Cotone History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Italy

The Cotone family can trace its noble origins to the Italian region of Sicily. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adapt a second name to identify themselves as populations grew and travel became more frequent. The process of adopting fixed hereditary surnames was not complete until the modern era, but the use of hereditary family names in Italy began in the 10th and 11th centuries. Italian hereditary surnames were developed according to fairly general principles and they are characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names.

Although the most traditional type of family name found in the region of Sicily is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name, local surnames are also found. Local names, which are the least frequent of the major types of surnames found in Italy, are derived from a place-name where the original bearer once resided or held land. Often Italian local surnames bore the prefix "di," which signifies emigration from one place to another, but does not necessarily denote nobility.

The Cotone (English: cotton) family originates in the northern end of the municipal territory of Scansano and Siena. This was home to the famous Maggi di Cotone dynasty who held the Castello di Cotone, the Castello di Montepò, the Castello di Colle Massari, the Castello di Vicarello and the Castello della Sabatina.

Early Origins of the Cotone family

The surname Cotone was first found in Sicily, especially in Palermo where it has at its base an original nickname or trade name formed from the Sicilian cuttuni "cotton." 1

At one time, they held the lordships of Cotone, Montorgiali and Matignato, and gave two grand masters of Malta, all before 1464. They resided in supreme magistratures. Another branch was originally from France, and transplanted to Messina where in the county of Bavuso, they had established a branch of the family in Palermo, adorned by Philip IV of the title of Prince of Castelnuovo in 1623. 2 The ruins of Castello di Cotone, a medieval settlement and castle in Scansano near Grosseto, Tuscany can still be seen today.

Early History of the Cotone family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cotone research. Another 56 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1623, 1756, 1812 and 1829 are included under the topic Early Cotone History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cotone Spelling Variations

Italian surnames come in far more variations than the names of most other nationalities. Regional traditions and dialects are a decisive factor in this characteristic. For example, northern names tend to end in "o", while southern in "i". Also important, but not unique to Italy, was the fact that before dictionaries and the printing press most scribes simply spelled words according to their sounds. The predictable result was an enormous number of spelling variations. The recorded spellings of Cotone include Cotone, Cottone and others.

Early Notables of the Cotone family

Prominent among bearers of this surname in early times was Carlo Cottone, (1756-1829), Prince of Castelnuovo, a Sicilian politician, known as one of the main advocates of the Sicilian Constitution of 1812. He was born in Palermo on 30 September 1756 by Prince Gaetano and Countess Lucrezia Cedronio. From an early age...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cotone Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cotone migration to the United States +

An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Cotone arrived in North America very early:

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 3
Mr. Ple Cotone, (b. 1869), aged 23, Italian settler who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Victoria" in 1892 3
Carmenantonio Cotone, (b. 1854), aged 38, Italian settler from Avilino, Italy who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Victoria" in 1892 3
Mr. Giuseppe Cotone, (b. 1869), aged 24, Italian settler who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Olympia" in 1893 3
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 3
... (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 3
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 3
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 3
Mr. Raffaele Cotone, (b. 1897), aged 10, Italian settler who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Moltke" in 1907 3
Miss Amelia Cotone, (b. 1895), aged 12, Italian settler who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Moltke" in 1907 3

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

Citations +

De Felice, Emidio, Dizionario Dei Cognomi Italiani, edited by Arnoldo Mondadori, Italy, Oscar Mondadori, 1978.
Fucilla, Joseph Guerin. Our Italian Surnames. Baltimore, Genealogical Pub. Co., 1987
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022 from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result