Surname Coufley - Meaning and Origin
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Coufley: What does the surname Coufley mean?
The last name Coufley has French origins. It's a topographical surname, created for someone who lived near a prominent ravine or a cliff. This type of surname typically developed in mountainous regions of France, which reflects the original meaning of “Gouffre”, the French word for "ravine" or "cliff".
The name is most likely derived from the Old French word “gouffrer”, which means “to hollow, to scoop, to excavate”, reflecting the geography where it originates from.
In other cases, it may be a form of the personal name Corneille, which is derived from the Latin “cornu”, meaning “horn”. This name could be used to refer to someone who was born with a particular shape of the horn-shaped organ.
It’s an uncommon name, with fewer than 10 people in the US bearing it, but its frequency becomes more notable in some smaller geographies. In France, the last name Coufley is most common in the region of Aquitaine, and most other occurrences are concentrated around the northern coastlines, from Calvados down to the Spanish borders.
At its core, the last name Coufley is a reminder of a time when people were known by their place of origin. It also reflects the unique history of the mountain regions in France, offering a glimpse into what life and language were like in times past.
Order DNA origin analysisCoufley: Where does the name Coufley come from?
Today, the last name Coufley is common in two parts of the world. The first region is in western France, specifically in the regions of Brittany, Loire-Atlantique, and the Occitanie. These regions, situated in the French countryside, boast a long history of a thriving population of people with the last name Coufley.
The other area where the last name Coufley is common is in South Louisiana in the United States. This region was heavily populated with French immigrants in the 18th century, many of whom retained the last name Coufley. In Louisiana, the last name is typically pronounced ‘coo-flea’.
The family name is an old one, appearing in records and genealogical documents that date back to the Middle Ages. Today, the name has left its mark on numerous places, including a mountain shared with the communities of Tréfumel and Locoal-Mendon, called Coufley Mountain.
Although the name is more common in these two regions, individuals with the last name Coufley can be found across the globe, from Europe to North America, South America, Australia, and even the Caribbean.
Variations of the surname Coufley
The Coufley surname is derived from two old French words, couvil and lei, meaning ‘country’ and ‘valley’ respectively. Consequently, variations of the name have been derived from various French dialects over the centuries, such as Couvile, Couveley, Coville and Cofley. Other spellings, such as Cauvile, Cauvelay and Covile appear in 16th century English records.
A variation of the name found in England was Couffley. This spelling appeared in records such as the 1379 Poll Tax of Yorkshire, where Jean Couffley was listed as living in Masham. In more recent times, other variations that have some connection to the Coufley family include Coufle, Coumely, Cowley, Covely and Camply.
In Ireland, variants such as Cowley, Colley, Colly and Cowell can appear in old records. These may originate from the Gaelic surname O Consiousaill, meaning 'descendant of Consiusaill', who lived in county Carlow during the 12th century.
It is worth noting that some variants may have been anglicized over the centuries, and some of the old spellings may be quite rare. Consequently, the story of the Coufley surname may be lost over time. Since surnames are hereditary, this means researching the family tree can be very beneficial in discovering the extensive family history of the Coufley family.
Famous people with the name Coufley
- Emma Coufley: An Australian para-athlete and Judo representative who has competed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
- Giacomo Coufley: A French-American screenwriter and producer best known for his work on 2 Fast 2 Furious and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
- Gerard Coufley: An Irish professional football player who currently plays for Drogheda United.
- Patrick Coufley: A former professional basketballer who played in the NBA G-League.
- Nicolette Coufley: A successful entrepreneur who founded the beauty company Bela.
- Bobby Coufley: A Canadian singer songwriter who has released several successful albums and toured the world.
- Emma Coufley-Golebiewski: A former ice hockey player who represented the English national team at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
- Cameron Coufley: An award-winning composer, who is best known for his work on video games such as Starcraft and Black and White.
- Sven Coufley: A Dutch-American author and filmmaker who has won several awards for his short films.
- Lynn Coufley: An American environmentalist and political activist who co-founded the activist group Greenpeace.