Collins Dictionary Of Surnames: From Abbey to Mutton, Nabbs to Zouch

Clout, Clouter, Cloutman, Cloutt (Eng) Occupational name of someone who used ‘clouts’ or ‘patches’ to repair holes in clothes or utensils.

Clyma, Clymersee CLEMENT.

Cobham (Eng) Descendant of someone who originally came from one of the places so-named because it was ‘Cobba’s or Coffa’s homestead.’

Cock, Cockarill, Cockerell, Cockerill, Cocking, Cocklin, Cockling, Cockrell, Cockrill, Cocks, Cox, Coxe, Coxen, Coxon (Eng) Comparing a young man to a cockerel gave rise to one of the commonest nicknames in medieval times. We might still say that such a person was acting in a ‘cocky’ way. A cock was also much used as a house sign in the days when most people were illiterate, and the numbering of houses was not yet usual. Cock could therefore refer to someone who lived ‘at the sign of the Cock.’ In words like ‘haycock,’ cock means a ‘heap, small hill.’ The word in this sense could have been used as a nickname for a fat man. The fact that there is a type of small ship’s boat called a ‘cock’ means that the name could have referred to someone who was professionally involved with it. Other possible derivations are from a ‘cook,’ or from Welsh coch ‘red,’ or from an Old English personal name Cocca, the meaning of which might be almost any of the above. It is almost impossible, clearly, to say that a family bearing a form of this name derives it from a particular source. One meaning which is not possible is ‘penis,’ since cock only acquired this slang meaning long after the surname-formation period.

Basil Cottle mentions the Coxe spelling only to say that it is ‘very rare and affected.’

Thackeray had long before commented, in Cox’s Diary: ‘Mr Coxe Coxe (that’s the way, double your name, and stick an “e” to the end of it, and you are a gentleman at once). ‘

Codner, Corden, Cordner, Cordon, Cordwent, Corwin (Eng) Occupational name of a ‘cordwainer,’ a leather-worker who took his name from the Spanish town of Corduba, where the leather was made from tanned goat-skins. In the Middle Ages he would have been employed by the wealthy to make shoes.

Cohen, Coen, Cohan, Cohn (Jewish) From Hebrew kohen ‘priest.’

Cointancesee QUAINTANCE.

Colcocksee NICHOLAS.

Coldtartsee COLT.

Colesee NICHOLAS.

Coleman, Colman, Coulman (Eng, Irish) Irish families of this name had an ancestor named Colmán, a diminutive form of Columb, from Latin columba ‘dove.’ The name was very popular in the Ireland of the Middle Ages, thanks to various saints named either Columba or Columban. In an English context the name refers to the occupation of a charcoal burner, or to the servant of a man named Cole.

Colin, Colkin, Coll, Collard, Colle, Collens, Collerson, Collet, Collete, Collettsee NICHOLAS.

Collar, Colleer, Collersee COLLIER.

Colley, Collie (Eng) Nickname for a person with ‘coal-black’ hair.

Collier, Collar, Colleer, Coller, Colliar, Colliard, Collyear, Collyer, Colyer (Eng) Occupational name of a charcoal burner.

Coleman can also have this meaning.

Collin, Collins, Collinson, Collison, Collisson, Colls, Collynssee NICHOLAS.

Collyear, Collyersee COLLIER.

Colmansee COLEMAN.

Colt, Coldtart, Coltart, Colter, Coltman, Coult, Coultate, Coulthard, Coulthart, Coultman (Eng) Occupational name of a colt-herd, though Colt may occasionally be a nickname for someone who behaved like a colt.

Colyersee COLLIER.

Comfort, Cumfort (Eng) Nickname of someone who provided comfort, probably in the form of support and encouragement. Names of similar meaning are SOLACE and SOLLAS. In some instances Comfort is a later development of Comport, formerly a place name in Kent and Surrey.

Comper (Eng) A reference to someone who was a gossip.

Compton (Eng) Someone who came from one of the several places so-named because it was a ‘settlement in a narrow valley.’

Coningsby, Conningsby (Eng) Someone who came from a place so-named because it was the ‘king’s settlement.’

Connor, Connors, O’Conchor, O’Conor, O’Connor, O’Connour (Irish) Descendant of Conchobhar, a Gaelic personal name of uncertain meaning. Suggestions as to it significance range from ‘meddlesome,’ ‘dog desiring’ or ‘dog-lover,’ ‘wolf-lover,’ ‘high will.’

Samuel Lover writes in Handy Andy: ‘The rider was Edward O’Connor; and he was worthy of his name – the pure blood of that royal race was in his heart, which never harboured a sentiment that could do it dishonour, and overflowed with feelings which ennoble human nature, and make us proud of our kind.’

Constant, Constans, Contant, Coutant, Coutans (Eng) Complimentary nickname for someone considered to be ‘steadfast, faithful.’

Cooksey (Eng) Descendant of someone who came from the Worcestershire place of this name, ‘Cucu’s island.’

Cooper, Cooperman, Copper, Coupar, Couper, Cowper, Cupper (Eng) Descendant of someone who made wooden tubs and casks.

An American woman, Ellen Donna Cooperman, who owned a Long Island feminist film company, attempted in 1978 to have her surname legally changed to Cooperperson. She claimed that the new version of her name would ‘more properly reflect her sense of human equality.’ The New York State Supreme Court refused to allow the change on the basis that it would lead to an avalanche of similar demands, Manson to Peoplechild, etc. A lower court had previously ruled against Ms Cooperman, saying that the proposed change would hold the women’s movement up to ridicule.

Coopersmithsee SMITH.

Copesee CAPE.

Copestake, Capstack, Capstick, Coupstak (Fre and Eng) Occupational name of a stake-cutter. The first part of the name represents French couper ‘to cut.’

Coppell, Coppayl, Cupples, Curpel, Curtpeil (Eng) Nickname for a man with short hair, from Old French curt peil.

Coppersee COOPER.

Copperfieldsee STANSFIELD.

Coppersmith (Eng) An occupational name of obvious meaning.

Corden, Cordner, Cordon, Cordwent, Corwin see Codner.

Cortesee COURT.

Cosier (Eng) Occupational name of a cobbler.

Cotter, Coterel, Cotman, Cottier (Eng) A villager who lived in a cot or cottage. Those of higher social class were husbonds ‘householders.’

Coule, Coules, Coullsee NICHOLAS.

Coulmansee COLEMAN.

Coult, Coultate, Coulthard, Coulthart, Coultmansee COLT.

Counter (Eng) Occupational name for a ‘keeper of accounts.’ He may also have been concerned with taxes.

Coupar, Coupersee COOPER.

Coupstaksee COPESTAKE.