Coursey
An Anglicized Irish surname often linked to the old Norman name de Courcy, made familiar in Ireland and later America.
The #8,523 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 79,944 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Coursey is usually treated as an Anglicized form of the Norman French surname de Courcy. That name is thought to be locational, referring to Courcy in Normandy, and was carried to Ireland by the Anglo-Normans. In Irish usage the name was adapted into forms such as Courcey and Coursey, which are common spellings in older records.
History
The name appears in Irish surname lists and in 19th-century American name dictionaries as a variant of de Courcy. In the United States it has long been relatively uncommon, but it is well established among families of Irish descent. Historical sources also show that pronunciation could vary, with one compiler noting a form like "KUR-see" or "CUR-see."
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A 19th-century American name collector specifically noted that Coursey was pronounced roughly "cursi," showing how far spelling and spoken form had drifted in English-speaking use.
From the historical record
“CujAfAC, De Courcy, Courcey, Coursey, Cx\z, Coote. *OAibif, Davis.”
— Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish names and surnames