# Coetzee

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**Coetzee** (kutˈsiə) is an [Afrikaans](/source/Afrikaans) surname. It is the tenth most common family name in [South Africa](/source/South_Africa).[1]

## Origin

Unlike many South African family names that are easily traced back to English, Dutch, or [Huguenot](/source/Huguenot) French, the origin of the name Coetzee is unclear. It is known to date back to Dirk Coetzee, who came to [Cape Colony](/source/Cape_Colony) from Kampen, [Netherlands](/source/Netherlands), in the 17th century.[1]

Dutch linguist Jan-Wouter Zwart states the guess, in an informal essay, that the name derives from the common Dutch name [Koetsier](/source/Koetsier), guided by its pronunciation.[1]

## Notable people with the surname "Coetzee"

- [Allister Coetzee](/source/Allister_Coetzee) (born 1963), South African rugby coach
- [Basil Coetzee](/source/Basil_Coetzee) (1944–1998), South African musician
- [Clem Coetzee](/source/Clem_Coetzee) (c. 1939–2006), Zimbabwean conservationist
- [Clemencia Coetzee](/source/Clemencia_Coetzee), Namibian politician
- [Danie Coetzee](/source/Danie_Coetzee) (born 1977), South African rugby union footballer
- [Dirk Coetzee](/source/Dirk_Coetzee) (1945–2013), co-founder and commander of a covert South African Police unit in the 1990s
- [Felix Coetzee](/source/Felix_Coetzee) (born 1959), South African jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing
- [George Coetzee](/source/George_Coetzee) (born 1986), South African golfer
- [Gerald Coetzee](/source/Gerald_Coetzee) (born 2000), South African cricketer
- [Gerrie Coetzee](/source/Gerrie_Coetzee) (1955–2023), South African boxer
- [Hannes Coetzee](/source/Hannes_Coetzee) (born 1944), South African guitarist
- [Hendrik Coetzee](/source/Hendrik_Coetzee) (c. 1975–2010), South African adventurer
- [J. M. Coetzee](/source/J._M._Coetzee) (born 1940), South African-Australian author awarded the 2003 Nobel Prize in Literature
- [Jan Boland Coetzee](/source/Jan_Boland_Coetzee) (1945–2025), South African rugby union player and wine maker
- [Jandre Coetzee](/source/Jandre_Coetzee) (born 1984), South African first-class cricketer
- [Jeff Coetzee](/source/Jeff_Coetzee) (born 1977), South African tennis player
- [Justin Coetzee](/source/Justin_Coetzee) (born 1984), South African-Australian cricketer
- [Lee Coetzee](/source/Lee_Coetzee) (born 1984), South African cricketer
- [Louzanne Coetzee](/source/Louzanne_Coetzee) (born 1993), South African para-athlete
- [Maureen Coetzee](/source/Maureen_Coetzee) (born 1951), South African entomologist
- [Pietie Coetzee](/source/Pietie_Coetzee) (born 1978), South African field hockey player
- [Rivaldo Coetzee](/source/Rivaldo_Coetzee) (born 1996), South African footballer
- [Ryan Coetzee](/source/Ryan_Coetzee) (born 1973), South African politician, political strategist, and businessman
- [Ryan Coetzee (swimmer)](/source/Ryan_Coetzee_(swimmer)) (born 1995), South African swimmer
- [Tansey Coetzee](/source/Tansey_Coetzee) (born 1984), Miss South Africa 2008

## See also

- [Kotze](/source/Kotze) / Kotzé, alternative spelling, notable people carrying the surname

## References

1. Jan-Wouter Zwart (2018), ["On the origin of the South-African surname Coetzee"](http://www.let.rug.nl/%7Ezwart/pubs/2018a.htm), [archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180620232201/http://www.let.rug.nl/~zwart/pubs/2018a.htm) 20 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 20 June 2018

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Coetzee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coetzee) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coetzee?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.