Cotter Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Cotter last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Cotter coat of arms for you.
Meaning and origin of the Cotter last name
Meaning of the Cotter last name: son of Oitir (Norse Óttarr). Cotter in Ireland comes from the Gaelic Mac Oitir, "son of Oitir", a form of the Norse personal name Óttarr. It is a reminder of the Viking towns founded along the Irish coast. The family has always been closely tied to County Cork, around Midleton, Youghal and Cork city. A curious detail: in England the same spelling arose separately, for a cottager who held a small cottage in return for work.
Arms associated with the Cotter name
A curious Irish detail: many Gaelic families adopted arms only after Norman contact, blending old symbols with new heraldic rules, as Cotter families did.
Get your full Cotter family history
This is only a glimpse of the Cotter story. The full Cotter history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Cotter coat of arms. Get the full Cotter report.
Cotter name FAQ
What does the Cotter name mean?
Son of Oitir (Norse Óttarr). Common variants include MacCotter, Cottier, Coter.
Where does the Cotter surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, England and Australia.
Is there a Cotter coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Cotter coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).