NameCensus.

UK surname

Collie

A Scottish and Irish surname likely derived from a place name or referring to someone from Coll.

In the 1881 census there were 1,084 people recorded with the Collie surname, ranking it #3,666 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,108, ranked #5,305, down from #3,666 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edinburgh, Inveravon and Duthill and Rothiemurcus. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kemnay, Dunecht, Durris and Drumoak and Logie and Blackness.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Collie is 1,175 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.2%.

1881 census count

1,084

Ranked #3,666

Modern count

1,108

2016, ranked #5,305

Peak year

1999

1,175 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Collie had 1,084 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,666 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,108 in 2016, ranked #5,305.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,174 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Collie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Collie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Collie 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 903 #3,047
1861 historical 926 #2,999
1881 historical 1,084 #3,666
1891 historical 1,174 #3,643
1901 historical 1,102 #4,382
1911 historical 261 #12,526
1997 modern 1,111 #5,027
1998 modern 1,155 #5,036
1999 modern 1,175 #5,018
2000 modern 1,158 #5,056
2001 modern 1,142 #5,019
2002 modern 1,164 #5,037
2003 modern 1,121 #5,099
2004 modern 1,119 #5,110
2005 modern 1,107 #5,103
2006 modern 1,092 #5,170
2007 modern 1,104 #5,172
2008 modern 1,098 #5,226
2009 modern 1,117 #5,248
2010 modern 1,143 #5,267
2011 modern 1,100 #5,369
2012 modern 1,071 #5,404
2013 modern 1,105 #5,351
2014 modern 1,115 #5,332
2015 modern 1,111 #5,313
2016 modern 1,108 #5,305

Geography

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Where Collies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edinburgh, Inveravon, Duthill and Rothiemurcus, Glasgow and Belhelvie. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kemnay, Dunecht, Durris and Drumoak, Logie and Blackness, New Elgin West and Stonehaven South. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Edinburgh Edinburgh
2 Inveravon Banff
3 Duthill and Rothiemurcus Inverness
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Belhelvie Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kemnay Aberdeenshire
2 Dunecht, Durris and Drumoak Aberdeenshire
3 Logie and Blackness Dundee City
4 New Elgin West Moray
5 Stonehaven South Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Collie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Collie

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Collie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Collie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Collie is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Collie is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Collie falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Collie is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Collie

The surname Collie is of Scottish origin and is believed to have originated in the 16th or 17th century. It likely derives from the Scots word "col" or "coll," which means a young cow or calf, suggesting that the name may have been an occupational surname for a cattle herder or someone who worked with calves.

The earliest known record of the surname Collie dates back to the late 16th century. One of the earliest recorded instances is in the Parish Records of Dumfries, Scotland, where a William Collie is mentioned in 1586. Another early record is from the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland, which mentions a John Collie in 1592.

In the 17th century, the surname Collie appears in various Scottish records, including the Parish Registers of Lanarkshire, where a James Collie is recorded in 1642, and the Parish Registers of Banchory-Ternan, where a Thomas Collie is mentioned in 1674.

One notable individual bearing the surname Collie was David Collie (1711-1765), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1762 until his death.

Another famous Collie was Alexander Collie (1793-1835), a Scottish botanist and surgeon who participated in several explorations in Australia and South Africa. He was responsible for collecting and identifying numerous plant species.

In the 19th century, John Norman Collie (1859-1942) was a Scottish chemist and academic who made significant contributions to the study of ring compounds and held positions at University College London and the University of Cambridge.

Samuel Collie (1835-1905) was a Scottish-born artist and illustrator who worked in Australia and is renowned for his paintings depicting scenes of rural life in colonial Australia.

The surname Collie has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Collie Law, a hill in the Scottish Borders, and Collie Hill, a location in Angus.

