Submitted Surname Revision History

Coetsee is a rare Afrikaans given name derived from a historically significant South African surname. Coetsee/Coetzee is a Dutch-influenced adaptation of the French Huguenot surname, Couché, which means "to lay down" or "to place." The name has occupational origins, referencing upholsterers, bedmakers, or those who crafted bedding, as well as scribes and record keepers. Shaped by Cape-Dutch phonetics evolving in community of the 17th century Cape of Good Hope, the name reflects the integration of French and Dutch cultural identities in the wake of the religious of the time.