NameCensus.

UK surname

Collins

An English and Irish surname referring to the descendant of someone named Colin.

In the 1881 census there were 42,829 people recorded with the Collins surname, ranking it #70 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 68,563, ranked #64, up from #70 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Maidstone, South Northamptonshire and Swansea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Collins is 70,993 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.1%.

1881 census count

42,829

Ranked #70

Modern count

68,563

2016, ranked #64

Peak year

2010

70,993 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Collins had 42,829 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #70 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 68,563 in 2016, ranked #64.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 55,122 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Collins surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Collins surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Collins 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 26,809 #73
1861 historical 28,748 #69
1881 historical 42,829 #70
1891 historical 44,990 #71
1901 historical 52,912 #71
1911 historical 55,122 #62
1997 modern 68,224 #63
1998 modern 70,274 #63
1999 modern 70,528 #64
2000 modern 69,743 #64
2001 modern 68,008 #64
2002 modern 69,652 #64
2003 modern 67,625 #64
2004 modern 67,739 #64
2005 modern 66,591 #64
2006 modern 66,549 #64
2007 modern 67,263 #64
2008 modern 67,539 #64
2009 modern 69,369 #63
2010 modern 70,993 #63
2011 modern 69,787 #63
2012 modern 68,136 #64
2013 modern 69,424 #64
2014 modern 69,843 #64
2015 modern 68,954 #64
2016 modern 68,563 #64

Geography

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Where Collins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Lambeth and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Maidstone, South Northamptonshire, Swansea, Leeds and Manchester. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Maidstone 013 Maidstone
2 South Northamptonshire 001 South Northamptonshire
3 Swansea 011 Swansea
4 Leeds 110 Leeds
5 Manchester 032 Manchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Collins

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Collins

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

Collins is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Collins falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Collins

The surname Collins originated in the British Isles, specifically in England and Ireland, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "colin," which means "young man" or "young victor." This name was likely given as a nickname to a young or small person or perhaps someone who had a youthful appearance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Collins surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Colinus," which was a Norman French variant of the name.

In Ireland, the name Collins is an anglicized version of the Irish surnames Ó Coileáin or Ó Lochlainn, which mean "descendant of Coileán" or "descendant of Lochlainn," respectively. These names were prominent in counties such as Cork, Limerick, and Clare.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the Collins name was William Collins, an English poet and writer who lived from 1721 to 1759. He is best known for his odes, which were widely admired during his lifetime.

Another notable figure with the Collins surname was Samuel Collins, an English physician and writer who lived from 1619 to 1670. He published several works on anatomy and medicine, including "A Systeme of Anatomy" in 1685.

In the United States, one of the most famous individuals with the Collins surname was Michael Collins, an Irish revolutionary leader who played a pivotal role in the Irish War of Independence. He was born in 1890 and assassinated in 1922 during the Irish Civil War.

Another prominent Collins was Wilkie Collins, an English novelist and playwright who lived from 1824 to 1889. He is best known for his novels "The Woman in White" and "The Moonstone," which are considered classics of Victorian literature.

