Skip to main content

Updated June 9, 2019

Family name origins & meanings

  • French (Côte) : topographic name for someone who lived on a slope or riverbank, less often on the coast, from Old French coste (Latin costa ‘rib’, ‘side’, ‘flank’, also used in a transferred topographical sense). There are several places in France named with this word, and the surname may also be a habitational name from any of these.
  • English : topographic name from Middle English cote, cott ‘shelter’, ‘cottage’ (see Coates).

Join the Family

Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning.

Subscribe