Show ContentsCothrington History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Cothrington name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in the town of Coddington, Cheshire. Although there are locations of the same name in Nottingham and Herefordshire, the Cheshire branch of the family is thought to be the source of most, if not all, cases of the name.

Early Origins of the Cothrington family

The surname Cothrington was first found in Cheshire at Coddington, a civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West. The place name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Cotintone. Coddington is also located in Nottinghamshire (a village), Derbyshire (home of two farms) and Herefordshire (a tiny hamlet.) The Domesday Book lists Cotintone in Nottinghamshire and Cotingtune in Herefordshire. 1 The place name literally means "estate associated with a man called Cot(t)a," from the Old English personal names + "ing" + "tun." 2

Early History of the Cothrington family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cothrington research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1601, 1630, 1651, 1678, 1689 and 1797 are included under the topic Early Cothrington History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cothrington Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Cothrington has undergone many spelling variations, including Coddington, Codington and others.

Early Notables of the Cothrington family

Notables of the family at this time include William Coddington High Sheriff of Dublin. William Coddington (1601-1678) was founder and 1st Governor of Rhode Island, United States. He was a native of Lincolnshire and was chosen in England to be an 'assistant' or magistrate to the colony at Massachusetts Bay. Arriving at Salem 12 June 1630, along with...
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cothrington Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Cothrington family to Ireland

Some of the Cothrington family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 66 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cothrington family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Cothrington were among those contributors: William Coddington of Lincolnshire who arrived in Rhode Island in 1630; Mary Coddington, who was on record in Salem, MA in 1630; Stockdale Coddington, who came to Massachusetts in 1644.



The Cothrington 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: Nec metuas nec optes
Motto Translation: Neither fear nor wish.


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook