Curtis
This article is about the human name. For other uses, see Curtis (disambiguation).
| Curtis | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Origin | |
| Word/name | Anglo-Norman |
| Meaning | Polite, Courteous, Well-Bred |
| Other names | |
| Related names | Kertész, Kurt, Cortez, Carson |
Curtis or Curtiss is a common English given name and surname of Anglo-Norman origin derived from the Old French curteis (Modern French courtois, surname Courtois[1]) which means "polite, courteous, or well-bred". [2] It is a compound of curt- ″court″ and -eis ″-ish″.[3] The spelling u to render [u] in Old French was mainly Anglo-Norman and Norman, when the spelling o [u] was the usual Parisian French one, Modern French ou [u]. -eis is the Old French suffix for -ois, Western French (including Anglo-Norman) keeps -eis, simplified -is in English. The word court shares the same etymology but retains a Modern French spelling, after the orthography had changed.[4]
It was brought to England (and subsequently, the rest of the Isles) via the Norman Conquest.
Many Hungarian immigrants in English speaking countries with the last name Kertész have adopted the name Curtis, since it is pronounced similarly and helped them integrate into their new community. The spanish version of this lastname is Cortés or Cortez.
Surname uses: Curtis
People
- Adam Curtis (born 1955), British television documentarian
- Alan Curtis (disambiguation), several people
Andrew David Curtis Cricketer
- Anne Curtis, Philippine actress
- Alison Curtis (born 1977), Canadian-Irish radio presenter
- Allen Curtis, American film director
- Benjamin Curtis (disambiguation), also Ben Curtis, multiple people
- Catie Curtis (born 1965), American singer-songwriter
- Charles Curtis (1860–1936), American Vice President
- Charles Curtis (botanist) (1853–1928), English botanist who became the first superintendent of the Penang Botanic Gardens
- Chet Curtis (1939–2014), American journalist
- Charles W. Curtis (born 1926), American mathematician
- Chris Curtis (1941–2005), English musician, member of band The Searchers
- Clint Curtis (born 1958)
- Cyrus Hermann Kotzschmar Curtis (1850–1933), an American publisher
- David Curtis (born 1948), Welsh Gymnast and Trampoline champion
- Dexter Curtis (1828-1898), American inventor and politician
- Edwin Burr Curtiss, the president of A. G. Spalding Bros.
- Edward S. Curtis (1868–1952), photographer
- Edmund Curtis (1881–1943), historian and Professor of History
- George Ticknor Curtis (1812–1894), American politician and lawyer
- George William Curtis (1824–1892), American writer and public speaker
- Glenn Curtiss (1878–1930), American aviation pioneer and founder of the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
- Harriot Curtis (1881–1974), American golfer
- Harry Curtis (baseball) (1883–1951), American baseball player
- Heber Doust Curtis (1872–1942), American astronomer
- Ian Curtis (1956–1980), British singer-songwriter for Joy Division
- Jamie Lee Curtis (born 1958), American actress
- John Curtis (disambiguation), several people
- Joseph S. Curtis, American politician and lawyer
- Kathlyn Curtis, Manitoba judge
- Kelly Curtis (born 1956), American actress
- Kevin Curtis (born 1978), a professional American football player
- King Curtis (1934–1971), American saxophonist
- L. Perry Curtis (born 1932), American historian of Ireland
- Lee Curtis (born Peter Flannery), British musician
- Lionel George Curtis (1872–1955), founder of the Royal Institute of International Affairs
- Mac Curtis (1939–2013), American musician
- Mark Curtis (British author), British political author
- Mark Curtis (SWP member), a former American Socialist Worker's Party member
- Mary Louise Curtis Bok, the founder of the Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia
- Margaret Curtis (1883–1965) American golfer and tennis player
- Matt Curtis, American college baseball coach
- Moses Ashley Curtis (M.A.Curtis, 1808–1872), American botanist and mycologist
- Michael Curtis (disambiguation), television writer and producer
- Norman Curtis (footballer) (1924–2009), English football player
- Patrick Curtis (1740-1832), Irish archbishop
- Patrick Curtis (producer) (born 1938), American producer
- Philip Kenneth Edward Curtis (1926–1951), English soldier
- Richard Curtis (born 1956), British comedy scriptwriter
- Samuel Curtis (S.Curtis, 1779–1860), English botanist
- Samuel Ryan Curtis (1805–1866), Union General in the American Civil War
- Scott Curtis (born 1984), Life FM radio presenter
- Simon Curtis (born 1956), farrier, HonAssocRVCS and Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Farriers
- Tom Curtis (disambiguation), several people
- Thomas Bradford Curtis (1911–1993), American Representative from Missouri
- Tommy Curtis (born 1952), American former college basketball player
- Tony Curtis (1925—2010), American actor
- Ulysses Curtis (1926–2013), American football player
- William Curtis (1746–1799), English botanist
Fictional characters
- Randall Curtis, a character on The Simpsons based on George Lucas
- Rey Curtis, a character on Law & Order
- Izumi Curtis, a character in Fullmetal Alchemist
- Three brothers on the TV series The Outsiders, Ponyboy Curtis (the shows narrator), Sodapop Curtis and Darrel "Darry" Curtis.
Surname uses: Curtiss
People
- Alan B. Curtiss, American filmmaker
- Charles Curtiss (1908–1993), American Communist
- David Raymond Curtiss (1878–1953), American mathematician
- Glenn Curtiss (1878–1930), aviation pioneer
- John Curtiss (1924–2013), British Royal Air Force officer
- Walker M. Curtiss (1852–1917), American politician
Given name uses: Curtis
People
- Curtis Armstrong (born 1953), an American actor
- Curtis Browning (born 1993), Australian Rugby Union player
- Curtis Bush (born 1962), an American kickboxer
- Curtis Darling (born 1983), Canadian ice hockey goaltender
- Curtis Enis (born 1976), a retired NFL running back
- Curtis Granderson (born 1981), a New York Mets outfielder
- Curtis Hanson (born 1945), an American filmmaker
- Curtis James Jackson III (born 1975), an American rapper and actor (known as 50 Cent)
- Curtis Jerrells (born 1987), basketball player for Hapoel Jerusalem of the Israeli Premier League
- Curtis Lee (1939–2015), American singer
- Curtis Martin (born 1973), an American football player
- Curtis Mayfield, an American soul singer, songwriter and musician
- Curtis Naughton (born 1995), English Rugby League player
- Curtis Robb (born 1972), a British middle-distance runner
- Curtis Salgado (born 1954), a rhythm and blues musician and singer-songwriter
- Curtis Sironen (born 1993), Australian Rugby League player
- Curtis Stigers (born 1965), American singer-songwriter
- Curtis Strange (born 1955), an American professional golfer
- Curtis Warren (born 1963), a British criminal
- Curtis Woodhouse (born 1980), an English football player and boxer
Fictional characters
- Curtis Manning, a fictional character played by Jamaican-Canadian actor Roger Cross as part of the television series 24
- Curtis Wilkins, a fictional character from the comic strip Curtis
- Curtis (Stargate), a recurring character in Stargate Universe
- Curtis Donovan, a fictional character played by actor Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as part of the UK television series Misfits
See also
References
- ↑ Surname Courtois in France (French)
- ↑ Percy Hide Reaney, Richard Middlewood Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames (1991), p. 121.
- ↑ CNRTL etymology of courtois (french)
- ↑ T. F. Hoad, English Etymology, Oxford University Press paperbook 1993. p. 101a.
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