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The name Cottrell is probably not a variant of the names describing some peasant who was a cottager of sorts (e.g., Scottish Cottar, English Cotter). It's more likely the physical description of a man who was tall and thin like a (present day) cotter or cotter-pin: i.e., a cotrel. The phonological derivation of the names Cottrell and Cotterell are different. The Norman French etymology of Cotterell would suggest cote, that is, the "side" of something, such as a hill or mountain (dweller): compare dove cote.