NameCensus.

UK surname

Colling

A dialectal English surname derived from a nickname meaning "coal-bearer" or "charcoal seller."

In the 1881 census there were 767 people recorded with the Colling surname, ranking it #4,821 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 907, ranked #6,265, down from #4,821 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Sunderland and Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Scarborough, County Durham and Blaenau Gwent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Colling is 1,281 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.3%.

1881 census count

767

Ranked #4,821

Modern count

907

2016, ranked #6,265

Peak year

1861

1,281 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Colling had 767 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,821 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 907 in 2016, ranked #6,265.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,281 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Colling surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Colling surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Colling 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 796 #3,353
1861 historical 1,281 #2,226
1881 historical 767 #4,821
1891 historical 1,043 #4,009
1901 historical 860 #5,316
1911 historical 1,009 #4,510
1997 modern 964 #5,654
1998 modern 977 #5,784
1999 modern 980 #5,802
2000 modern 975 #5,814
2001 modern 938 #5,872
2002 modern 958 #5,885
2003 modern 941 #5,877
2004 modern 955 #5,822
2005 modern 927 #5,894
2006 modern 909 #5,995
2007 modern 906 #6,057
2008 modern 936 #5,946
2009 modern 938 #6,058
2010 modern 952 #6,114
2011 modern 968 #5,971
2012 modern 909 #6,209
2013 modern 921 #6,242
2014 modern 932 #6,223
2015 modern 919 #6,231
2016 modern 907 #6,265

Geography

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Where Collings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Sunderland, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841), London parishes and Filey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Scarborough, County Durham, Blaenau Gwent and Sunderland. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Sunderland Durham
3 Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) Devon
4 London parishes London 3
5 Filey Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Scarborough 014 Scarborough
2 County Durham 046 County Durham
3 Blaenau Gwent 006 Blaenau Gwent
4 Sunderland 020 Sunderland
5 Sunderland 022 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Colling

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Colling

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Colling 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

Colling 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

Colling falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Colling 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 Colling, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Colling

The surname COLLING is of English origin, first appearing in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "col" meaning coal and "ing" denoting a place, likely referring to a settlement or village where coal was mined or traded. The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1190, where it appears as "Thomas de Coling".

The name COLLING is closely associated with the coalfields of Yorkshire and Northumberland in northern England. Several place names in these regions, such as Collingwood and Collingworth, share the same root, suggesting the name's origins are tied to these areas. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Robert de Colling, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297.

In the 14th century, the name COLLING appeared in the famous Domesday Book, a manuscript record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This entry provides evidence of the name's longevity and establishment in medieval England.

Notable historical figures with the surname COLLING include John Colling (1725-1795), an English farmer and one of the pioneers of selective breeding in livestock. His work on breeding cattle and horses laid the foundation for modern breeding practices. Another prominent bearer of the name was William Colling (1773-1854), an English artist and engraver known for his landscape paintings and etchings.

Other individuals of note include Samuel Colling (1694-1763), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of comets and celestial mechanics. Thomas Colling (1784-1853) was a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament.

In the literary world, Mary Colling (1677-1762) was an English poet and translator, best known for her translations of works by Italian authors such as Tasso and Guarini. Her poetry collections were widely popular in the 18th century.

While the name COLLING has its roots in northern England, it has since spread to other parts of the United Kingdom and beyond, carried by families and individuals who have left their mark on various fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Colling families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Colling 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. Durham leads with 317 Collings recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.33x.

