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Cortes Family History

Cortes Surname Meaning

Spanish (Cortés), Catalan (Cortès), and Portuguese (Cortês) are derived from a word meaning ‘courteous’ or ‘polite’, which itself is a derivative of corte meaning ‘court’. This was often used as a nickname for a refined person, sometimes given ironically.

In addition to its nicknaming roots, Spanish and Portuguese also use this as a habitational name. It originates from various locations in Spain and Portugal that are named with cortes, the plural of corte meaning ‘court’.

Furthermore, in England, particularly in Lancashire and Yorkshire, the name appears as a variant of Curtis. This reveals the name's diverse linguistic and geographical connections.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Cortes family from?

You can see how Cortes families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cortes family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cortes families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 9 Cortes families living in Manitoba. This was about 26% of all the recorded Cortes's in Canada. Manitoba had the highest population of Cortes families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cortes surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Cortes ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Cortes. 40% of Cortes men worked as a Farmer.

View Census Data for Cortes | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    40%
  • Outfitter
    20%
  • Labourer
    20%
  • Laborer
    20%

What Cortes family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 80,000 census records available for the last name Cortes. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cortes census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Cortes

Passenger Lists

There are 15,000 immigration records available for the last name Cortes. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Cortes immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Cortes. For the veterans among your Cortes ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cortes military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cortes family history

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What is the average Cortes lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Cortes life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Cortes in 1948 was 63, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cortes

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cortes ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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