NameCensus.

UK surname

Collings

Derived from a place name meaning "the descendant of Colin" or "settlement of Colin's people" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 3,489 people recorded with the Collings surname, ranking it #1,305 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,970, ranked #1,706, down from #1,305 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tormoham with Torquay and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torbay, Cornwall and South Hams.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Collings is 4,266 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.8%.

1881 census count

3,489

Ranked #1,305

Modern count

3,970

2016, ranked #1,706

Peak year

1999

4,266 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Collings had 3,489 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,305 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,970 in 2016, ranked #1,706.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,230 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Collings surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Collings surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Collings 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 2,869 #1,016
1861 historical 2,785 #1,048
1881 historical 3,489 #1,305
1891 historical 3,666 #1,305
1901 historical 3,724 #1,507
1911 historical 4,230 #1,228
1997 modern 4,127 #1,570
1998 modern 4,240 #1,584
1999 modern 4,266 #1,586
2000 modern 4,177 #1,621
2001 modern 4,128 #1,593
2002 modern 4,195 #1,599
2003 modern 4,104 #1,602
2004 modern 4,109 #1,597
2005 modern 4,031 #1,613
2006 modern 3,972 #1,637
2007 modern 3,990 #1,650
2008 modern 3,990 #1,665
2009 modern 4,045 #1,678
2010 modern 4,105 #1,687
2011 modern 4,055 #1,690
2012 modern 3,950 #1,705
2013 modern 4,050 #1,693
2014 modern 4,069 #1,696
2015 modern 4,022 #1,698
2016 modern 3,970 #1,706

Geography

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Where Collings' are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Torbay, Cornwall and South Hams. 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 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torbay 013 Torbay
2 Cornwall 031 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 027 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 028 Cornwall
5 South Hams 003 South Hams

Forenames

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First names often paired with Collings

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Collings

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Collings, 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 Collings surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Collings 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, Collings 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

Collings is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Collings falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Collings

The surname COLLINGS has its origins in England, likely emerging in the 13th or 14th century. It is derived from the Old English word "coll," meaning "coal," and the suffix "-ing," which denotes a patronymic or occupational name. This suggests that the name initially referred to someone who worked with coal, such as a coal miner or merchant.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval records from various parts of England. One notable example is the appearance of William Collyng in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327. The surname also appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, with the spelling "Colyng."

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Colling, Collings, and Collinges. This variation in spelling was common during this period due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions. One example is John Collinges, who was recorded in the Parish Registers of Shropshire in 1598.

The surname COLLINGS may also be linked to certain place names in England, such as Collingbourne in Wiltshire or Collington in Somerset. These place names likely derived from the Old English words "coll" and "tun," meaning "coal town" or "coal settlement."

Historically, the name COLLINGS has been associated with several notable individuals. One such person was William Collings (1675-1743), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of planetary motion and published works on navigation.

Another notable figure was Jesse Collings (1831-1920), an English politician and activist who advocated for workers' rights and land reform. He served as a Member of Parliament and played a significant role in the establishment of allotments for agricultural workers.

In the literary realm, David Collings (1940-2003) was a British actor renowned for his portrayal of Gandalf in the BBC radio adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" in the 1980s.

Samuel Collings (1690-1765) was an English Presbyterian minister and author who wrote on religious topics, including a commentary on the Book of Revelation.

John Collings (1808-1879) was a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, such as the Ipswich Railway Station and the Church of St. Matthew in Bethnal Green.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Collings families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Collings 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. Devon leads with 463 Collings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.40x.

County Total Index
Devon 463 6.40x
Middlesex 454 1.31x
Lancashire 328 0.80x
Cornwall 272 6.91x
Surrey 197 1.16x
Somerset 166 2.97x
Kent 165 1.39x
Gloucestershire 144 2.11x
Yorkshire 143 0.42x
Sussex 120 2.05x
Hampshire 93 1.31x
Durham 87 0.84x
Suffolk 64 1.51x
Channel Islands 63 6.12x
Warwickshire 63 0.72x
Buckinghamshire 59 2.81x
Norfolk 58 1.09x
Glamorgan 57 0.94x
Cheshire 50 0.65x
Essex 47 0.69x
Shropshire 47 1.57x
Staffordshire 43 0.37x
Nottinghamshire 40 0.85x
Hertfordshire 39 1.63x
Monmouthshire 39 1.55x
Leicestershire 30 0.78x
Wiltshire 27 0.88x
Dorset 23 1.01x
Cambridgeshire 22 1.00x
Lincolnshire 21 0.38x
Derbyshire 18 0.33x
Berkshire 17 0.65x
Worcestershire 14 0.31x
Bedfordshire 12 0.67x
Northumberland 11 0.21x
Oxfordshire 11 0.51x
Royal Navy 11 2.66x
Northamptonshire 10 0.31x
Renfrewshire 7 0.26x
Angus 6 0.19x
Huntingdonshire 6 0.87x
Cumberland 4 0.13x
Herefordshire 2 0.14x
Lanarkshire 2 0.02x
Midlothian 2 0.04x
Denbighshire 1 0.08x
Inverness-shire 1 0.10x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.09x
Stirlingshire 1 0.08x
Westmorland 1 0.13x
Wigtownshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Plymouth St Andrew in Devon leads with 63 Collings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.30x.