County Total Index
Durham 317 14.33x
Yorkshire 96 1.30x
Lancashire 82 0.93x
Middlesex 56 0.75x
Devon 48 3.10x
Warwickshire 26 1.39x
Surrey 22 0.61x
Cornwall 14 1.66x
Northumberland 14 1.27x
Sussex 12 0.96x
Kent 10 0.39x
Essex 9 0.61x
Cumberland 8 1.25x
Wiltshire 7 1.06x
Bedfordshire 6 1.56x
Dorset 6 1.23x
Denbighshire 5 1.78x
Hertfordshire 4 0.78x
Somerset 3 0.25x
Cheshire 2 0.12x
Glamorgan 2 0.15x
Hampshire 2 0.13x
Lincolnshire 2 0.17x
Monmouthshire 2 0.37x
Royal Navy 2 2.26x
Berkshire 1 0.18x
Fife 1 0.23x
Midlothian 1 0.10x
Northamptonshire 1 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 35 Collings recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.44x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 35 18.44x
Stanhope 33 144.55x
Hartlepool 27 85.91x
Guisbrough 22 136.65x
Arrow 19 2134.83x
Filey 19 319.33x
Stockton On Tees 18 16.89x
Heworth 17 39.01x
Shildon 16 90.04x
Eldon 15 428.57x
Manchester 14 3.53x
Darlington 12 14.05x
Plymouth Charles The 12 17.61x
Burnley 11 14.81x
Conside Knitsley 11 63.95x
Islington London 11 1.53x
Sunderland 11 28.17x
Tavistock 11 62.39x
Hulme 10 5.43x
Kensington London 10 2.42x
Brighton 9 3.56x
Dawdon 9 33.09x
Hetton Le Hole 9 32.12x
Newton 9 13.24x
Plymouth St Andrew 9 7.55x
St Pancras London 9 1.50x
West Ham 9 2.78x
Wolsingham 9 44.67x
Lambeth 8 1.23x
Oldham 8 2.81x
Devizes St Mary 7 105.42x
Ferryhill 7 90.56x
Forcett With Carkin 7 486.11x
Middlesbrough 7 7.30x
St Breock 7 153.85x
Whitby 7 28.20x
Battersea 6 2.19x
Bedford St Peter 6 60.00x
Crompton 6 23.89x
Farlam 6 148.88x
Milton Abbott 6 267.86x
Monkwearmouth Shore 6 13.90x
Muggleswick 6 280.37x
Plumstead 6 7.10x
St Issey 6 348.84x
Stranton 6 8.06x
Tanfield 6 22.81x
Bersham 5 41.74x
Castleton 5 5.68x
Evenwood Barony 5 66.49x
Great Torrington 5 57.01x
Horton 5 91.41x
Hurworth 5 129.20x
Thrislington 5 2631.58x
Trimdon 5 63.94x
Whitechapel London 5 6.82x
Willington 5 39.12x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.24x
Birmingham 4 0.64x
Embleton 4 1379.31x
Moston 4 45.20x
Richmond 4 34.75x
Shoreditch London 4 1.24x
Southwick 4 19.10x
Todbere 4 952.38x
Bishop Auckland 3 10.11x
Bradfield 3 10.56x
Devonport 3 16.87x
Habergham Eaves 3 3.72x
Heighington 3 185.19x
Houghton Le Spring 3 19.62x
Kingston On Thames 3 3.45x
Redbourn 3 53.57x
Scarborough 3 4.48x
St Marylebone London 3 0.76x
Streatlam Stainton 3 344.83x
Todmorden Walsden 3 12.70x
Barnard Castle 2 18.30x
Birkenhead 2 1.53x
St George Hanover 2 2.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 63
Elizabeth 43
Jane 24
Sarah 22
Margaret 20
Ann 16
Hannah 15
Alice 11
Isabella 10
Emma 9
Eliza 8
Annie 5
Edith 5
Ellen 5
Emily 5
Martha 5
Catherine 4
Matilda 4
Ada 3
Eleanor 3
Eliz. 3
Esther 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Harriett 3
Kate 3
Maria 3
Amelia 2
Betsy 2
Celenia 2
Charlotte 2
Christian 2
Dinah 2
E. 2
Elizth. 2
Ethel 2
Eva 2
Eveline 2
Florence 2
Helen 2
Henrietta 2
Katherine 2
Louisa 2
Miriam 2
Rhoda 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Elenor 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 60
William 49
Thomas 26
James 22
Robert 21
Joseph 16
George 15
Charles 12
Henry 10
Edward 7
Richard 7
Cuthbert 6
Ernest 6
Francis 6
Alfred 4
Arthur 3
Benjamin 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Patrick 3
Samuel 3
Thos. 3
Whitfield 3
Wm. 3
Edmund 2
Fredk. 2
Matthew 2
Michael 2
Percival 2
Peter 2
Ralph 2
Septimus 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Anthony 1
Chas 1
Chls. 1
Coryndow 1
David 1
Emerson 1
Featherstone 1
Frank 1
Geo.Ernest 1
Jno. 1
John.W. 1
Joshua 1
Michal 1
Nicholas 1
Paul 1

FAQ

Colling surname: questions and answers

How common was the Colling surname in 1881?

In 1881, 767 people were recorded with the Colling surname. That placed it at #4,821 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Colling surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 907 in 2016. That gives Colling a modern rank of #6,265.

What does the Colling surname mean?

A dialectal English surname derived from a nickname meaning "coal-bearer" or "charcoal seller."

What does the Colling map show?

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