x
Leamington Priors 3 8.26x
North Middle 3 545.45x
North Owersby 3 434.78x
Shoreditch London 3 1.18x
Wallingford St Peter 3 322.58x
Withington 3 13.41x
Lapworth 2 144.93x
Rotherfield Peppard 2 202.02x
St George In East London 2 3.63x
Swansea Town 2 2.39x
Thornham 2 53.19x
Tormoham 2 3.88x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 43
William 42
George 26
Thomas 24
James 18
Joseph 14
Charles 13
Henry 13
Robert 13
Samuel 8
Alfred 7
Arthur 5
Ernest 5
Harry 5
Walter 5
Clement 4
Edward 4
Edwin 4
David 3
Albert 2
Benjamin 2
Frank 2
Frederic 2
Gilbert 2
Joshua 2
Levi 2
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Egerton 1
Evan 1
Felix 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Harvey 1
Herbert 1
Jno. 1
Joe 1
Jonathan 1
Josh. 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Nathaniel 1
Nathll.G. 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Roland 1
Septimus 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Cottrill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cottrill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 608 people were recorded with the Cottrill surname. That placed it at #5,765 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cottrill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 593 in 2016. That gives Cottrill a modern rank of #8,799.

What does the Cottrill surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "cottage on a hill" in Old English.

What does the Cottrill map show?

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