Surname Courteney - Meaning and Origin

Courteney: What does the surname Courteney mean?

The last name Courteney is of French origin, deriving from the Old French ‘courtil’ meaning ’short court’, a term used to describe a small enclosed area in a castle, with a single entrance or gate. It is believed that the name originated as a nickname given to someone who lived inside such an area. The Gaelic spelling, de Courtenay, was adopted by some branches of the family in England and Ireland.

Courteney has been widely adopted as a surname, particularly in England and France. Throughout history, families bearing the name have had a prominent presence in the social, cultural and political life of both countries. Countless members of the Courtenay family have been renowned for their accomplishments in the fields of politics, the military and the arts.

The Courteney family has produced an array of notable people in many walks of life. Noted members of the Courteney family include Australian actress Courtney Cox, English actor, film producer and director Hugh Courtenay, Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Lewis Courtenay, and Sarah Andrews Courtenay, the first woman killed in action during the Second World War.

Today individuals with the surname Courteney can be found in many parts of the world. There are surely many people who live up to the distinguished and illustrious distinction the name carries.

Courteney: Where does the name Courteney come from?

The name Courteney is a feminized form of the English surname Courtney. This surname originated from the Norman conquest of 1066. The Normans brought the French name Courtenai, which was derived from a place-name near Caen in Normandy, France. It is derived from the Old French words curten, meaning court, and ey meaning island.

Today, Courteney is most common in the United States, primarily in the states of California and Texas. According to the United States Census Bureau, roughly 15,000 people have the surname Courteney in the U.S. This surname ranks in the top 5,000 surnames in the United States.

Courteney is also a popular name in the United Kingdom, particularly in England. According to British census data from 2011, the name Courteney is ranked in the top 3,000 surnames in the U.K. There are roughly 5,000 people in the U.K. with the surname Courteney.

The Courteney surname is also found in other countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Northern Ireland. However, it is most popular in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Variations of the surname Courteney

The surname Courteney is often spelled as ‘Courtney’ or ‘Cortney’ and is of Anglo-Norman origin. It is derived from the Old French name ‘Curtenay’ or ‘Courtaney’, which in turn was derived from the Latin name ‘Curteneius’, meaning ‘round estate’.

It has various variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Some are:

• Courtnay

• Courtenay

• Curteney

• Curtin

• Curtayne

• Curtain

• Curtayne

• Curtnae

• Coughtenay

• Cuteney

• Curtinay

• Cortenay

• Curtayne

• Curtana

• Curtny

• Courtiney

• Curtanye.

The surnames Courtney and Courtnay are the most popular variations in English-speaking countries, while Curtin, Curtayne and Cuteney are more widely used in Ireland. It is also a common surname in the United States.

Other names which have the same origin as Courteney include:

• Cortnay

• Kerton

• Kertin

• Kertane

• Courtin

• Courtanay

• Courtinay

• Courtinayde

• Cortanay

• Curtis

• Curtanae

• Curtiney

• Cortney

• Curtaine

• Curtan.

In the United Kingdom, Courteney is often associated with the Barons Courtenay of Devon. In the United States, it is a popular family name among the Anglo-Saxon, Celtic, and Norman communities.

Famous people with the name Courteney

• Courteney Cox: an American actress best known for her role as Monica Geller in the NBC sitcom Friends
• Joshua Courteney: an English actor and singer
• Cort Courteney: a former English professional rugby player
• Rupert Courteney: an English actor known primarily for his role in The Pirates of the Caribbean
• William Courteney: a British government official in the 1700s
• Mike Courteney: an American professional basketball player
• Robert Courteney: an English politician in the 1700s
• Sir Jocelyn Courteney: a British public record custodian and Deputy Private Secretary of the Northern Ireland Office
• Caroline Courteney: an English actress
• Charlie Courteney: a British actress

Other surnames

Courtenay