Surname Cortum - Meaning and Origin
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Cortum: What does the surname Cortum mean?
The last name Cortum is of German and Jewish origin, and is generally believed to be derived from the Old Germanic phrase “cort temp,” which translates to mean “serious time.” This suggests that the family the name belongs to was likely originally descended from a lineage of individuals who rarely shied away from hard work or due diligence.
The Cortum surname is likely quite ancient, having first emerged in the Germanic regions of Europe during the Middle Ages. It would have been used to distinguish members of one family from members of another at a time when surnames were still relatively new, allowing individuals to demonstrate their familial pride and integrity.
Today, the surname Cortum is used by people around the world, though it’s most frequently found in Germany and Eastern Europe. It can also be found among Ashkenazi Jews, who are the descendants of Jewish immigrants from Germany who moved around the continent during the Medieval period. Despite some variation of spelling, the meaning of the name remains consistent: “serious time.”
Order DNA origin analysisCortum: Where does the name Cortum come from?
The surname Cortum is primarily found in the United States and Was Surprise Canada. In the United States, it is most commonly found in the states of North Carolina, California, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
Cortum is an uncommonly occurring surname in the US and Canada which is likely derived from the Old French word, “Cortei” or “Courtil”, meaning a small court or a lord’s house. It’s believed that Cortum first arrived in the United States with early settlers from England and may have become widely adopted due to the British military presence in the area during the American Revolution.
Cortum is also seen as a patronymic name in French speaking countries such Canada and some Caribbean Islands, as well as some districts of Portugal and Brazil. A possible meaning in these countries could be derived from the French word "cortume" which means "whistle".
Today, surname Cortum is still relatively uncommon. There are only about 500 people with the surname in the United States, making it the 2,039th most common last name out of 887,059 total. In Canada, it is even rarer, with only approximately 120 people with this surname. This number has remained relatively steady for the last few years. To put this in perspective, there are about 30 times more people with the surname Jones than with Cortum.
Variations of the surname Cortum
The surname Cortum is a derivative of the Latin word curtum, which means derived from court and is of Norman French origin. Cortum is usually found in the United Kingdom, especially in the southern part of England. The surname is spelled in various ways, with Cortum being the most common.
Variations of the surname Cortum include Cortem, Corterm, Cortam, Cortame, Cortermme, Cortame, Corterme, Cortermm, Cortemme, Cortamme, Cortham, and Cortumme. Other spellings include Courtem, Courtemme, Courterm, Courtermme, Courteame, Courtame, Courteame, Cortermme, Courtemme, Courtamme, Corthamme, and Cortumme.
Surnames derived from the same origin as Cortum include Corbett, Corbin, Corcoran, Corkery, Corkett, Corgran, Corish, Cronan, Cronin, Corley, Corleone, Corley, Corman, Corneille, Cormier, Corran, Corrake, Corron, and Cottam.
All of these surnames derived from the same origin as Cortum utilize similar spelling patterns and pronunciation. Even though they are spelled differently, surnames like Cortum, Corbett, Corbin, and Corcoran all share origins that trace back to medieval cases. Although the spellings have changed over time, all of these surnames are connected to the same Norman French inspirations.
Famous people with the name Cortum
- Jordan Cortum: professional baseball player for the Atlanta Braves, previously played for the Minnesota Twins, Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres. 2. Alex Cortum: Emmy-winning television executive producer, mostly known for producing the hit soap opera “The Young and the Restless”.
- Rob Cortum: former rower, who won a gold medal for the United States in the rowing event at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games.
- Lou Cortum: former American lead vocalist of the rock band “The Box Tops”.
- Aaron Cortum: former professional basketball player, who was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1991 NBA draft.
- Rupert Cortum: American industrialist, who founded Cortum Printing and Industries.
- Tom Cortum: five-time Grammy Award winner, for his work producing and engineering iconic albums like Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” and Bruce Hornsby & the Range’s “The Way It Is”.
- Mark Cortum: former member of the Canadian Football League, who played wide receiver for the Calgary Stampeders.
- Anna Cortum: Forest Service scientist, who worked on the world-renowned water quality survey of Boulder Creek.
- Don Cortum: former professional middleweight boxer, who fought in various locations around the world, including small-scale amateur fights in Japan and larger fights in the United States and Canada.