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

Cotner, 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 Cotner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cotner in America

Cotner is the 11709th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cotner surname appeared 2,677 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Cotner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cotner 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 Cotner

The surname Cotner has its origins in the northern regions of Germany, where it first emerged during the medieval period. It is believed to have been derived from the Old German word "kot," which referred to a small homestead or cottage. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was "Kotenere," found in records dating back to the 13th century in the region of Saxony.

One of the first notable mentions of the Cotner name can be found in the Bremische Urkundenbuch, a collection of historical documents from the city of Bremen, where a certain Johann Cotner is listed as a landowner in the year 1412. This suggests that the name had already established itself in northern Germany by the early 15th century.

As the centuries passed, the Cotner name spread across various regions of Germany, with variations in spelling such as "Kottner," "Kohtner," and "Cottner" emerging in different localities. The name was also found in records from the neighboring regions of the Netherlands and Denmark, indicating the migration patterns of those bearing the surname.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the Cotner name in the English-speaking world can be traced back to John Cotner, who was born in Prussia in 1721 and later immigrated to the American colonies, settling in Pennsylvania. His descendants went on to establish themselves in various parts of the United States, contributing to the spread of the name across the country.

Another notable figure associated with the Cotner surname was Wilhelm Cotner (1799-1876), a German-born industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the steel industry in the Ruhr region of Germany. His business ventures and innovations helped establish Cotner as a prominent name in the realms of industry and commerce.

Other notable individuals with the Cotner surname include:

1. Karl Cotner (1859-1922), a German-American engineer and inventor known for his contributions to the development of early automobiles.
2. Elizabeth Cotner (1873-1947), an American educator and advocate for women's rights, who served as the president of the National Association of College Women.
3. Johann Cotner (1612-1688), a German Lutheran theologian and writer, known for his influential works on religious doctrine.
4. Hans Cotner (1501-1567), a German Renaissance painter and printmaker, whose works are celebrated for their intricate details and vivid colors.

While the Cotner surname may have originated in northern Germany, it has since spread across the globe, carried by individuals and families who have contributed to various fields and left their mark on the cultural and historical tapestry of numerous societies.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cotner

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

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 Cotner 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 Cotner 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 Cotner was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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