Show ContentsCockutlere History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the name Cockutlere dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from a member of the family who worked as a knife-maker. The surname Cockutlere originally derived from the Old French Cotelier. 1

Early Origins of the Cockutlere family

The surname Cockutlere was first found in London, where the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Saleman le Cotiler as holding lands at that time. The same rolls listed Matilda la Cutiller, Lincolnshire. 2

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 had some interesting entries as a surname and as an occupation: Ricardus Hyngham, cotteter; Willelmus Cottelar; Thomas Hank, of Handsworth, colder; and Johannes Cotelar, of Handsworth, bakester. "From its frequency I should have expected a larger number of Cutlers in the present directories of that county. "2

Moving further north from Yorkshire into Scotland, it was a Galloway name. "Matthew de Coteleir of Berwick rendered homage in 1296. The Cutlers of Orroland, parish of Rerwick, are said to have obtained the lands from the monks of Dundrennan Abbey in 1437. The local tradition is that the first of the Cutlers who came to the parish was employed in sharpening the tools of the masons engaged in the erection of the abbey and thereby acquired their name. This is most improbable. There is no mention of the family until 1606 when John Cuidar was served heir to his father in Oroland. The surname occurs in Aberdeen in 1460. Hugh Cutler was repledged to liberty of burgh of Irvine, 1472, and Thomas Cutlar possessed a tenement in Brechin, 1493." 3

Early History of the Cockutlere family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cockutlere research. Another 159 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1212, 1412, 1503, 1540, 1608, 1657, 1693, 1698, 1792, 1796, 1803, 1812, 1818, 1821 and 1823 are included under the topic Early Cockutlere History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cockutlere 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 Cockutlere has undergone many spelling variations, including Cutler, Cutlere, Cuttler, Coutler, Coutlere, Coutlar, Cutlar, Cutlur, Cutlare, Cuttlar, Cuttlure, Couttler and many more.

Early Notables of the Cockutlere family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir John Cutler (1608?-1693), a wealthy merchant of London, whose avarice, handed down by tradition and anecdote to Pope, has become immortal, was the son of Thomas Cutler, a member of the Grocers' Company, and was born in or about 1608. "Though little scrupulous in his business dealings, he appears to have been ‘one of those contradictory but by no means rare...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cockutlere Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cockutlere 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 Cockutlere were among those contributors: James Cutler of Watertown, Massachusetts, who settled there in the year 1635. Clinton Cutler also settled in the same year in St. Christopher. Elizabeth Cutler settled in Barbados in 1685..



  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  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. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)


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