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

Kotch, 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 Kotch surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kotch in America

Kotch is the 23750th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kotch surname appeared 1,065 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 Kotch.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kotch 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 Kotch

The surname KOTCH is thought to have originated in the region of Silesia, which straddles modern-day Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. Its roots can be traced back to the 14th century, when it was likely derived from the old Slavic word "kotka," meaning "cat." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed as a nickname or occupational descriptor for someone who worked with or had an affinity for cats.

One of the earliest recorded appearances of the KOTCH surname is in a 16th-century manuscript from the town of Glogau (now Głogów, Poland), where it was spelled "Kotsche." This variant spelling indicates that the name may have initially been pronounced with a softer "sh" sound rather than the harder "ch" sound it bears today.

During the Middle Ages, the KOTCH name was particularly prevalent in the areas around the cities of Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland) and Görlitz (in modern-day Germany). A notable early bearer of the name was Hans Kotch, a merchant and landowner who lived in Breslau in the late 15th century.

As the surname spread throughout Central Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as "Kotch," "Kotsche," "Kotschke," and "Kotschik." These different spellings likely reflected regional dialects and linguistic influences.

One of the most famous historical figures with the KOTCH surname was Johann Kotch (1472-1537), a prominent theologian and reformer from Silesia. He played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation and was a close associate of Martin Luther.

In the 17th century, the KOTCH name appeared in several records from the town of Neisse (now Nysa, Poland), including those of a family of farmers and landowners. One member of this family, Friedrich Kotch (1621-1689), was a respected local magistrate and community leader.

Other notable individuals with the KOTCH surname include:

1. Gunther Kotch (1892-1971), a German-born American artist and art educator.
2. Anna Kotch (1925-2017), a Polish-American writer and Holocaust survivor.
3. Erich Kotch (1906-1987), a German classical pianist and composer.
4. Gerhard Kotch (1933-2010), a German-born American chemist and academic.
5. Katarzyna Kotch (born 1985), a Polish professional tennis player.

The KOTCH surname has left its mark on various place names and locations across Central Europe, reflecting the areas where it was once prevalent. Examples include the village of Kotchdorf (now Kotków) in Lower Silesia, Poland, and the Kotch Valley in the Lusatian Mountains of Germany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kotch

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

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

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

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