NameCensus.

UK surname

Coller

A surname derived from the Middle English word "coler" meaning charcoal burner or charcoal maker.

In the 1881 census there were 285 people recorded with the Coller surname, ranking it #10,070 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 289, ranked #15,137, down from #10,070 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Warwick, North Somerset and Shepway.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coller is 554 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.4%.

1881 census count

285

Ranked #10,070

Modern count

289

2016, ranked #15,137

Peak year

1861

554 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coller had 285 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,070 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 289 in 2016, ranked #15,137.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 554 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Coller surname distribution map

The map shows where the Coller surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Coller surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Coller over time

The 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 307 #7,502
1861 historical 554 #4,755
1881 historical 285 #10,070
1891 historical 470 #7,798
1901 historical 327 #10,966
1911 historical 426 #8,856
1997 modern 350 #12,172
1998 modern 360 #12,300
1999 modern 346 #12,726
2000 modern 334 #12,980
2001 modern 337 #12,702
2002 modern 352 #12,557
2003 modern 341 #12,655
2004 modern 333 #12,927
2005 modern 317 #13,323
2006 modern 313 #13,517
2007 modern 317 #13,532
2008 modern 321 #13,516
2009 modern 317 #13,899
2010 modern 322 #14,034
2011 modern 312 #14,230
2012 modern 300 #14,505
2013 modern 299 #14,780
2014 modern 306 #14,647
2015 modern 293 #15,005
2016 modern 289 #15,137

Geography

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Where Collers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Lambeth and Yeldham, Little. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Warwick, North Somerset, Shepway and Spelthorne. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Yeldham, Little Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Warwick 011 Warwick
2 North Somerset 006 North Somerset
3 Shepway 012 Shepway
4 Spelthorne 001 Spelthorne
5 Shepway 002 Shepway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Coller

These lists show first names that appear often with the Coller surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Coller

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Coller, 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

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Coller surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Coller household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Coller is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Coller is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Coller falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Coller is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Coller, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Coller

The surname Coller is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Shropshire, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "col," meaning "coal," and likely referred to someone who worked as a coal miner or dealer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Coller surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Colerus in Shropshire. This suggests that the name may have initially been spelled as "Coler" or a similar variation.

In the 13th century, records from the Shropshire area mention individuals with the surname Coller, such as Roger le Coler (1245) and William le Coler (1275). The use of the Norman French prefix "le" before the surname was common during this period.

The Coller surname also has strong ties to the village of Colebrookdale, located in Shropshire. This place name, originally spelled "Colbrokdel," is believed to have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

One notable individual with the Coller surname was John Coller (1564-1619), a prominent English composer and organist who served at the Chapel Royal during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another historical figure was Sir Samuel Coller (1638-1701), a successful merchant and landowner in Warwickshire, who was knighted by King Charles II in recognition of his contributions to the local community.

In the 18th century, the Coller surname gained prominence in various parts of England, with individuals such as Thomas Coller (1712-1784), a renowned clockmaker from London, and William Coller (1737-1806), a respected author and scholar from Oxford.

The Coller surname also spread to other parts of the British Isles, with notable individuals such as Robert Coller (1795-1867), a Scottish minister and educator who played a significant role in the development of education in Glasgow.

While the Coller surname has its roots in England, it has since been adopted by families in various countries around the world, reflecting the widespread migration and cultural exchange that has occurred throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Coller families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coller surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 75 Collers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.70x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 75 2.70x
Essex 51 9.29x
Kent 38 4.01x
Surrey 30 2.21x
Wiltshire 13 5.29x
Lancashire 12 0.36x
Hampshire 10 1.75x
Cheshire 9 1.47x
Perthshire 7 5.61x
Gloucestershire 5 0.92x
Northamptonshire 5 1.91x
Somerset 5 1.12x
Sussex 5 1.07x
Staffordshire 4 0.43x
Berkshire 3 1.44x
Buckinghamshire 3 1.79x
Glamorgan 2 0.41x
Norfolk 2 0.47x
Yorkshire 2 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.57x
Channel Islands 1 1.21x
Hertfordshire 1 0.52x
Warwickshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitstable in Kent leads with 14 Collers recorded in 1881 and an index of 301.08x.

