The are many surnames that resemble the name Cordes. Some are related some are not. In Germany Cordes has been used interchangeably with Cors, Cohrs, Kors, Kohrs and Kordes. In France variations are Cors, Cordas and Cordoue. The name Korda and Kordas in Hungary, Greece and Turkey may be related, as well as Kordez in Slovenia. This project is open to anyone with a similar surname. Additional project members have suggested with good reason that Cordua, Cardew, Carthew and similar spellings might well be derived from Cordouë/Cordova. Any such variants are welcome to participate in the program since spelling of names in sources such as baptismal records vary widely according to country or region and are sometimes spelled differently in the same sentence of a document As of November 2025 I will be verifying some of the project information by AI On the origin of the Cordes surname in Germany being the genitive of Cord ie ‘x’ Cordes being the son of Cord or Konrad AI has this to say: What the Research Does Show Genealogical / Y-DNA Research
 A FamilyTreeDNA group for people with the surname Cordes reports that many German genealogists argue the name comes from men named Cord (or Kurt / Konrad). According to their research:
“in German-speaking territories … a child had a first name ONLY. He was identified as ‘Heinrich, Cord’s son’ … This evolved into Cordesen and Cordes.” However, this is more a family tradition or folk etymology, not a documented naming pattern for a specific historical individual. Etymology of “Cordes”
 According to SurnameDB, Cordes may derive from the Gallo-Roman personal name Cordus, meaning “young” or “new.” Some sources (e.g. en-academic.com) also mention this “Cordus” origin rather than a strictly Germanic “son of Cord.” Other sources suggest a French origin (from Old French corde, meaning “rope”) rather than a patronym “Cord’s son.” Family Stories
 On his website, one Bill Cordes relates that a “Martin Cordes” in Germany told him that early on, people were identified as “Cord’s son” (Cordsen) and that eventually became Cordes. But personal recollections like these are not proof of a documented historical figure, just anecdotal tradition. Lack of a Documented “Cord → Cordes” Lineage
 I found no primary source (like a church register, legal document, or nobility record) naming someone “X Cordes” and listing their father as “Cord.” Historical figures with the surname Cordes (e.g., Johann Dieterich Cordes, a Hamburg councilor) do not appear in records showing their father’s given name was “Cord.” The surname Cord also exists, but its documented origins tend to be French (from Cordus) or occupational (rope-maker), not clearly patronymic “Cord’s son.” Interpretation & Conclusion The claim that “Cordes” is genitive (meaning “son of Cord”) seems to come more from oral/genealogical tradition than from solid historical documentation. While the Y-DNA and family-history communities believe in the “Cord’s son” origin, that doesn’t equal proof via identified historical individuals. Etymologically, there are other plausible origins for Cordes that don’t rely on a literal “son of Cord” — such as Cordus (Latin personal name) or an occupational name (“rope maker”). Verdict on the German Claim Not definitively proven. There’s no strong historical figure that clearly shows “X Cordes, son of Cord.” The “Cord’s son” explanation is plausible, but it remains a theory, supported by genealogical lore rather than firm documentary evidence. It’s reasonable to treat the “Cordes = Cord’s son” origin as one of several possible etymologies, not a settled fact.