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Author Topic: What is meant by "Cotter"  (Read 644 times)

Offline jrc11

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What is meant by "Cotter"
« on: Monday 01 August 22 15:04 BST (UK) »
Looking at the 1749 Elphin census under the heading " profession" the term cotter appears. I wonder if this is a peat cutter. Is this correct or is there some other meaning?
Thank you
Campbell Roscommon
Miles Wiltshire
Hitchings Wiltshire
Hole Somerset
Shaughnessy Roscommon

Offline djct59

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Re: What is meant by "Cotter"
« Reply #1 on: Monday 01 August 22 15:26 BST (UK) »
A cotter or cottar is, in Scotland and Ireland,  a farm labourer or tenant occupying a cottage in return for labour.

Offline Kiltaglassan

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Re: What is meant by "Cotter"
« Reply #2 on: Monday 01 August 22 15:29 BST (UK) »

Normally it's a 'cottier' in Ireland.

One definition of cottier in Ireland (c. 1700–1850) was a person who rented a simple cabin and between one and one and a half acres of land upon which to grow potatoes, oats, and possibly flax. The ground was held on a year-to-year basis and rent was often paid in labour.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotter_(farmer)


Researching: Cuthbertson – Co. Derry, Scotland & Australia; Hunter – Co. Derry; Jackson – Co. Derry, Scotland & Canada; Scott – Co. Derry; Neilly – Co. Antrim & USA; McCurdy – Co. Antrim; Nixon – Co. Cavan, Co. Donegal, Canada & USA; Ryan & Noble – Co. Sligo

Offline jrc11

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Re: What is meant by "Cotter"
« Reply #3 on: Monday 01 August 22 15:34 BST (UK) »
Thank you both for your prompt and informative replies.
Regards
Campbell Roscommon
Miles Wiltshire
Hitchings Wiltshire
Hole Somerset
Shaughnessy Roscommon

Offline sonofthom

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Re: What is meant by "Cotter"
« Reply #4 on: Monday 01 August 22 16:26 BST (UK) »
The Cotter's Saturday night is a well known poem by Burns:-
https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/cotters-saturday-night/
Sinclair: Lanarkshire & Antrim; McDougall: Bute; Ramsay: Invernesshire; Thomson & Robertson: Perthshire; Brown: Argyll; Scott: Ayrshire: Duff: Fife.
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