Surname Koterheid - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'K'
Koterheid: What does the surname Koterheid mean?
The last name Koterheid is a Dutch occupational surname, derived from the Dutch words "koten" and "heid", meaning a cottage or small dwelling. Historically, the name would have been given to those who or whose ancestors worked in the cottage industry - either as a small farmer, or someone who built or lived in cottages. The name would have primarily originated from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, or northern France. This last name likely appeared during the Dutch occupation of the Low Countries and Germany in the Middle Ages and sticks around to this day.
The English equivalent of the name Koterheid is Cottage, which also shares a similar etymology. In both cases, the name refers to the small dwellings of a cottage or a koten. It is likely that families living in cottages during the Middle Ages were less wealthy than those living in larger, well-constructed houses; thus, the last name would have come to signify a lower economic standing.
Today, the last name Koterheid still exists and is most commonly found in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, as well as the United States, Canada, Australia and other countries where Dutch people have migrated throughout history. It is likely that most people carrying this ancestral name today are descended from people with ancestors that lived in a cottage or koten.
Order DNA origin analysisKoterheid: Where does the name Koterheid come from?
The last name Koterheid is most commonly found in Germany, though the family can be traced back to Dutch origins.
The surname Koterheid is believed to have been derived from the personal name Coterie, which is an old Dutch name derived from the Greek word Koterotheron of unknown meaning. Another theory suggests that the surname may have descended from a Dutch term "Kotterheed" meaning "strong wits".
The last name is found most commonly in the northern regions of Germany. The regions of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia have the highest concentrations of the name. Records of the Koterheid family can be found going back centuries in the small towns and villages in these areas. The city of Dortmund in North Rhine-Westphalia is the birthplace of some well-known Koterheid family members.
Nowadays, Koterheid is still used by some families as a legitimate last name living in Germany. Of course, like all other last names, it is bound to have spread to other parts of the world. In fact, it can be found in countries as far-flung as the United States, Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands, where it has likely been adopted by immigrants.
In the end, the last name Koterheid is most often associated with its German origins and is highly concentrated in the northern regions of the country, though its association with immigration and geographical dispersion indicate it is likely to be encountered in other locations around the world.
Variations of the surname Koterheid
Koterheid is a surname that originates from the Netherlands. It is derived from the Old Dutch word ‘cochterheide’ which means ‘small wood’ and literally translates to ‘small heath’. The following variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin have been identified for the surname Koterheid:
Variants: Kotterheid, Kötterheid, Kötterheide
Spellings: Koterheid, Köterheid, Köterheide
Surnames: Kottering, Kotterink, Köttering, Kötterink
Kottering is a Dutch surname derived from the Middle Dutch word ‘kotter’ which refers to either a collective type of soldier or an inhabitant of a small enclaving settlement. The surname however could also originate from an old Dutch word ‘koteren', which indicates to someone who is predictive of the future. Kotterink is a Dutch surname derived from the Middle Dutch words ‘kot’ and ‘ink’. The former refers to an inhabitant of a small enclaving settlement, whilst the latter refers to a person who lives near a meadow.
Köttering is a Dutch form of the same surname and is derived from the Middle Dutch word ‘kötter’ which when combined with the suffix -ing is used to mean an inhabitant of a cot-village. Kötterink is derived from the same Middle Dutch word ‘kötter’ combined with the suffix -ink which when combined would mean a person living by a woods.
Overall, the surname Koterheid has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Kottering, Kotterink, Köttering, Kötterink, Kotterheid, Kötterheid, and Kötterheide.
Famous people with the name Koterheid
- Gert Kösterheid, a former German footballer.
- Ein Köterheid, a Dutch swimmer who competed in the 1980 Summer Olympics.
- Marten Köterheid, a former Dutch basketball player.
- Conrad Köterheid, the older brother of Ein Köterheid and also a Dutch swimmer who competed in the 1980 Summer Olympics.
- Wilhelmine Köterheid, a Dutch archer who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics and the 1984 Summer Olympics.
- Jürgen Köterheid, a former German cyclist.
- Christian Köterheid, a former German track cyclist who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics.
- Tony Köterheid, a former German swimmer who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics.
- Johannes Köterheid, a Swiss footballer who played in the 1981–82 FIFA World Cup Qualification.
- Johann Köterheid, a former East German football player who represented East Germany in the 1966 FIFA World Cup.