Jean Baptiste 'Lefrise' Cote traveled from France in 1634 and arrived in North America in 1635.

In 1872, Joseph Francois Cote, a 6th generation descendant of Jean 'Coste' Cote, son of Jean Baptiste 'Lefrise' Cote, migrated with his family and 9 children from St. Jean Deschaillons, Lotbiniere Co., Quebec, Canada to Hokah, Minnesota where a relative had previously settled.

Joseph Francois Cote and family remained in Hokah, Minnesota for approximately six months before settling, in 1873, on an island a few miles northeast of Hokah. This island has since become known as French Island, Wisconsin. It was around this period of time when the first name change occurred. The 1880 Wisconsin Census clearly identifies Joseph Francois Cote and family as 'Frank Coaty', age 56, born in Canada, married to Julie (believed to be Julia Jacques), age 53, with daughters Emily 25, Vitaline 21, Camille 15, and sons Jute Jules Judy 23, Adolf 19, James 17, Joseph 11, and Frank 9. It is believed that the name change from Cote to Coaty either happened as the family left crossed into English speaking Ontario, Canada on their way to Minnesota, or by the 1880 census taker in Wisconsin.

In 1890, members of the Joseph Francois 'Cote' Coaty family moved East to Moosup, Baltic and Jewett City, Connecticut. Here the name changes again, this time to Coady either because it was more English or once again the results of census taker spelling.

Eleven years later, in 1901, Frank Hermenegilde Coady, son of Joseph Francois 'Cote' Coaty, moved from Connecticut to Slatersville, Rhode Island. It was here that the name was changed again at the insistance of Amanda Bouchard wife of Frank Hermenegilde Coady. Amanda Bouchard being of French descent, and now living in a relatively French area of Rhode Island, and having knowledge of the historical transformation of this name felt compelled to have it restored to its original form of 'Cote'.