Find out how popular the last name Cotman is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Cotman.

Cotman, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Cotman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cotman in America

Cotman is the 30165th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cotman surname appeared 777 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Cotman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cotman to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Cotman

The surname Cotman is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from an Old English word "cot," meaning a small dwelling or cottage, combined with the word "man," referring to a person. This suggests that the name was likely initially given as a descriptive term for someone who lived in or owned a small cottage.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a person named William Cotman. The name also appears in various other historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a John Cotman.

The Cotman surname is not included in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, but it is possible that the name existed at the time and was simply not recorded in that particular survey. However, its absence from the Domesday Book suggests that the name may have emerged slightly later, perhaps in the 12th or 13th century.

In terms of geographical distribution, the Cotman surname was initially concentrated in various parts of England, particularly in counties like Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire. Over time, it spread to other regions as families migrated and settled in new areas.

One notable individual with the Cotman surname was John Sell Cotman (1782-1842), an English artist, etcher, and illustrator who was a leading figure in the Norwich School of painters. He is renowned for his etchings and watercolors depicting architectural and landscape scenes in Norfolk and other parts of England.

Another individual of note was Thomas Cotman (1576-1638), an English clergyman who served as the Master of Christ's College, Cambridge, from 1624 until his death. He was known for his contributions to the college and his scholarly works.

In the 17th century, a prominent figure named Edward Cotman (1620-1684) held the position of Mayor of Norwich, England, in 1671. He was a respected member of the local community and played an important role in the governance of the city during his tenure.

Thomas Combe Cotman (1766-1826), an English lawyer and antiquarian, is also noteworthy. He had a keen interest in local history and published works on the antiquities of Norfolk, contributing to the preservation of historical knowledge in the region.

Lastly, John Joseph Cotman (1814-1878), a British artist and engraver, was a member of the Cotman family and is known for his etchings and engravings depicting architectural subjects, particularly those in Norfolk and other parts of East Anglia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cotman

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Cotman.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Cotman was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Cotman has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Cotman was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Cotman, please contact us.

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