While the surname Collie is predominantly Scottish, it has also been found in other parts of the United Kingdom and in countries with Scottish immigration, such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Collie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Collie 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 340 Collies recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.07x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 340 35.07x
Kincardineshire 115 90.22x
Banffshire 82 37.77x
Angus 67 6.91x
Midlothian 65 4.64x
Morayshire 59 36.28x
Lanarkshire 50 1.48x
Middlesex 41 0.39x
Lancashire 32 0.26x
Inverness-shire 29 9.28x
Surrey 26 0.51x
Durham 23 0.74x
Yorkshire 18 0.17x
Kent 12 0.34x
Perthshire 11 2.34x
Northumberland 9 0.58x
Warwickshire 9 0.34x
Berwickshire 8 6.31x
Fife 8 1.29x
Gloucestershire 8 0.39x
Renfrewshire 7 0.86x
Argyllshire 6 2.06x
Derbyshire 6 0.37x
Hampshire 6 0.28x
Ross-shire 6 2.09x
Ayrshire 5 0.64x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.71x
Cumberland 3 0.33x
Selkirkshire 3 3.17x
Worcestershire 3 0.22x
Channel Islands 2 0.64x
Herefordshire 2 0.47x
Lincolnshire 2 0.12x
Denbighshire 1 0.25x
Dorset 1 0.15x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.36x
Norfolk 1 0.06x
Staffordshire 1 0.03x
Stirlingshire 1 0.26x
Sussex 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 119 Collies recorded in 1881 and an index of 58.80x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 119 58.80x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 98 54.03x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 32 5.67x
Inveravon 26 281.08x
Fetteresso 24 120.18x
Banff 23 121.95x
Banchory Devenick 21 176.32x
Duffus 21 146.55x
Brechin 20 52.48x
Montrose 20 34.03x
Belhelvie 17 256.41x
Govan 15 1.79x
Banchory Ternan 14 127.04x
Duthil 14 234.51x
Gamrie 14 57.76x
Birse 13 330.79x
Fettercairn 13 239.85x
Glasgow 13 2.16x
Barony 12 1.40x
Maryculter 12 312.50x
Peterhead 12 23.41x
Bishopwearmouth 11 4.12x
Toxteth Park 11 2.62x
Edinburgh St Andrews 10 86.36x
Battersea 9 2.34x
Dundee 9 2.49x
Peterculter 9 131.58x
Premnay 9 270.27x
Birmingham 8 0.91x
Bromley London 8 3.47x
Dawdon 8 20.89x
Drainie 8 55.52x
Hutton 8 230.55x
Lambeth 8 0.88x
Newhills 8 40.30x
Paddington London 8 2.08x
York St Mary 8 18.62x
Edinburgh Newington 7 280.00x
Elgin 7 22.12x
Kinneff Catterline 7 194.99x
St Vigeans 7 13.37x
Urquhart 7 91.03x
Croy Dalcross 6 97.09x
Fordyce 6 38.41x
Kirkdale 6 2.87x
Lewisham 6 3.15x
Liberton 6 27.73x
New Monkland 6 6.00x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 6 6.45x
Rotherhithe 6 4.64x
Urray 6 67.19x
Wemyss 6 22.88x
Benholm 5 91.41x
Coull 5 175.44x
Dun 5 257.73x
Dunnottar 5 55.74x
Fyvie 5 31.61x
Hampstead London 5 3.07x
Huntly 5 31.71x
Kincardine O Neil 5 72.25x
Manchester 5 0.90x
Monkton Prestwick 5 65.62x
Mortlach 5 47.17x
Rattray 5 45.70x
Rothes 5 63.05x
West Derby 5 1.38x
Wootton St Lawrence 5 140.06x
Alves 4 99.01x
Beckenham 4 8.57x
Botriphnie 4 159.36x
Chapel Of Garioch 4 57.97x
Chelsea London 4 1.27x
Derby St Alkmund 4 8.15x
Glenorchy Inishail 4 119.05x
Insch 4 72.60x
Kensington London 4 0.69x
Laurencekirk 4 54.20x
Nigg 4 37.95x
Tyrie 4 32.87x
Logie Buchan 3 107.91x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 14
John 13
William 13
Alexander 6
George 6
Charles 5
David 5
Andrew 3
Adam 2
Archibald 2
Arthur 2
Evan 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Alfred 1
Allan 1
Donald 1
Duglas 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Henri 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Lewis 1
Mackintosh 1
Matthew 1
Peter 1
Richd.H. 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Collie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Collie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,084 people were recorded with the Collie surname. That placed it at #3,666 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Collie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,108 in 2016. That gives Collie a modern rank of #5,305.

What does the Collie surname mean?

A Scottish and Irish surname likely derived from a place name or referring to someone from Coll.

What does the Collie map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Collie 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.