Place Total Index
Plymouth St Andrew 63 11.30x
Brighton 57 4.82x
Camberwell 55 2.48x
Islington London 48 1.42x
Stoke Gabriel 45 589.01x
Kenninghall 44 299.93x
St Peter Port 43 22.57x
Pelynt 40 500.00x
St Pancras London 38 1.36x
Deptford St Paul 37 4.05x
Oldham 36 2.70x
Stoke Damerel 36 7.11x
Kensington London 35 1.81x
Lambeth 35 1.15x
St Marylebone London 35 1.89x
East Stonehouse 33 23.15x
Hackney London 33 1.69x
Brixham 29 34.59x
Tormoham 29 9.47x
Birmingham 28 0.96x
Wolverhampton 26 2.88x
Calstock 25 32.40x
Manchester 25 1.35x
Plymouth Charles The 25 7.84x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 24 3.74x
Bulwell 24 23.56x
Westminster St John 24 5.67x
Portsea 23 1.65x
Tonge 23 26.58x
Morval 22 273.63x
Shoreditch London 22 1.46x
Bedminster 21 3.99x
Lanteglos By Fowey 21 131.17x
Toxteth Park 21 1.50x
St Woollos 20 7.13x
Maker 19 52.27x
St Helier 19 5.67x
St George Hanover 18 3.97x
Aylesbury 17 18.26x
Bristol St George 17 5.39x
Cardiff St Mary 17 5.10x
Exeter St Sidwell 17 10.26x
Hammersmith London 17 1.99x
Paddington London 17 1.33x
Sheffield 17 1.55x
Bethnal Green London 16 1.06x
Croydon 16 1.70x
West Derby 16 1.33x
Gorton 15 3.87x
Habergham Eaves 15 3.98x
Liverpool 15 0.60x
Poplar London 15 2.29x
Runcorn 15 8.48x
Bishopwearmouth 14 1.58x
Blackley 14 19.36x
Clerkenwell London 14 1.71x
Liskeard 14 21.26x
Southampton St Mary 14 3.13x
Sunbury 14 33.53x
West Ham 14 0.92x
Abbots Langley 13 36.53x
Bristol St James St Paul 13 5.72x
Gomersal 13 8.09x
Ludlow St Lawrence 13 21.76x
Newent 13 37.52x
Spotland 13 2.84x
Thornbury 13 27.90x
Birkenhead 12 1.96x
Coventry St Michael 12 4.26x
East Cranmore 12 769.23x
Farnworth 12 4.86x
Hove 12 4.67x
Millbrook 12 6.69x
Perranarworthal 12 91.25x
Probus 12 74.40x
Richmond 12 5.06x
St Andrewthe Less 12 4.77x
St Anne Soho London 12 6.05x
St George In East 12 5.08x
Tottenham 12 2.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 234
Sarah 141
Elizabeth 139
Ann 66
Emily 62
Ellen 59
Eliza 57
Emma 56
Alice 55
Jane 52
Annie 45
Louisa 35
Hannah 33
Margaret 28
Edith 23
Florence 23
Kate 20
Catherine 19
Martha 19
Maria 18
Caroline 17
Charlotte 16
Harriett 16
Harriet 15
Matilda 15
Susan 15
Clara 14
Fanny 14
Ada 13
Julia 13
Lucy 13
Frances 12
Jessie 12
Beatrice 11
Bessie 11
Anne 10
Grace 10
Henrietta 10
Minnie 10
Agnes 9
Amy 9
Anna 9
Ethel 9
Amelia 8
Elizth. 7
Esther 7
Isabella 7
Lydia 7
Rose 7
Georgina 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 240
William 229
Thomas 118
George 117
James 105
Charles 72
Henry 71
Joseph 52
Edward 46
Samuel 37
Albert 36
Frederick 34
Richard 34
Robert 33
Alfred 32
Arthur 31
Walter 19
Harry 15
Edwin 14
Frank 14
Herbert 13
Francis 10
David 9
Ernest 9
Jesse 8
Peter 8
Giles 7
Patrick 7
Wm. 7
Benjamin 6
Hy. 5
Nicholas 5
Sidney 5
Stephen 5
Sydney 5
Thos. 5
Tom 5
Abraham 4
Daniel 4
Frederic 4
Fredrick 4
Infant 4
Isaac 4
Michael 4
Percy 4
Charley 3
Chas. 3
J. 3
Jas. 3
Richd. 3

FAQ

Collings surname: questions and answers

How common was the Collings surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,489 people were recorded with the Collings surname. That placed it at #1,305 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Collings surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,970 in 2016. That gives Collings a modern rank of #1,706.

What does the Collings surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "the descendant of Colin" or "settlement of Colin's people" in Old English.

What does the Collings map show?

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