Lastly, William Wilkie Collins, a Scottish painter and author, lived from 1788 to 1847. He is remembered for his novels and travel writings, as well as his famous work "Memoirs of a Picture," which documented the creation of one of his paintings.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Collins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Collins 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 6,393 Collins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.53x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 6,393 1.53x
Surrey 3,662 1.79x
Lancashire 3,497 0.70x
Kent 2,637 1.84x
Yorkshire 2,300 0.55x
Sussex 1,592 2.25x
Hampshire 1,527 1.78x
Warwickshire 1,433 1.36x
Staffordshire 1,156 0.82x
Lanarkshire 1,109 0.82x
Essex 1,038 1.25x
Glamorgan 1,011 1.39x
Gloucestershire 1,009 1.23x
Somerset 961 1.42x
Worcestershire 955 1.74x
Cornwall 951 2.00x
Durham 923 0.74x
Devon 921 1.06x
Berkshire 660 2.10x
Suffolk 600 1.18x
Cheshire 580 0.63x
Wiltshire 574 1.55x
Dorset 524 1.90x
Northumberland 492 0.79x
Buckinghamshire 482 1.90x
Hertfordshire 476 1.65x
Northamptonshire 438 1.11x
Lincolnshire 416 0.62x
Monmouthshire 404 1.33x
Norfolk 382 0.59x
Leicestershire 374 0.80x
Oxfordshire 318 1.23x
Nottinghamshire 305 0.54x
Derbyshire 273 0.42x
Cambridgeshire 248 0.93x
Midlothian 236 0.42x
Renfrewshire 198 0.61x
Cumberland 186 0.52x
Angus 162 0.42x
Herefordshire 148 0.86x
Pembrokeshire 139 1.04x
Ayrshire 125 0.40x
Shropshire 95 0.26x
Bedfordshire 93 0.43x
Royal Navy 78 1.56x
Flintshire 69 0.61x
Dunbartonshire 66 0.59x
Channel Islands 62 0.50x
Carmarthenshire 55 0.31x
Fife 49 0.20x
Stirlingshire 45 0.29x
Huntingdonshire 40 0.48x
Montgomeryshire 37 0.39x
Perthshire 37 0.20x
Isle of Man 36 0.46x
Denbighshire 32 0.20x
Brecknockshire 31 0.37x
Kirkcudbrightshire 30 0.49x
Cardiganshire 26 0.25x
Aberdeenshire 24 0.06x
Dumfriesshire 24 0.26x
East Lothian 23 0.41x
Wigtownshire 23 0.41x
West Lothian 22 0.35x
Rutland 19 0.62x
Anglesey 18 0.24x
Selkirkshire 18 0.47x
Peeblesshire 16 0.81x
Radnorshire 16 0.47x
Argyllshire 12 0.10x
Westmorland 10 0.11x
Roxburghshire 8 0.11x
Kincardineshire 7 0.14x
Morayshire 7 0.11x
Banffshire 6 0.07x
Buteshire 6 0.24x
Caernarfonshire 6 0.04x
Clackmannanshire 3 0.09x
Shetland 3 0.07x
Inverness-shire 1 0.01x
Merionethshire 1 0.01x
Orkney 1 0.02x
Ross-shire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 561 Collins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.53x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 561 1.53x
Islington London 551 1.36x
Birmingham 531 1.51x
Camberwell 526 1.96x
Liverpool 451 1.49x
St Pancras London 428 1.27x
Kensington London 401 1.72x
Aston 383 1.32x
Newington 308 1.99x
West Ham 299 1.64x
Barony 292 0.85x
Portsea 288 1.71x
St Marylebone London 288 1.29x
Bethnal Green London 283 1.55x
Shoreditch London 280 1.54x
Bermondsey 268 2.15x
Govan 250 0.75x
Battersea 238 1.54x
Glasgow 234 0.97x
Chelsea London 228 1.81x
Hackney London 225 0.96x
Brighton 221 1.55x
Manchester 216 0.97x
Mile End Old Town London 210 2.35x
St George Hanover Square 210 2.84x
Croydon 202 1.78x
Leeds 186 0.79x
Oldham 185 1.15x
Southwark St George Martyr 184 2.18x
Salford 183 1.25x
Hammersmith London 182 1.76x
Clerkenwell London 170 1.72x
Wolverhampton 168 1.54x
Paddington London 165 1.07x
Tonbridge 163 3.16x
Deptford St Paul 155 1.41x
Westminster St John 154 3.02x
Kings Norton 142 2.89x
Everton 138 0.87x
Merthyr Tydfil 138 1.97x
St Andrew Holborn London 135 7.44x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 132 1.71x
Plymouth St Andrew 132 1.96x
Rotherhithe 129 2.49x
St George In East London 129 3.27x
Woolwich 127 2.40x
Sedgley 126 2.40x
St Woollos 126 3.73x
Toxteth Park 123 0.73x
Swansea Town 120 2.01x
Poplar London 116 1.47x
St Giles In Fields London 115 5.59x
Roath 111 3.35x
Stoke Damerel 110 1.80x
Greenwich 109 1.63x
West Derby 108 0.74x
Southampton St Mary 107 1.98x
Kingston On Thames 104 2.12x
Hulme 100 0.96x
Wycombe 100 5.29x
Lewisham 99 1.30x
Gateshead 96 1.03x
Tottenham 96 1.44x
St Stithians 95 36.32x
Ashton Under Lyne 94 0.86x
Leicester St Margaret 94 0.83x
Maidstone 94 2.21x
Dundee 92 0.63x
Ealing 92 2.46x
Harborne 91 2.01x
Halifax 90 1.48x
Clapham 89 1.70x
Eastbourne 89 2.74x
Whitechapel London 89 2.15x
Fulham London 88 1.45x
Westminster St James 85 1.97x
Kingswinford 84 1.64x
Westminster St Margaret 83 4.10x
Ystradyfodwg 83 1.30x
Bedwellty 82 1.53x
Bromley London 82 0.89x
Great Yarmouth 82 1.54x
Horton In Bradford 82 1.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2,754
Elizabeth 1,488
Sarah 1,292
Ellen 765
Ann 743
Jane 713
Eliza 658
Emma 590
Alice 585
Annie 579
Emily 504
Margaret 450
Catherine 385
Hannah 331
Louisa 328
Martha 282
Kate 270
Caroline 265
Maria 252
Harriet 244
Edith 242
Charlotte 238
Fanny 238
Florence 236
Ada 230
Anne 166
Agnes 164
Lucy 160
Clara 159
Julia 158
Susan 157
Harriett 153
Frances 152
Rose 152
Bridget 135
Amelia 111
Esther 110
Matilda 104
Rebecca 99
Isabella 89
Sophia 87
Minnie 83
Amy 82
Jessie 71
Lydia 69
Anna 64
Ethel 64
Elizth. 60
Gertrude 59
Susannah 58

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2,390
William 2,356
James 1,405
George 1,305
Thomas 1,301
Henry 883
Charles 854
Joseph 579
Edward 535
Alfred 414
Frederick 367
Arthur 357
Robert 333
Richard 318
Walter 281
Albert 275
Samuel 261
Patrick 248
Michael 242
Harry 227
Frank 206
Daniel 204
Edwin 181
Ernest 161
Francis 147
David 145
Herbert 141
Benjamin 103
Wm. 86
Peter 83
Stephen 82
Fred 77
Fredrick 72
Thos. 72
Jeremiah 66
Fredk. 60
Isaac 57
Timothy 57
Cornelius 51
Tom 50
Martin 45
Dennis 44
Geo. 42
Sidney 41
Edmund 40
Chas. 35
Hugh 35
Andrew 34
Matthew 34
Willm. 34

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Collins households.

FAQ

Collins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Collins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 42,829 people were recorded with the Collins surname. That placed it at #70 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Collins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 68,563 in 2016. That gives Collins a modern rank of #64.

What does the Collins surname mean?

An English and Irish surname referring to the descendant of someone named Colin.

What does the Collins map show?

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