English botanical writer and publisher (1746-1799)
"The rare orchid was named in honor of the eighteenth-century botanist Curtis after his extensive documentation of British flora."
An English surname, from nicknames, originally a nickname for a refined or courtly person.
"Many residents of the village share the surname Curtis, which originated as an affectionate nickname for someone who was particularly refined and courtly in their manners."
Curtis comes from the Old French word corteis, which originally meant "polite" or "courteous." It entered English as a doublet of the more common word courteous.