COLLINSON
Collinson is a patronymic surname of English origin, meaning son of Colin. The personal name Colin is a diminutive of Nicholas, itself derived from the Greek Nikolaos. The suffix -son indicates descent, so the name describes a descendant of a man named Colin.
The surname has been recorded in many forms, including Collin, Colin, Collins, Collison and Collinson. Early documentary evidence includes a reference to a John Collin in the king’s roll of Devonshire in the year 121, and a John Colnson mentioned in the pipe rolls of Yorkshire in 1349.
In addition to its English roots, the name is classified as an Anglo‑Gaelic surname. Two distinct origins are recognised. The first is linked to the Greek‑Roman personal name Nikolaos, meaning *victory of the people*; this form was introduced to Britain by returning Crusader knights and pilgrims in the 12th century. The second origin is associated with the Gaelic Coileain, meaning *the young hound*, which was normally prefixed by Mac or O and was recorded primarily in the west of Ireland. The Gaelic form has often been confused with the English surnames Collins and Cullen.
Among the earliest Irish holders of the name was Father Dominic Collins, who lived from 1553 to 1602. A more recent and notable bearer was Michael Collins, who was a prominent leader of the Irish freedom movement from 1890 until his assassination in 1926 during the Irish Civil War. Though his surname is Laotician, it illustrates the broader historical connections between the name and Irish history.
Throughout its use in the British Isles, the Collinson surname has been associated with Christian faith and a predominantly English-speaking cultural context. Its patronymic nature reflects a widespread practice in England of forming family names from a father’s given name combined with -son, a convention that helped identify lineage in a period when personal identity was closely tied to family and ancestry.
Typical given names associated with the Collinson surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Gillian
- Helen
- Janet
- Julie
- Kathleen
- Margaret
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Rachel
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Collison
- Collins
- Collings
- Collinge
- Colling
- Collin
- Colin
- Colins
- Callinson
- Coleinson
- Clinson
- Colenson
- Colinson
- Collenson
- Collignon
- Collingson
- Collinsan
- Collinsen
- Collisson
- Cullinson
- Colignon
- Colison
- Collenso
- Collines
- Collingdon
- Collington
- Collinns
- Collino
- Collinsons
- Collinswood
- Collinton
- Collisen
- Colllins
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Collinson in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Collinson are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Chocolate chip cookie.
There are approximately 6,826 people named Collinson in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,379th most common surname in Britain. Around 105 in a million people in Britain are named Collinson.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Collinson
- Michaela Ewuraba Boakye-Collinson - Poet, singer-songwriter, screenwriter, actress, playwright
- Phil Collinson - TV Producer, actor
- Peter Collinson - Film director (1936 to 1980)
- Patrick Collinson - Historian (1929 to 2011)
- James Collinson - Artist (1825 to 1881)
- Richard Collinson - Royal Navy admiral (1811 to 1883)
- William Edward Collinson - Linguist (1889 to 1969)
- Robert Collinson - Cricketer and rugby union football player (1875 to 1963)
- John Collinson - Cricketer (1911 to 1979)
- Edward Collinson - Cricketer (1849 to 1920)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.