NameCensus.

UK surname

Coutts

A Scottish surname derived from the French "coutier" meaning "knife maker".

In the 1881 census there were 3,036 people recorded with the Coutts surname, ranking it #1,476 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,513, ranked #1,932, down from #1,476 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Crathie and Braemar, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and Walls and Sandness. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Howe of Alford, Brechin East and North and East Isles.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coutts is 3,571 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.7%.

1881 census count

3,036

Ranked #1,476

Modern count

3,513

2016, ranked #1,932

Peak year

1901

3,571 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coutts had 3,036 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,476 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,513 in 2016, ranked #1,932.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,571 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Coutts surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coutts surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Coutts 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 2,062 #1,407
1861 historical 2,194 #1,336
1881 historical 3,036 #1,476
1891 historical 3,179 #1,489
1901 historical 3,571 #1,563
1911 historical 654 #6,416
1997 modern 3,346 #1,931
1998 modern 3,483 #1,931
1999 modern 3,509 #1,937
2000 modern 3,496 #1,939
2001 modern 3,405 #1,942
2002 modern 3,473 #1,951
2003 modern 3,390 #1,957
2004 modern 3,408 #1,941
2005 modern 3,385 #1,924
2006 modern 3,383 #1,922
2007 modern 3,402 #1,930
2008 modern 3,394 #1,959
2009 modern 3,453 #1,976
2010 modern 3,494 #1,992
2011 modern 3,387 #2,031
2012 modern 3,378 #1,993
2013 modern 3,415 #2,006
2014 modern 3,480 #1,986
2015 modern 3,481 #1,958
2016 modern 3,513 #1,932

Geography

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Where Coutts' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Crathie and Braemar, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Walls and Sandness, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Howe of Alford, Brechin East, North and East Isles, Cromar and Kildrummy and Deer and Mormond. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Crathie and Braemar Aberdeen
2 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
3 Walls and Sandness Shetland
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Howe of Alford Aberdeenshire
2 Brechin East Angus
3 North and East Isles Shetland Islands
4 Cromar and Kildrummy Aberdeenshire
5 Deer and Mormond Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Coutts

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Coutts

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Coutts, 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 Coutts surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Coutts 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Coutts 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

Coutts is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Coutts falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Coutts

The surname Coutts originated in Scotland and is believed to have derived from the Old French word "coute," meaning a quilt or coverlet. It is thought to have been an occupational name for a maker or seller of quilts or bedding.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the 13th century, with a mention of a John Coutts in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1296. Another early record is of a Walter Coutts who is listed in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which contained the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

The name Coutts is particularly associated with the region of Angus in eastern Scotland. The village of Cotts, near Arbroath, is believed to have been named after the family, and it is likely that the surname originated in this area.

In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the name was John Coutts (c. 1525-1603), who was a merchant and landowner in Montrose, Angus. He acquired significant wealth and property, laying the foundation for the Coutts family's prominence in the region.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Coutts was Thomas Coutts (1735-1822), a Scottish banker who established the prestigious Coutts Bank in London. He was born in Edinburgh and later moved to London, where he founded the bank in 1692. Coutts Bank became a favorite of the British aristocracy and remains one of the oldest private banks in the United Kingdom.

Another prominent figure was John Coutts (1699-1822), a Scottish merchant and banker who was the brother of Thomas Coutts. He played a significant role in the expansion of the Coutts banking business.

In the literary world, Francis Coutts (1778-1838) was a Scottish writer and editor who published several works on Scottish history and literature.

