Surname Coutts - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'C'
Coutts: What does the surname Coutts mean?
The last name Coutts is derived from an Old French term meaning 'of the cottage.' In the Middle Ages, the term 'coutts' was used to refer to land that was rented or leased from a larger estate, and communities consisting of small residences and farms. Over time, the term became used more broadly to refer to the inhabitants of those dwellings. In Scotland, the surname Coutts was adopted by some families as a habitational name derived from Coutts, near Aberchirder, in Banffshire. The name is found in various parts of the English-speaking world, and is also common in Scotland and Australia.
The Coutts family has achieved prominence in the fields of banking, business, politics, and the arts. The Scottish banking dynasty of the same name, started by Scottish banker Thomas Coutts in the late 18th century, is one of the most famous in Britain, and is still in operation today. Sir Thomas Coutts was the founder of the bank now known as Coutts & Co., which has been controlled by Royal Bank of Scotland since 2000. Other notable members of the Coutts family include Sir Coutts Lindsay, 1st Baronet of Balls Park; botanist Michael Roots Coutts; and actress Nathalie Coutts.
The Coutts family continues to have global influence and success, remaining active in business, politics, art, and other fields. Whether you are descended from this influential family or merely have an affinity for the name, the history of the familial legacy is rich with heritage and success.
Order DNA origin analysisCoutts: Where does the name Coutts come from?
The last name Coutts is most commonly found today in the United Kingdom and its former colonies, particularly in Scotland and Ireland. It is also common in the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Coutts is a name of Scottish origin that comes from a place name in Fifeshire, Scotland. The place name derives from the Gaelic word “cot” which means “mound or hillock.” Both the Coutts and Cott families trace their ancestry to the same place.
The name Coutts is an old Scottish surname that first appeared in the 11th and 12th centuries in Scotland. It was not widely used in England until after the 17th century. After that, it became more popular throughout the British Isles and eventually migrated to North America.
This particular last name is still fairly common, especially in the United States. It was 347th in popularity during the 2000 census. It is especially prevalent in the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
The surname has been carried through many generations by prominent families, including the well-known banking family, the Barons Coutts, who founded the Coutts banking institution in London in 1692 and the prominent Coutts family of Scotland. The banking family has been known to philanthropy, and have endowed several charities.
Variations of the surname Coutts
The surname Coutts is derived from the Old French word ‘cout’ which meant border or boundary. This name is largely found in Scotland and Northern Ireland, with the more common spelling being Coutts. Other variants of this surname include Couts, Cootes, Coutes, Cootis, and MacCootes.
This name can also be found in a wide range of regional spellings throughout Scotland and Northern Ireland. Some of the more common regional spellings include Coots, Cootes, Coutouse, Cootis, Cootin, Coot, and Cox. It may also be seen as McCoutts, McCouts, MacCootes, and MacCoutts in Scotland.
In anglicised spelling, the surname can also be found as Court, Courts, Courte, Courtship, Courtes, and Courtey. This surname has also been found in variations such as Cutts, Cutt, Cut, and Kitts.
The other spelling variants of the name can vary depending on the country or region it is found in. In England, it is seen as Cutts and Cutt, while in Wales it is seen as Cut. It has also been found as Cotts and Cott in parts of the United States.
In terms of surnames with the same origin, there are a few that may be related. These include Cutts, Cutt, Court, Courts, Courte, Courtship, Courtes, Courtey, Cox, Cotts, Cott, Kats, Katts, and Kitts.
Famous people with the name Coutts
- Larry Coutts: Larry Coutts is a former professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens and the Philadelphia Flyers. He was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 1946.
- Peter Coutts: Peter Coutts is a Scottish politician who was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Liberal Democrats party from 1999 to 2011.
- Elizabeth Coutts: Elizabeth Coutts is an Baroness in the United Kingdom, and the first High Sheriff of Merseyside.
- Sir James Coutts Lindsay: Sir James Coutts Lindsay was a Scottish naval officer and aristocrat in the mid-19th century. He commanded a squadron of vessels in the First Opium War.
- Gavin Coutts: Gavin Coutts is a golf professional from Scotland. He won the Scottish PGA Championship in 2001.
- Rory Coutts: Rory Coutts is a Scottish professional rugby union player who plays for the Glasgow Warriors team in the Pro12.
- Fred Coutts: Fred Coutts is a former professional football player from Scotland. He played mostly for Dundee.
- Jimmy Coutts: Jimmy Coutts was a Canadian professional hockey player who played for both the Detroit Red Wings and the Vancouver Canucks.
- William Coutts: William Coutts was a medical doctor and founder of the School for Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow, Scotland.
- Dave Coutts: Dave Coutts is a retired professional Canadian football player who played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.