COLVILLE
Colville is a surname of Anglo‑French and Scottish origin, commonly found in England, Scotland, and various parts of the former British Empire.
Its etymology derives from the Old French word col meaning “hill” and the Old English word ville meaning “settlement” or “village.” Hence, Colville originally identified a person who lived in or near a hilltop settlement. An alternative derivation traces the surname back to the toponym Colwell in Northumberland and Devonshire, England. In this context, the name combines the pre‑7th‑century Old English word col, meaning either charcoal or cool water, with weala, the word for spring or stream, or, in the Devonshire instance, with the river name Coly itself.
Other documented spellings include Colvill, Colvile, Colvillie, Colwill, and Coleville. The Norman French influence offers the form Colleville, a place in the department of Seine‑Maritime, where the name translates to “Koli’s settlement,” with Koli a Norse personal name. Early medieval records also list variations such as Colewille in the Domesday Book of 1086 and Colewell in tax charters of 1236.
The earliest definitive records of the surname in the British Isles appear in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. Notable entries include Roger de Colevil in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk in 1272, Walter de Colevile in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1273, and Samuel Colwell granted a ticket in 1678 to sail for New England aboard the ketch “William and Susan.” These documents confirm the presence of the name in Northumberland, Lincolnshire, and Devonshire during that period.
Following the Norman Conquest of 1066, the Colville family arrived in England from Normandy, settling initially in Lincolnshire before spreading to Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, and other counties. The surname’s connection to a particular hill or settlement facilitated its use as a means of distinguishing individuals within the expanding feudal society. In Scotland, the family was recognised as a chiefly house, holding lands and a feudal barony in Northumberland and neighbouring regions.
In contemporary times, the distribution of the surname demonstrates a pronounced concentration in the United Kingdom, particularly within Northumberland, a reflection of the historic family presence in that area. Outside the UK, United States records indicate a higher frequency of the surname, especially in Montana, while Australia shows the greatest density in Tasmania. The surname is also relatively common in Belize, where the name has appeared among the local population.
Throughout its history, the surname Colville has been associated with individuals who achieved distinction in a variety of fields, including the military, academia and the arts. The name’s evolution through different languages and regional dialects has produced a rich tapestry of spelling variants, each reflecting local linguistic practices and the movements of the families that carried it.
Typical given names associated with the Colville surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Robert
- Stephen
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Alison
- Barbara
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Colwill
- Colwell
- Calwell
- Coldwell
- Caldwell
- Coleville
- Colevill
- Calville
- Colvill
- Calafell
- Calvelo
- Calviello
- Calvillo
- Clavel
- Clavell
- Clavelle
- Clavill
- Cleovoulou
- Clevell
- Clivell
- Coalfield
- Colfield
- Collville
- Colvell
- Colvelle
- Colvie
- Colvil
- Colvile
- Colvine
- Covall
- Covel
- Covell
- Covil
- Covill
- Golvala
- Guilfoile
- Guilfoyle
- Kalvala
- Kilfoil
- Kilfoile
- Kilfoyle
- Killfoyle
- Kleffel
- Kleovoulou
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Colville in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 1,708 people named Colville in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,807th most common surname in Britain. Around 26 in a million people in Britain are named Colville.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Scotland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Colville
- Jock Colville - Civil servant and diarist (1915 to 1987)
- Charles Colville, 5th Viscount Colville of Culross - Television producer and director
- John Colville, 1st Baron Clydesmuir - Politician (1894 to 1954)
- Lady Cynthia Colville - Noblewoman and humanitarian (1884 to 1968)
- Bob Colville - Football player
- Randolph Colville - Musician (1942 to 2004)
- Alexander Colville, 7th Lord Colville of Culross - Royal Navy admiral (1717 to 1770)
- Andrew Galbraith Colville - (1846 to 1881)
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.