Show ContentsCote History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Cote

What does the name Cote mean?

The Cote name comes from that Medieval landscape of southern France known as Languedoc. The name Cote was originally derived from the family having lived in Languedoc, where the family was found since the early Middle Ages.

Early Origins of the Cote family

The surname Cote was first found in Languedoc, where they are recorded as one of the distinguished ancient families of that region.

The Cot or Côté family were well educated and learned people and there are many instances in the records of this. The Les Cot family of Limoges developed one of the first printing methods, with hot lead type, which they took to Paris in the 1600's. Pierre was an author of a book on the origins of printing in 1707.

Jean Pierre Cote, a noted poet, was born in Briancon in 1810. Jean-Leopold left on his death a "Dictionnaire de la législation des états sardes" in 1841. Jean André de Cot, descended from the Tournon branch of the family and, born in Briancon in 1789, campaigned against the war of the Empire, and his son Alexis was the owner of the "Journal de Tournon".

Jean Côté settled in Quebec in 1634 and married Anne Martin on 17th November 1635. Together they had five sons that carried on the family name of Côté. Jean was buried in Quebec on 28th March 1661. 1

Early History of the Cote family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cote research. Another 175 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1472, 1530, 1532, 1539, 1540, 1543, 1549, 1564, 1575, 1589, 1595, 1604, 1613, 1626, 1656, 1681 and 1735 are included under the topic Early Cote History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cote Spelling Variations

The many different spellings of French surnames can be partially explained by the use of local dialects and by the influence of other languages during the early development of the French language. As a result of these linguistic and cultural influences, the name Cote is distinguished by a number of regional variations. The many spelling variations of the name include Côté, Cot, Cotte, Cott, Kott, Kote, Cotée, Cotet, Cotin, Coton, Cottet, Cottin, Cotton, Cotard, Cottard, Lacotte, Cotté, Cottu, Cottarel, Cottebrune, Cotner, Cottez and many more.

Early Notables of the Cote family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was Claude Cot, Treasurer of Dauphiné in 1472; Pierre Coton (1564-1626), a French Jesuit and royal confessor; Charles Cotin or Abbé Cotin (1604-1681), a French abbé, philosopher and poet; and Robert de Cotte (1656-1735), a French architect-administrator.Gaspard Coste, chorister in the cathedral of Avignon about 1530, composer of songs and...
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cote Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cote World Ranking

In the United States, the name Cote is the 900th most popular surname with an estimated 32,331 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Cote is ranked the 16th most popular surname with an estimated 66,453 people with that name. 3 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Cote is the 4th popular surname. 4 France ranks Cote as 1,226th with 4,570 people. 5


Cote migration to the United States +

French settlers came early to North American, following in the wake of the explorers, and creating New France. Quebec City, founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain is said to have been the first American site founded as a permanent settlement, rather than as just a commercial outpost. But emigration was slow, in 1643, 109 years after the first landings by Cartier, there were only about 300 French people in Quebec, and by 1663, when the region was officially made The Royal Colony of New France, by Louis XIV, there still only around 500 settlers. Over 2,000 would arrive during the next decade. Early marriage was desperately encouraged amongst the immigrants. Youths of 18 took fourteen-year-old girls for their wives. The fur trade was developed and attracted immigrants, both noble and commoner from France. By 1675, there were around 7000 French in the colony, and by that same year the Acadian presence in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island had reached 500. In 1755, 10,000 French Acadians refused to take an oath of allegiance to England and were deported to Louisiana. Despite the loss of the Colony to England, the French people flourished in Lower Canada. Among settlers to North America of the Cote surname were

Cote Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Eliz Cote, aged 22, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Merchant's Hope" 6
  • Elizabeth Coté, who settled in Virginia in 1653
  • Pierre Cote, who landed in Carolina in 1679 6
Cote Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • A Cote, aged 30, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1825 6
  • Marcellin Cote, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1852 6
Cote Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Daniel Cote, aged 30, who immigrated to the United States, in 1910
  • Andre Cote, aged 23, who landed in America from Bordeaux, France, in 1917
  • James Cote, aged 42, who landed in America, in 1918
  • Edmond Cote, aged 18, who landed in America, in 1919
  • Edmond Cote, aged 56, who settled in Fall River, Massachusetts in 1920
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Cote migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Cote Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
  • Louis Cote, son of Jean and Anne, who married Élisabeth Langlois, daughter of Noel and Françoise, in Quebec on 6th November 1662 7
  • Martin Cote, son of Jean and Anne, who married Suzanne Pagé, daughter of Raymond and Madeleine, in Château-Richer, Quebec on 25th July 1667 7
  • Mathieu Cote, son of Jean and Anne, who married Élisabeth Gravelle, daughter of Massé-Joseph and Marguerite, in Quebec on 11th September 1667 7
  • Jean Cote, son of Jean and Anne, who married Anne Couture, daughter of Guillaume and Anne, in Quebec on 11th November 1669 7
  • Jean Cote, son of Jean and Anne, who married Geneviève Verdon, daughter of Vincent and Geneviève, in Quebec on 25th February 1686 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Cote Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Jean-Marie Cote, son of Jean and Geneviève, who married Madeleine Huot, daughter of Mathurin and Marie, in L'Ange-Gardien, Quebec on 4th February 1716 7
  • Guillaume Cote, son of Jean and Anne, who married Clotilde Amelot, daughter of Jacques and Angélique, in Quebec on 8th May 1719 7
  • Jean Cote, son of Jean-Baptiste and Françoise-Charlotte, who married Geneviève Bernier, daughter of Jean-Baptiste and Geneviève, in Cap-Saint-Ignace, Quebec on 17th July 1720 7
  • Augustin Cote, son of Jean-Noel and Hélène, who married Madeleine Baillargeon, daughter of Jean and Marie, in Saint-Laurent, Quebec on 29th January 1720 7
  • Gabriel Cote, son of Jean-Baptiste and Françoise-Charlotte, who married Élisabeth Bernier, daughter of Jean-Baptiste and Geneviève, in Quebec on 7th October 1722 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Cote Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • A.C. Cote, aged 50, who landed in Montreal, Canada, in 1907
  • Ceslas Cote, aged 38, who immigrated to Ottawa, Ottawa, in 1914
  • Abraham Cote, aged 46, who immigrated to Quebec, Canada, in 1915
  • Alice Anna Cote, aged 58, who immigrated to Quebec, Canada, in 1922

Contemporary Notables of the name Cote (post 1700) +

  • Pierre F. Cote, American politician, Delegate to New Hampshire State Constitutional Convention from Nashua 9th Ward, 1948 8
  • Ovide J. Cote, American politician, Delegate to Maine convention to ratify 21st amendment from Kennebec County, 1933 8
  • Norman Cote, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Maine, 1964 8
  • Louis N. Cote, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Brooklyn, 1948 8
  • Eugene Cote, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Circuit Judge in Michigan 31st Circuit, 1935; Candidate in primary for U.S. Representative from Michigan 7th District, 1938 8
  • Edmond Cote (b. 1863), American Republican politician, Member of Massachusetts Governor's Council 1st District, 1931-36 8
  • Ed Cote, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Washington, 2000, 2004, 2008; Member of Democratic National Committee from Washington, 2004-08 8
  • Armand H. Cote (b. 1909), American Democratic Party politician, Secretary of State of Rhode Island, 1941-57; Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island, 1957-59 8
  • Albert Cote, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Maine, 1956, 1964 8
  • Aime H. Cote, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Massachusetts, 1952 8
  • ... (Another 20 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  4. "The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
  5. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  6. 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)
  7. Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958.
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook