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Cotner Family History

Cotner Surname Meaning

Probably an Americanized form of German Kötner or Köthner status names for a cotter derived from Middle High German and Middle Low German kote ‘shelter cottage’.

Specifically, it refers to a kind of cottage that was rented on a daily basis and had little or no land with it.

This terminology reflects the historical context of how individuals lived and worked, emphasizing the distinction of housing and land tenure.

The concept of a cotter illustrates the varying social classes and economic arrangements in medieval society.

For further understanding of the term, see Koth.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Cotner family from?

You can see how Cotner families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cotner family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Cotner families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 7 Cotner families living in Yorkshire. This was about 58% of all the recorded Cotner's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Cotner families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cotner surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Cotner ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Cotner. 29% of Cotner men worked as a Farmer and 15% of Cotner women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cotner were Labor and Waitress.

View Census Data for Cotner | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    29%
  • Laborer
    18%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Labor
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    15%
  • Teacher
    11%
  • Clerk
    11%
  • Waitress
    9%

What Cotner family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Cotner. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cotner census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cotner

Passenger Lists

There are 227 immigration records available for the last name Cotner. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Cotner immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Cotner. For the veterans among your Cotner ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cotner military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cotner family history

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What is the average Cotner lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Cotner life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Cotner in 1957 was 47, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cotner

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cotner ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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