Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Cotesbece 1086 DB

• Cotesbech(e) 1274 Ipm 1280 Misc 1406 Prep 1507 Pat

• Cotisbech l.13 CRCart Edw1 CroxR

• Codesbech(e) 1205 FF 1253×58 RHug 1268 RGrav 1327 Pat

• Codesb' 1220 MHW

• Godesbech(e) 1222,1224 RHug

• Godebeche 1224 ib

• Cottesbec 1254 Val

• Cottesbech(e) 1274 IpmR 1295 OSut 1336 IpmR

• Cotesbac 1236 Fees

• Cotisbache 1274 Cl

• Cotesbach(e) 1307,1308 Fine 1576 Saxton

• Cottysbych 1524 SR

• Cottesbiche 1541 Ipm

• Cottisbich(e) 1576 LibCl 1581 LEpis 1608 LML

• Cottesbitch 1612,1621 ib

Etymology

Probably 'Cott's broad valley with a stream', v. bece , bæce . The stream in the valley here is the river Swift. The specific of the settlement- name appears to be an OE  masc. pers.n. Cott , as in Cottesmore (Ru 16) and in Cottes hyrst 962 (10) BCS 1085 (S 703). An alternative OE  masc. pers.n. Codd may also be thought of, as in The Cotswolds (Wo 1), Cutsdean (Wo 120) and perhaps in Cottesbrooke (Nth 67). Early published forms for Cotesbach with initial g are no doubt misreadings of upper case c rather than evidence for a voiced consonant.

Note that Dodgson prefers to interpret the lost Cotesbache (Ch 3206), with forms from 1278 to 1559, as 'stream and valley at a cot', with OE  cot (cotes gen.sg.) 'a cottage' as the specific.