Place Total Index
Whitstable 14 301.08x
Paddington London 10 9.78x
Battersea 9 8.80x
Chelsea London 9 10.74x
Deptford St Paul 9 12.30x
Lambeth 9 3.71x
Chelmsford 8 84.93x
Colchester St Peter 8 363.64x
West Ham 8 6.60x
Boldre 7 343.14x
Bow London 7 19.78x
Callander 7 339.81x
Hackney London 7 4.49x
Mountnessing 7 843.37x
Claughton With Grange 6 215.05x
Blackburn 5 5.70x
Hammersmith London 5 7.30x
Haverhill 5 1000.00x
Leyton 5 52.91x
Lower Boddington 5 2173.91x
St Pancras London 5 2.23x
Chippenham 4 77.52x
Isleworth 4 32.36x
Mile End Old Town London 4 6.76x
Newington 4 3.90x
South Hamlet 4 118.69x
St Andrew Holborn London 4 33.22x
St Giles Cripplegate 4 108.40x
West Derby 4 4.14x
Westminster St Margaret 4 29.83x
Winford 4 444.44x
Wolverhampton 4 5.54x
Aveley 3 326.09x
Bethnal Green London 3 2.48x
Charlton 3 47.62x
Christian Malford 3 400.00x
Hastings Holy Trinity 3 86.96x
Iver 3 138.25x
Lambourn 3 144.93x
Minster In Sheppey 3 19.10x
Portsea 3 2.69x
Ridgwell 3 476.19x
Stockport 3 9.50x
Sutton Benger 3 882.35x
Westminster St John 3 8.86x
Bermondsey 2 2.42x
Camberwell 2 1.13x
Cwmdu 2 33.90x
Gillingham 2 10.22x
Huddersfield 2 4.98x
Lakenham 2 32.95x
Poplar London 2 3.81x
Rayleigh 2 158.73x
Barnes 1 17.45x
Bishop Stortford 1 15.63x
Bristol St Paul In 1 6.88x
Brokenborough 1 285.71x
Colchester St Mary At 1 51.28x
Crompton 1 10.65x
Dry Drayton 1 277.78x
East Wickham 1 89.29x
Eastbourne 1 4.64x
Farnham 1 9.50x
Faversham 1 11.06x
Feltham 1 35.97x
Folkestone 1 5.43x
Fulwood 1 28.09x
Grouville 1 43.48x
Guston 1 263.16x
Kensington London 1 0.65x
Leigh Delamere 1 1000.00x
North Chapel 1 131.58x
Rugby 1 10.55x
Salford 1 1.03x
Southwark Christchurch 1 7.67x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.04x
St Michael Wood Street 1 769.23x
Sutton 1 10.20x
Weston Super Mare 1 8.85x
Woolwich 1 2.85x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Coller surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 13
Elizabeth 12
Sarah 10
Jane 8
Ann 6
Emma 6
Annie 5
Eliza 5
Emily 4
Florence 4
Ellen 3
Louisa 3
Susan 3
Catherine 2
Christiana 2
Clara 2
Constance 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Lydia 2
Rose 2
Anne 1
Caroline 1
E. 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz.Ann 1
Esther 1
Eugenie 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Jannett 1
Jessie 1
Laura 1
Lilla 1
Lillian 1
Lousia 1
Lucy 1
Marianne 1
Minnie 1
Pricella 1
Rebeca 1
Rosa 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Coller surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
George 15
Thomas 13
William 13
James 11
John 10
Frederick 7
Joseph 5
Robert 5
Charles 4
Edward 4
Ernest 4
Henry 4
Richard 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Frank 3
Harry 3
Arthur 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Geo. 2
Alfred 1
Charley 1
Chas. 1
Cornelius 1
David 1
Duffield 1
Fred 1
Fred.E.W. 1
Fredk. 1
Geo.Alfred 1
Herbert 1
Jesse 1
Margaret 1
Martin 1
Percival 1
Samuel 1
Wilm. 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Edwd. 1

FAQ

Coller surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coller surname in 1881?

In 1881, 285 people were recorded with the Coller surname. That placed it at #10,070 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coller surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 289 in 2016. That gives Coller a modern rank of #15,137.

What does the Coller surname mean?

A surname derived from the Middle English word "coler" meaning charcoal burner or charcoal maker.

What does the Coller map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Coller bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

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.