Cotto
A surname that is most likely a shortened or altered form of a Romance word or name, though its exact origin is uncertain.
The #5,348 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 47,456 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The available historical excerpt does not give a secure derivation for Cotto, only suggesting that it may be related to a longer French form rather than standing on its own. In Romance languages, similar spellings can reflect a nickname, a shortened occupational term, or a surname altered by regional pronunciation. The exact root is therefore unclear from the evidence at hand.
History
As with many short Romance surnames, Cotto likely developed through local spelling variation and later family transmission in more than one country. The form is found today in the United States and may reflect immigrant surnames from southern Europe or Latin America. Because the historical evidence here is fragmentary, no single line of descent can be stated confidently.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Short surnames like Cotto often preserve an old nickname or dialect form even when the original meaning has been lost.
From the historical record
“oil). Voy. Trtffière. Treffier. l» Fabriciut de cotto» de mailles {trefflllier, oil); 2" trô»- fier. Treffière. .S'il n'est pas une forme de Treffier, ce nom peut être une”
— Dictionnaire des noms (French surnames)