The family is said to stem from Jan van Cotthem, born around 1350.

They had the following offspring: Gillis van Cotthem, alderman of Brussels from 1446 until 1465.

She lost her husband in 1406 and remarried to Frank van den Heede.

[1] Wein van Cotthem, a member of the family, was a chronicler best known for writing book six and seven of the Brabantsche Yeesten.

[3][4] It is possible that Wein secured the commission of the Brabantsche Yeesten from Petrus de Thimo thanks to his family that, like de Thimo's, was closely intertwined with Brussels administrative life.