Show ContentsCoates History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient history of the Coates name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided at the cotes which was in turn derived from the Old English word cote, which means at the cottage, which denotes that the initial bearer of this surname lived in a little cottage. [1] Due to the general meaning of the name, there are a few places named Coates in Britain including places in Cambridgeshire, Gloucestershire, Nottinghamshire, and Lincolnshire. [1] The last dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was listed as Cotes. [2]

Early Origins of the Coates family

The surname Coates was first found in Staffordshire where the family are "descended from Richard de Cotes, who was probably son of Thomas de Coates, living in 1157, when the Black Book of the Exchequer was compiled." [3] At that time, he held large estates on the Salop, Staffordshire borders.

By 1273, the name was scattered throughout England as seen in the Hundredorum Rolls of that year: Egidius de Cotes, Norfolk; Robert de Cotes, Buckinghamshire; and Geoffrey de Cotes, Lincolnshire. And later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed: Thomas del Cotes; Johannes del Cotes; and Henricus del Cote as all holding lands there at that time. [4]

Early History of the Coates family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Coates research. Another 142 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1190, 1210, 1273, 1556, 1609, 1682, 1716 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Coates History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Coates Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Coates include Coates, Coate, Coats and others.

Early Notables of the Coates family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir Thomas de Cotes, Knight of a land-holding family in the Salop-Stafford area; George Cotes (or Cotys) (died 1556), an English academic and a Catholic bishop during the...
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Coates Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Coates World Ranking

In the United States, the name Coates is the 1,391st most popular surname with an estimated 22,383 people with that name. [5] However, in Canada, the name Coates is ranked the 962nd most popular surname with an estimated 5,609 people with that name. [6] And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Coates is the 302nd popular surname with an estimated 150 people with that name. [7] Australia ranks Coates as 540th with 7,169 people. [8] New Zealand ranks Coates as 776th with 938 people. [9] The United Kingdom ranks Coates as 398th with 16,284 people. [10]

Ireland Migration of the Coates family to Ireland

Some of the Coates family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 67 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Coates migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Coates or a variant listed above:

Coates Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Coates who settled in Virginia in 1650
  • Hugh Coates, who arrived in Virginia in 1658 [11]
  • Jo Coates, who arrived in Virginia in 1658 [11]
  • Thomas Coates, who arrived in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1658 [11]
  • Bartholomew Coates, who landed in Maryland in 1661 [11]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Coates Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Samuel Coates, who landed in Virginia in 1706 [11]
  • Thomas Coates, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 [11]
  • John W Coates, who landed in New York in 1796 [11]
Coates Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William A Coates, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1803 [11]
  • James, Coates Jr., aged 14, who landed in New York in 1812 [11]
  • William Coates, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1823 [11]
  • James Coates, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1834 [11]
  • Patrick Coates, aged 31, who arrived in Missouri in 1848 [11]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Coates migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Coates Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Coates, aged 28, a merchant, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Joseph Anderson" from London, England
  • Miss. Ellen Coates, aged 6 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Odessa" departing from the port of Dublin, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in September 1847 [12]
  • Matilda E Coates, who landed in Esquimalt, British Columbia in 1862
  • W Coates, who landed in Victoria, British Columbia in 1862
Coates Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • Mrs. B Coates, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
  • Isabella Coates, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907

Australia Coates migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Coates Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Matthew Coates, (Bath, Peter, Cotes), (b. 1752), aged 48, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for felony, transported aboard the "Earl Cornwallis" in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1804 [13]
  • Miss Catherine Coates, (b. 1771), aged 42, Irish convict who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Catherine" on 8th December 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [14]
  • Mr. George Coates, English labourer who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life for highway robbery, transported aboard the "Fanny" on 25th August 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1835 [15]
  • Mr. Thomas Coates, English convict who was convicted in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" in May 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [16]
  • Mr. James Coates, English convict who was convicted in Northumberland, England for life, transported aboard the "Chapman" on 12th April 1826, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [17]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Coates migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Coates Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • S A Coates, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
  • James Coates, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
  • L Coates, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1844
  • Giles Coates, aged 43, a labourer, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Poictiers" in 1850
  • Mary Ann Coates, aged 14, a servant, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Poictiers" in 1850
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Coates migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [18]
Coates Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • William Coates, who settled in Barbados in 1660
  • James Coates, who settled in Jamaica in 1679

Contemporary Notables of the name Coates (post 1700) +

  • Phyllius Coates (1927-2023), American film and television actress, born as Gypsie Ann Evarts Stell
  • Gloria Coates (1938-2023), American composer born in Wausau, Wisconsin who lived in Munich from 1969 until her death
  • Kearton Coates (1820-1893), English-born, American politician from Gunnerside, England, Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
  • James Alton Coates (1932-2019), American Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1956 to 1967, twice World Series champion (1961, 1962)
  • John Francis Coates Jr. (1938-2017), American jazz pianist, composer and arranger
  • William Coates, American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in Cognac, 1884 [19]
  • William Coates, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1884 [19]
  • S. H. Coates, American politician, Delegate to Nebraska State Constitutional Convention, 1875 [20]
  • Oliver Coates, American politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Lyme, 1825, 1829 [21]
  • Nettie A. Coates, American politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Vermont, 1924 [22]
  • ... (Another 37 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. Jack Coates, British Stoker 1st Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking [23]
  • Mr. Cyril Henry Coates, British Petty Officer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking [23]
SS Atlantic
  • Mr. George Coates, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking


Suggested Readings for the name Coates +

  • Robert Coates of Lynn, Massachusetts, and Some of His Descendants by Evelyn Coates Aherin.

  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  6. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  7. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  8. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  9. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  10. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  11. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  12. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 19)
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-cornwallis
  14. Convict Records of Australia (Retreived 2nd January 2021, retreived from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/catherine
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 1st March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
  17. Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 28th January 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/chapman
  18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  19. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2017, April 12) William Coates. Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  20. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2017, April 12) S. Coates. Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  21. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2017, April 12) Oliver Coates. Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  22. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2017, April 12) Nettie Coates. Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  23. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html


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