Show ContentsCotone History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Cotone has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in one of a number of similarly named settlements throughout England. Coton is found in Cambridgeshire, while Cotton was in Cheshire. There are places called Coatham in Durham and the North Riding of Yorkshire. Cotham is in Nottinghamshire. Settlements named Cottam exist in both Nottinghamshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire. All of these names stem from the Old English phrase æt cotum, which means at the cottages. Thus, the surname Cotone belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees.

Early Origins of the Cotone family

The surname Cotone was first found in Huntingdonshire where the Cotton spelling is listed in the Domesday Book as resident of the Toseland hundred, in the land of the Bishop of Lincoln. [1] They were traditional Lords of the manor of Connington. The Coton spelling boasts no fewer than seven listing in the Domesday Book in various counties.

The first record of the name was found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 where Robert de Cottone was listed in Cambridgeshire. The same rolls also listed Richard de Cottoune in the same shire, Ralph de Cotun in Northumberland and Richard de Cotton in Norfolk. [2]

John Cotton (12th cent.?), "is the author of a valuable treatise on music, first printed by Gerbert in 1784. Of this work there are two manuscripts at Vienna, and one each at Leipzig, Paris, Rome, and Antwerp. A sixth, from which Gerbert printed his edition, was destroyed in the fire at St. Blasien in 1768. " [3]

Bartholomew de Cotton (d. 1298?), was an English "historian, a monk of Norwich, and probably a native of Cotton in Suffolk, but nothing is known of his life. " [3]

The parish of Denton in Huntingdonshire was the family seat of the family in later years.

"The church [of Denton] was partly rebuilt about 1665, by Sir John Cotton. Sir Robert Bruce Cotton, whose manuscripts are now in the British Museum, was born here in 1570." [4]

Over in Steeple Gidding another record of the family was found. "Here was a large mansion, the residence of the Cotton family; the avenue to it still remains, and some of the existing cottages are built of the materials which formed the stables." [4]

Early History of the Cotone family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cotone research. Another 219 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1549, 1570, 1582, 1585, 1594, 1598, 1621, 1630, 1631, 1633, 1635, 1644, 1652, 1661, 1662, 1679, 1681, 1687, 1689, 1695, 1701, 1702, 1712, 1717, 1748 and 1752 are included under the topic Early Cotone History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cotone Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Cotone have been found, including Cotton, Coton, Cotten, Coten, Cottan, Kotton, Kotten, Koten, Kottan, Cottun, Cotun, Kotun, Kottun, Cottune, Cotune, Cottane, Cottain, Kottain, Kottaun, Cottaun, Kuttune, Cottone, Cottaune and many more.

Early Notables of the Cotone family

Distinguished members of the family include Blessed Thomas Cottam (1549-1582), English Catholic priest and martyr; William Cotton (d. 1621), Bishop of Exeter, 1598 to 1621; John Cotton (1585-1652), English clergyman, American settler in 1633 and became one of the most important New England Puritan ministers; Sir Robert Bruce Cotton of Connington, 1st Baronet (1570-1631), English politician, founder of the Cotton or Cottonian library, an antiquarian and bibliophile, and was the basis of the British Library; Sir Thomas Cotton, 2nd Baronet...
Another 79 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cotone Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Cotone family to Ireland

Some of the Cotone family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Cotone migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Cotone, or a variant listed above:

Cotone Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Batholomeo Cotone, (b. 1851), aged 39, Italian settler who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Cachemire" in 1890 [5]
  • Mr. Ple Cotone, (b. 1869), aged 23, Italian settler who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Victoria" in 1892 [5]
  • Carmenantonio Cotone, (b. 1854), aged 38, Italian settler from Avilino, Italy who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Victoria" in 1892 [5]
  • Mr. Giuseppe Cotone, (b. 1869), aged 24, Italian settler who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Olympia" in 1893 [5]
  • Mr. Angelo Cotone, (b. 1860), aged 33, Italian settler from Isola di San Michele, Italy who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Hindoustan" in 1893 [5]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Cotone Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. Filippo Cotone, (b. 1875), aged 25, Italian settler from Formicola, Italy who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Ems" in 1900 [5]
  • Mr. Benardo Cotone, (b. 1873), aged 29, Italian settler from Monterosa, Italy who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Citta di Milano" in 1902 [5]
  • Mr. Diego Cotone, (b. 1881), aged 23, Italian settler from Isola di San Michele, Italy who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Regina Elena" in 1904 [5]
  • Mr. Raffaele Cotone, (b. 1897), aged 10, Italian settler who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Moltke" in 1907 [5]
  • Miss Amelia Cotone, (b. 1895), aged 12, Italian settler who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Moltke" in 1907 [5]

Contemporary Notables of the name Cotone (post 1700) +

  • Mark Cotone, American assistant director, known for Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003), Bird Box (2018) and Death Wish (2018)
  • Mario Cotone, American production manager, known for The Godfather Part II (1974), La vita è bella (1997) and Malèna (2000)
  • Chris Cotone, American camera technician, known for Terminator Genisys (2015), Jason Bourne (2016) and Westworld (2016)
  • Nino Cotone, American composer, known for Something to Do with Death (2018)
  • Liz Cotone, stage name of Elizabeth Rosengren, an American theater actor, producer and writer in California, former Artistic Director of Theater 150 in Ojai, California, known for Friendswood


The Cotone Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: In utraque fortuna paratus
Motto Translation: Prepared for either good or bad fortune.


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  4. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  5. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022 from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result


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