Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Cottesdale 1266,1267 Pat

• Cotterdale 1280 YI 1283 Rich 1608 NR

• Coterdale 1301 LS

Etymology

v. dalr . The first element is probably identical with the Norw  p.n. Kaater (ONorw  Kotar ) from ON  kot neut. 'hut, cottage'; the plural form is that of the feminine (v. NG i. 362).We should have expected ON  Kotadalr , with gen. pl. kota , but Cotterdale may be a comparatively late formation from the Cotter of Cotter End Fm in the neighbourhood. Unfortunately no early forms of this name have been found. The first form Cottesdale suggests an alternative English plural form Cotes .v. cot .