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Cottingham Family History

Cottingham Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from either of two places called Cottingham (‘homestead (Old English hām) of the people of (Old English -inga-) of a man named Cott or Cotta’)

one in East Yorkshire and one in Northamptonshire.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Cottingham family from?

You can see how Cottingham families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cottingham family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cottingham families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 172 Cottingham families living in Sussex. This was about 20% of all the recorded Cottingham's in United Kingdom. Sussex had the highest population of Cottingham families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cottingham 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 Cottingham ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Dairy Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Cottingham. 10% of Cottingham men worked as a Dairy Farmer and 72% of Cottingham women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cottingham were Farm Labourer and Household Duties (unpaid).

View Census Data for Cottingham | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Dairy Farmer
    10%
  • General Labourer
    8%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%
  • Farm Labourer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
  • Household Duties (unpaid)
    2%

What Cottingham family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 33,000 census records available for the last name Cottingham. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cottingham census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cottingham

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Cottingham. 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 Cottingham immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Cottingham. For the veterans among your Cottingham ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cottingham military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cottingham family history

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What is the average Cottingham lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Cottingham life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1962. The average life expectancy for Cottingham in 1945 was 47, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cottingham

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cottingham 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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