Coetzee () is an Afrikaans surname. It is the tenth most common family name in the Republic of South Africa. Origin Unlike many other popular South-African family names, which can often be unambiguously traced back to English, Dutch, or Huguenot French, the origin of the name Coetzee is unclear. It is known that it dates back to the person Dirk Coetzee who came to Cape Colony from Kampen in Netherlands in the 17th century. Dutch linguist Jan-Wouter Zwart states the guess, in an informal essay, that it derived from the common Dutch name Koetsier, guided by the pronunciation. Notable people with the surname "Coetzee" Allister Coetzee (born 1963), South African rugby coach Angeline Coetzee, doctor who individuated Covid-19 Omicron variant Basil Coetzee (1944–1998), South African musician Clem Coetzee ( – 2006), Zimbabwean conservationist Danie Coetzee (born 1977), South African rugby union footballer Dirk Coetzee (1945–2013), co-founder and commander of the covert South African Police unit in the 1990s Felix Coetzee (born 1959), South African jockey in thoroughbred horse racing George Coetzee (born 1986), South African golfer Gerrie Coetzee (1955–2023), South African boxer Hannes Coetzee (born 1944), South African guitarist Hendrik Coetzee ( – 2010), South African adventurer Jandre Coetzee (born 1984), South African first class cricketer Jeff Coetzee (born 1977), South African tennis player J. M. Coetzee (born 1940), South African-Australian author awarded the 2003 Nobel Prize in Literature Justin Coetzee (born 1984), South African-Australian cricketer Lee Coetzee (born 1984), South African cricketer Maureen Coetzee (born 1951), South African entomologist Pietie Coetzee (born 1978), South African field hockey player Price Coetzee (born 1946), South African actor Rivaldo Coetzee (born 1996), South African footballer Roean Coetzee (born 1974), rugby union footballer Ryan Coetzee (born 1973), South African politician and political strategist, businessman Ryan Coetzee (swimmer) (born 1995), South African swimmer Tansey Coetzee (born 1984), Miss South Africa 2008 See also Kotze / Kotzé, alternative spelling, notable people carrying the surname References Afrikaans-language surnames Surnames of Hungarian origin