NameCensus.

UK surname

Collington

Locational surname derived from a place name in England, potentially meaning "settlement by a hazel grove".

In the 1881 census there were 209 people recorded with the Collington surname, ranking it #12,475 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 417, ranked #11,504, up from #12,475 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Poole St James, Sileby and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Charnwood, South Derbyshire and Melton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Collington is 430 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 99.5%.

1881 census count

209

Ranked #12,475

Modern count

417

2016, ranked #11,504

Peak year

2010

430 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Collington had 209 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,475 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 417 in 2016, ranked #11,504.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 273 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Collington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Collington surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Collington 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 100 #17,164
1861 historical 230 #10,611
1881 historical 209 #12,475
1891 historical 258 #12,440
1901 historical 273 #12,409
1911 historical 238 #13,356
1997 modern 393 #11,144
1998 modern 413 #11,092
1999 modern 422 #10,999
2000 modern 422 #10,960
2001 modern 399 #11,252
2002 modern 417 #11,104
2003 modern 401 #11,242
2004 modern 408 #11,117
2005 modern 391 #11,378
2006 modern 408 #11,062
2007 modern 410 #11,162
2008 modern 398 #11,525
2009 modern 414 #11,407
2010 modern 430 #11,306
2011 modern 413 #11,560
2012 modern 406 #11,606
2013 modern 419 #11,511
2014 modern 422 #11,516
2015 modern 419 #11,483
2016 modern 417 #11,504

Geography

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Where Collingtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Poole St James, Sileby, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Loughborough and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Charnwood, South Derbyshire, Melton, Derbyshire Dales and Wandsworth. 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 Poole St James Dorset
2 Sileby Leicestershire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Loughborough Leicestershire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Charnwood 008 Charnwood
2 South Derbyshire 004 South Derbyshire
3 Melton 006 Melton
4 Derbyshire Dales 008 Derbyshire Dales
5 Wandsworth 020 Wandsworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Collington

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Collington

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

Collington is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Collington falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Collington

The surname Collington is of English origin, deriving from a place name that first appeared in the 12th century. It is believed to have originated in the county of Nottinghamshire, where the village of Collington can be found. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "coll," meaning a coal pit or charcoal burner, and "tun," meaning a farm or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname Collington can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire from 1176, where a person named Robert de Collingtun is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in the area by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various medieval records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which documented landowners and their properties. This record mentions a Richard de Colynton, who held land in the village of Collington.

The Domesday Book of 1086, one of the most comprehensive historical records of England, does not contain any direct references to the surname Collington. However, it does mention the village of Collington itself, which was then known as "Colinton."

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Collington. One of the earliest was Sir Thomas Collington (c. 1480 - 1548), a member of the English gentry who served as a Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire in the 16th century.

Another prominent figure was John Collington (c. 1550 - 1625), an English academic and clergyman who served as the Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge from 1607 until his death.

In the 18th century, Henry Collington (1711 - 1785) was a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Assembly Rooms in Bath.

During the Victorian era, William Collington (1832 - 1901) was a successful businessman and philanthropist who founded the Collington Industrial School in Nottinghamshire, which provided education and training for underprivileged children.

More recently, Sir Michael Collington (1920 - 2012) was a British diplomat who served as the Ambassador to Chile and later became the Governor of the Falkland Islands in the 1970s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Collington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Collington 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 46 Collingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.74x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 46 16.74x
Leicestershire 37 16.37x
Sussex 27 7.86x
Middlesex 16 0.78x
Derbyshire 12 3.76x
Dorset 11 8.22x
Lancashire 11 0.45x
Yorkshire 8 0.40x
Warwickshire 7 1.36x
Kent 6 0.86x
Lanarkshire 6 0.91x
Staffordshire 6 0.87x
Wiltshire 6 3.33x
Denbighshire 2 2.60x
Dunbartonshire 2 3.65x
Hampshire 2 0.48x
Worcestershire 2 0.75x
Essex 1 0.25x
Surrey 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. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 20 Collingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.14x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 20 28.14x
Wymeswold 12 1846.15x
Chiddingly 10 1612.90x
Poole St James 10 198.81x
Loughborough 9 87.72x
Sileby 8 559.44x
Beeston 7 221.52x
Birmingham 7 4.09x
Little Somerford 6 2222.22x
Maryhill 6 46.48x
Stapenhill 6 126.32x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 26.57x
Bishopstone 5 2500.00x
Denton 5 1470.59x
Ripley 5 126.58x
Snenton 5 46.30x
Thorpe In Glebe 5 12500.00x
East Blatchington 4 2666.67x
Edwalton 4 5000.00x
Greenwich 4 12.33x
Oldham 4 5.12x
Paddington London 4 5.34x
St Pancras London 4 2.44x
Walsall Foreign 4 11.25x
West Derby 4 5.65x
Barton 3 1578.95x
Shoreditch London 3 3.39x
Chelsea London 2 3.26x
Dumbarton 2 26.25x
Kibworth Beauchamp 2 256.41x
St Luke London 2 6.12x
Stoke Golding 2 526.32x
Walsall Borough 2 37.45x
Wrexham Regis 2 34.97x
Barnsley 1 4.80x
Bradmore 1 526.32x
Caterham 1 22.78x
Cuckfield 1 28.82x
Great Malvern 1 18.02x
Hamworthy 1 212.77x
Heworth 1 188.68x
Hove 1 6.63x
Kirkdale 1 2.46x
Leicester St Mary 1 5.48x
Litchurch 1 7.79x
Liverpool 1 0.68x
Prescot 1 22.88x
Radford 1 7.16x
Romford 1 15.72x
Sheepshed 1 32.26x
Sheffield 1 1.56x
Southampton 1 303.03x
Southampton St Mary 1 3.81x
Teston 1 434.78x
Thurcaston 1 625.00x
Waldron 1 106.38x
Walton On The Wolds 1 625.00x
Warehorne 1 270.27x
Westminster St Margaret 1 10.17x
Yardley 1 14.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 18
William 15
George 8
James 6
Edward 4
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Thomas 3
Walter 3
Charles 2
Frank 2
Jeremiah 2
Martin 2
Samuel 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Benj. 1
Benj.A. 1
Bin 1
Chas. 1
Claud 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Edwd. 1
Fred. 1
Geo. 1
Geoe. 1
Henery 1
Jas. 1
Jas.B. 1
Joseph 1
Mark 1
Miles 1
Nicholas 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Rabley 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
S. 1

FAQ

Collington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Collington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 209 people were recorded with the Collington surname. That placed it at #12,475 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Collington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 417 in 2016. That gives Collington a modern rank of #11,504.

What does the Collington surname mean?

Locational surname derived from a place name in England, potentially meaning "settlement by a hazel grove".

What does the Collington map show?

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