Additionally, the Coutts family has been associated with the peerage, with members holding the titles of Baron Coutts of Coutts and Baroness Burdett-Coutts. Angela Burdett-Coutts (1814-1906), the daughter of Sir Francis Burdett and the granddaughter of Thomas Coutts, was a prominent philanthropist and one of the wealthiest women in Britain during her lifetime.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Coutts families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coutts 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 1,147 Coutts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.03x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 1,147 42.03x
Angus 327 11.98x
Lanarkshire 217 2.28x
Midlothian 202 5.12x
Shetland 159 52.83x
Kincardineshire 126 35.11x
Middlesex 121 0.41x
Lancashire 95 0.27x
Fife 88 5.04x
Perthshire 85 6.43x
Banffshire 81 13.25x
Morayshire 52 11.36x
Surrey 41 0.29x
Northumberland 32 0.73x
Yorkshire 25 0.09x
Dunbartonshire 19 2.40x
Kent 18 0.18x
Inverness-shire 15 1.70x
Warwickshire 15 0.20x
Kirkcudbrightshire 13 3.05x
Selkirkshire 13 4.88x
Stirlingshire 13 1.20x
Nottinghamshire 11 0.28x
Hampshire 9 0.15x
Argyllshire 8 0.98x
Clackmannanshire 8 3.29x
Berwickshire 7 1.96x
Cheshire 7 0.11x
Ayrshire 6 0.27x
Derbyshire 6 0.13x
Durham 6 0.07x
East Lothian 6 1.54x
Gloucestershire 6 0.10x
Wigtownshire 6 1.53x
Glamorgan 5 0.10x
Dumfriesshire 4 0.61x
Essex 3 0.05x
Dorset 2 0.10x
Nairnshire 2 2.22x
Norfolk 2 0.04x
Ross-shire 2 0.25x
Suffolk 2 0.06x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.06x
Hertfordshire 1 0.05x
Isle of Man 1 0.18x
Lincolnshire 1 0.02x
Northamptonshire 1 0.04x
Orkney 1 0.31x
Oxfordshire 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 0.28x
Sussex 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 220 Coutts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.61x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 220 38.61x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 121 23.70x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 88 5.54x
Govan 82 3.48x
Glenmuick Tullich 81 411.79x
Dundee 61 5.99x
Crathie Braemar 53 324.75x
Birse 51 461.12x
Aboyne 46 319.22x
Banchory Ternan 41 132.13x
Glasgow 41 2.42x
St Vigeans 41 27.82x
Barony 40 1.66x
Strathdon 39 293.90x
Liff Benvie 37 8.93x
Walls 35 239.73x
South Leith 34 7.65x
Walls Sandness 31 533.56x
Kincardine O Neil 29 148.79x
Peterculter 28 145.38x
Chapel Of Garioch 27 139.03x
Fetlar North Yell 24 550.46x
Insch 24 154.64x
Kintore 22 92.75x
Logie Coldstone 22 240.17x
Kirkmichael 21 193.73x
Montrose 21 12.69x
Brechin 20 18.64x
Kirriemuir 20 29.69x
Maryhill 20 10.72x
Forfar 19 12.85x
Newhills 19 34.00x
Aberlour 18 92.83x
Banff 18 33.90x
Cromdale 18 48.86x
Lasswade 18 19.94x
Tingwall 17 113.03x
Ellon 16 42.62x
Lerwick Gulberwick 16 34.35x
Liberton 16 26.26x
Nigg 16 53.89x
Tarland 16 135.25x
Coull 15 187.03x
Cumbernauld 15 34.56x
Echt 15 114.16x
Islington London 15 0.53x
Monquhitter 15 53.08x
Cambusnethan 14 6.61x
Dyce 14 119.05x
Fetteresso 14 24.89x
Kennethmont 14 138.07x
Tannadice 14 110.15x
Tullynessle Forbes 14 139.86x
Kemnay 13 78.60x
North Leith 13 7.12x
Selkirk 13 17.31x
Strachan 13 185.71x
Tough 13 188.41x
Toxteth Park 13 1.10x
Westgate 13 4.79x
Yell Mid 13 130.65x
Arbroath 12 13.26x
Bethnal Green London 12 0.94x
Cheetham 12 4.60x
Croydon 12 1.51x
Fettercairn 12 78.64x
Perth East Church 12 9.62x
Coventry St Michael 11 4.61x
Daviot 11 211.54x
Lambeth 11 0.43x
Lewisham 11 2.05x
Maryton 11 280.61x
Monifieth 11 11.41x
Penicuik 11 20.50x
Skene 11 60.77x
St Pancras London 11 0.46x
Walls Sandness Papa 11 428.02x
Barrow In Furness 10 2.10x
Meldrum 10 43.50x
Menmuir 10 130.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Margaret 16
Jane 10
Elizabeth 8
Agnes 7
Emma 7
Ann 5
Annie 5
Sarah 5
Isabella 4
Ada 3
Charlotte 3
Ellen 3
Harriet 3
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Angela 2
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Eleanor 2
Eliza 2
Elsie 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Jessie 2
Johanna 2
Louise 2
Marjery 2
Rosetta 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Eleaner 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Elleanor 1
Fanny 1
Isabel 1
Janet 1
Jeannie 1
Jenah 1
Jesse 1
Julia 1
Katey 1
L. 1
Lilian 1
Winnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 32
William 25
James 23
Charles 15
George 13
Thomas 11
Alexander 9
Robert 8
David 7
Henry 7
Frederick 6
Alfred 4
Edwin 4
Peter 4
Andrew 3
Archibald 3
Arthur 3
Donald 3
Edward 3
Joseph 3
Walter 3
Francis 2
Homer 2
Jno. 2
Alexdr. 1
Alnod 1
Barnabuss 1
Benjamin 1
Carins 1
Cecile 1
Collin 1
Compton 1
Douglas 1
Edmund 1
Frances 1
Gavin 1
Jame 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Mathew 1
Matthias 1
Michael 1
Morman 1
Norman 1
Robt.W. 1
Roden 1
Ronald 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Coutts surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coutts surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,036 people were recorded with the Coutts surname. That placed it at #1,476 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coutts surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,513 in 2016. That gives Coutts a modern rank of #1,932.

What does the Coutts surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the French "coutier" meaning "knife maker".

What does the Coutts map show?

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