Wolcott
An English surname most often explained as meaning “the cottage by the wall” or “the fortified cottage,” from place-name roots.
The #6,400 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 58,089 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Wolcott is generally taken to be a habitational surname from an English place-name made up of Old English elements. The first element is usually explained as weall or wall, meaning “wall” or “rampart,” and the second as cot, “cottage” or “shelter,” giving a sense like “cottage by the wall” or “fortified cottage.” Older writers occasionally offered other explanations, but this is the most natural and widely accepted reading of the name.
History
The surname is well established in England and later appears prominently in New England and other parts of the United States. It is usually grouped with other English surnames formed from minor place-names ending in -cott/-cot. In America, the best-known bearer was Oliver Wolcott, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and later a governor of Connecticut.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname became especially familiar in U.S. history through the Wolcott family of Connecticut, an influential colonial and early national political family.
From the historical record
“Ellicott, Endicott (" cottage at the end "), Linds- cot and Linscott, Middlecott, Trescott, Wallcot, Walcot, and Wolcott, &c. ; Barn, Barnes, Barn- well ; also Mills, Kingmill, Wrymill (L. 667, f. 267), Rymill, &c. Mr. Barnside invented a breech-loading carabine. Mr. Block lives at New- buryport ; iMr. Hamlet, at…”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)