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

Cotter, 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 Cotter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cotter in America

Cotter is the 3010th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cotter surname appeared 11,904 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Cotter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cotter 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 Cotter

The surname Cotter is of Anglo-Irish origin, deriving from the Irish Gaelic word "coteir," meaning a small hut or cottage. It is believed to have first emerged as a surname in the 12th century in Ireland. The name likely referred to a person who lived in a small dwelling or cottage.

In the late 12th century, the surname Cotter appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, England, suggesting that those bearing the name may have migrated to England during the Norman conquest of Ireland. The name was also recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273, indicating its presence in various parts of England at that time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Cotter surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals mention a Cotter family in County Cork, Ireland, in the 14th century.

The Cotter surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was Sir James Cotter (1689-1761), an Irish Baronet and Member of Parliament for Askeaton in County Limerick. Another notable figure was John Cotter (1761-1808), an Irish artist and engraver known for his portraits and landscapes.

In the late 18th century, John Cotter (1753-1825), a British politician and landowner from Rockforest, County Cork, served as a Member of Parliament for Callington in Cornwall. Additionally, the Cotter family produced several Catholic priests and bishops, including Reverend Edward Cotter (1794-1854), who served as the Bishop of Leighlin in Ireland.

The Cotter surname also has ties to various place names, such as Cotterville and Cotterstown in Ireland, further emphasizing its connection to the concept of a small dwelling or cottage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cotter

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

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

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

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