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

Cott, 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 Cott surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cott in America

Cott is the 33731st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cott surname appeared 675 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 Cott.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cott 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 Cott

The surname Cott is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "cot," which referred to a small, humble dwelling or cottage. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for someone who lived in a cot or worked as a cottager.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Cott appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166, where a person named William Cot is mentioned. Another early reference is found in the Assize Court Rolls of Lancashire in 1246, which mentions a Thomas de Cot.

The name Cott is also related to various place names in England, such as Cotton in Cheshire, Cottenham in Cambridgeshire, and Cottingham in Yorkshire. These place names likely originated from the same Old English word "cot," indicating the presence of cottages or small settlements.

Notables throughout history with the surname Cott include:

1. Sir John Cott (c. 1490 - c. 1550), an English judge and Member of Parliament during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI.

2. Roger Cott (c. 1600 - 1675), an English clergyman and author who wrote a treatise on the divine origin of civil government.

3. Jonathon Cott (1736 - 1807), an American Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Vermont.

4. Nathaniel Cott (1767 - 1842), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

5. Emma Cott (1835 - 1907), an English novelist and writer known for her works depicting rural life in Hampshire.

While the name Cott may have originated as a humble occupational surname, it has been borne by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, including judges, clergymen, soldiers, and authors.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cott

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

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

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

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