EtymologyCoutts is a Scottish surname derived from the name of the town of Cults in Aberdeenshire. The place name Cults comes from a Gaelic word meaning "woods" (the same root as the Scottish Gaelic word coillte, meaning "woodland"). The surname likely originated as a locational name for someone who lived near or in the village of Cults.History and Cultural SignificanceThe most prominent bearer of this surname is the Coutts family, founders of the famous British private bank Coutts & Company. John Campbell of Lundie (died 1713), a Scots goldsmith-banker, established the bank in 1692, originally as a goldsmith-banker's shop in The Strand, London. According to Wikipedia, Coutts & Company is the seventh-oldest bank in continuous operation and today part of the NatWest Group. The bank's logo features three crowns, a symbol originally derived from the sign under which John Campbell traded: the Three Crowns.Although the bank itself bears the Coutts name, precisely how John Campbell—whose own surname was Campbell—came to use "Coutts" as the name of the institution is not entirely clear; the bank's name appears to derive from a later family member or partner named James Coutts, who joined the business in the 18th century. Nonetheless, the surname Coutts has become inseparable from this prestigious financial institution globally.In terms of distribution, Coutts remains a rare but established Scottish surname, with early records found predominantly in Aberdeenshire. Variants include Coutt and Couts.Meaning: Woods (derived from place name Cults in Aberdeenshire)Origin: Gaelic/Scottish locational surnameType: SurnamePrimary Usage Region: Scotland, especially AberdeenshireVariant Forms: Coutt, Couts