UK surname
A surname derived from an Old English place name meaning "charcoal grove".
In the 1881 census there were 49 people recorded with the Colgrove surname, ranking it #26,735 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 13, ranked #37,278, down from #26,735 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Winslow, Clapham and Leigh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Colgrove is 102 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 73.5%.
1881 census count
49
Ranked #26,735
Modern count
13
2016, ranked #37,278
Peak year
1851
102 bearers
Map years
1
1851 to 1851
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Colgrove surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Colgrove surname density by area, 1851 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 102 | #16,933 |
| 1861 | historical | 32 | #29,944 |
| 1881 | historical | 49 | #26,735 |
| 1891 | historical | 99 | #24,200 |
| 1901 | historical | 75 | #25,852 |
| 1911 | historical | 50 | #27,806 |
| 1997 | modern | 21 | #35,692 |
| 1998 | modern | 22 | #35,687 |
| 1999 | modern | 20 | #35,923 |
| 2000 | modern | 21 | #35,799 |
| 2001 | modern | 21 | #35,646 |
| 2002 | modern | 22 | #35,709 |
| 2003 | modern | 24 | #35,552 |
| 2004 | modern | 24 | #35,697 |
| 2005 | modern | 23 | #35,924 |
| 2006 | modern | 20 | #36,254 |
| 2007 | modern | 19 | #36,450 |
| 2008 | modern | 21 | #36,355 |
| 2009 | modern | 22 | #36,394 |
| 2010 | modern | 22 | #36,462 |
| 2011 | modern | 23 | #36,369 |
| 2012 | modern | 21 | #36,490 |
| 2013 | modern | 17 | #36,857 |
| 2014 | modern | 16 | #36,974 |
| 2015 | modern | 15 | #37,070 |
| 2016 | modern | 13 | #37,278 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Winslow, Clapham, Leigh, Swanbourne and Luton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Winslow | Buckinghamshire |
| 2 | Clapham | Bedfordshire |
| 3 | Leigh | Essex |
| 4 | Swanbourne | Buckinghamshire |
| 5 | Luton | Bedfordshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Colgrove surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Colgrove, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Colgrove surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Colgrove household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Colgrove is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Colgrove is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Colgrove, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Colgrove is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "col," meaning charcoal or coal, and "grove," referring to a small wooded area. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near or worked in a charcoal-burning area or a coal-producing region.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Colgrove can be traced back to the 13th century in various county records and tax rolls across England. One of the earliest documented individuals with this surname was Robert de Colgrove, who was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Court Rolls of Wiltshire, where a John Colgrove was listed as a landowner. During this time, the surname was also spelled as Colegroue, Colgreve, and Colgriffe, reflecting the variations in spelling that were common before standardization.
The Colgrove surname is associated with several place names in England, such as Colgrove Farm in Somerset and Colgrove Manor in Buckinghamshire. These locations may have been named after early bearers of the surname or vice versa.
Notable individuals with the Colgrove surname throughout history include:
1. William Colgrove (c. 1580 - 1637), an English poet and playwright during the Jacobean era. 2. Sarah Colgrove (1710 - 1792), an American colonist and one of the first settlers in the town of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. 3. John Colgrove (1759 - 1838), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. 4. James Colgrove (1816 - 1898), an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Indiana. 5. Harriet Colgrove (1870 - 1942), an American educator and suffragist who advocated for women's rights and educational reform.
While the Colgrove surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, through emigration and migration patterns over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Colgrove surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Buckinghamshire leads with 25 Colgroves recorded in 1881 and an index of 86.54x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Buckinghamshire | 25 | 86.54x |
| Essex | 6 | 6.36x |
| Middlesex | 5 | 1.05x |
| Oxfordshire | 5 | 16.94x |
| Bedfordshire | 3 | 12.12x |
| Surrey | 3 | 1.29x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 1.07x |
| Northamptonshire | 1 | 2.22x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Winslow in Buckinghamshire leads with 10 Colgroves recorded in 1881 and an index of 3703.70x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Winslow | 10 | 3703.70x |
| Swanbourne | 7 | 8750.00x |
| Buckingham | 5 | 847.46x |
| Prittlewell | 5 | 381.68x |
| Swerford | 5 | 7142.86x |
| Kensington London | 3 | 11.29x |
| Luton | 3 | 70.09x |
| Adstock | 2 | 3333.33x |
| Barnes | 2 | 204.08x |
| Edgcott | 1 | 10000.00x |
| Great Wakering | 1 | 476.19x |
| Lambeth | 1 | 2.40x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 3.92x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 2.60x |
| Stratton | 1 | 909.09x |
| Thornborough | 1 | 1111.11x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Colgrove surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Colgrove surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Colgrove households.
FAQ
In 1881, 49 people were recorded with the Colgrove surname. That placed it at #26,735 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 13 in 2016. That gives Colgrove a modern rank of #37,278.
A surname derived from an Old English place name meaning "charcoal grove".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Colgrove bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.