Cortland

Origin & Etymology

Cortland is an English place-name derived from the Old English elements cort meaning short or curtailed, and land meaning land. It is primarily known as a place name, appearing in Cortlandt, New York, a town in Westchester County. The name crossed from geographical use into a given name, following the American tradition of using place names and surnames as first names. It evokes the sturdy, grounded quality of English landscape names.

Popularity Story

Cortland as a given name has been used steadily but never widely in the United States, appealing to families with connections to the New York region or those drawn to strong, uncommon surname-style names. It belongs to a category of distinguished but understated American names.

Cultural Significance

Cortlandt in New York is historically notable — it was one of the original manors of colonial New York and home to a famous apple variety, the Cortland apple, which was developed at Cornell University in 1898. The apple connection gives the name a uniquely American agricultural heritage.

Fun Facts

• The Cortland apple was developed at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in 1898 and named after Cortlandt, New York
• Cortlandt Manor in Westchester County was one of the original large estates of colonial New York, granted in 1697

Cortland in Other Languages