NameCensus.

UK surname

Collishaw

A locational surname derived from a place name in Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 213 people recorded with the Collishaw surname, ranking it #12,328 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 303, ranked #14,637, down from #12,328 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary and Chesterfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Kesteven, Barnsley and Nottingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Collishaw is 318 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.3%.

1881 census count

213

Ranked #12,328

Modern count

303

2016, ranked #14,637

Peak year

2014

318 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Collishaw had 213 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,328 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 303 in 2016, ranked #14,637.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 310 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Collishaw surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Collishaw surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Collishaw 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 168 #11,873
1861 historical 133 #16,835
1881 historical 213 #12,328
1891 historical 310 #10,812
1901 historical 296 #11,749
1911 historical 291 #11,696
1997 modern 284 #14,006
1998 modern 297 #13,967
1999 modern 309 #13,697
2000 modern 312 #13,561
2001 modern 315 #13,291
2002 modern 312 #13,639
2003 modern 307 #13,614
2004 modern 300 #13,871
2005 modern 284 #14,306
2006 modern 277 #14,667
2007 modern 278 #14,773
2008 modern 276 #14,994
2009 modern 294 #14,628
2010 modern 312 #14,314
2011 modern 306 #14,410
2012 modern 307 #14,288
2013 modern 316 #14,223
2014 modern 318 #14,246
2015 modern 307 #14,504
2016 modern 303 #14,637

Geography

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Where Collishaws are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to North Kesteven, Barnsley, Nottingham and Rushcliffe. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
3 Chesterfield Derbyshire
4 Quarrington Lincolnshire
5 Hickling Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Kesteven 010 North Kesteven
2 Barnsley 006 Barnsley
3 North Kesteven 011 North Kesteven
4 Nottingham 009 Nottingham
5 Rushcliffe 010 Rushcliffe

Forenames

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First names often paired with Collishaw

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Collishaw

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Collishaw is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Collishaw is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Collishaw falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Collishaw

The surname Collishaw is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place name in England. One theory suggests that it may have originated from a place called Colliers Hall or Collishaw in Staffordshire.

Another possible origin of the name is that it may be a combination of the Old English words "col" meaning charcoal and "sceaga" meaning a small wood or grove. This could indicate that the name was originally given to someone who lived near or worked in a charcoal-burning area or a small wooded area where charcoal production took place.

The earliest recorded instance of the Collishaw surname dates back to the 13th century. In the Hundred Rolls of Shropshire from 1273, a person named William de Colleshawe is mentioned. This early spelling variation highlights the locational nature of the name and its connection to a specific place.

One notable individual with the Collishaw surname was Sir Ralph Collishaw (1857-1950), a British naval officer who served during World War I. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his role in the Battle of Jutland in 1916.

Another noteworthy figure was Thomas Collishaw (1892-1988), a Canadian aviator and fighter pilot during World War I. He was one of the highest-scoring aces of the war, credited with 60 aerial victories. Collishaw was born in Nanaimo, British Columbia, and served with the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Air Force.

In the 16th century, the Collishaw surname appeared in various records, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1554, which mentioned a John Collishaw. The Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire in 1598 also included references to individuals with the Collishaw surname.

During the 17th century, the name was found in parish registers and other records across various counties in England, including Staffordshire, Shropshire, and Lancashire. This suggests that the name had spread and become more widely distributed across different regions of the country.

It is worth noting that alternative spellings of the Collishaw surname, such as Colshaw, Colishaw, and Collishay, were also present in historical records, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common during those times.

Overall, the surname Collishaw has a rich history, rooted in the English tradition of locational surnames and connected to specific places or geographic features. While its exact origin is not entirely certain, it has been traced back to the medieval period and has been associated with notable individuals throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Collishaw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Collishaw 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. Lincolnshire leads with 94 Collishaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.30x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 94 28.30x
Nottinghamshire 80 28.57x
Yorkshire 13 0.63x
Durham 6 0.97x
Surrey 5 0.49x
Derbyshire 3 0.92x
Suffolk 3 1.19x
Bedfordshire 2 1.86x
Northamptonshire 2 1.02x
Somerset 2 0.60x
Hampshire 1 0.23x
Hertfordshire 1 0.70x
Lancashire 1 0.04x

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 35 Collishaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.32x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 35 48.32x
Hickling 15 4285.71x
Quarrington 11 4230.77x
Brauncewell 9 7500.00x
Aslackby 8 2500.00x
Gunthorpe 7 3043.48x
Metheringham 7 526.32x
Radford 7 49.19x
Egglescliffe 6 1276.60x
South Kyme 6 1578.95x
Corringham 5 943.40x
Headingley Cum Burley 5 37.74x
Threckingham Swaton 5 2500.00x
Bicker 4 784.31x
Eastville 4 1538.46x
Lenton 4 60.61x
Nocton 4 888.89x
Nottingham St Nicholas 4 104.99x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 4 85.65x
Deeping St James 3 256.41x
Haydor 3 1153.85x
Heckington 3 238.10x
Holy Trinity 3 6.06x
South Collingham 3 545.45x
Sudbury St Peter 3 215.83x
Sutton Stoneferry 3 50.93x
Walcott 3 566.04x
Wandsworth 3 15.00x
Kirkby Green 2 2222.22x
Lambeth 2 1.10x
Luton 2 10.74x
Maxey 2 465.12x
New Sleaford 2 93.90x
Ockbrook 2 144.93x
Snenton 2 18.18x
Spaxton 2 307.69x
Thorpe Tilney 2 2500.00x
Welbourn 2 512.82x
Welton 2 408.16x
Arnold 1 24.45x
Blyth 1 227.27x
Bolsover 1 61.35x
Dunholme 1 344.83x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 2.39x
Huddersfield 1 3.33x
Hutton 1 357.14x
Lilley 1 277.78x
Navenby 1 147.06x
Nottingham St Peter 1 32.05x
Portsea 1 1.20x
Scopwick 1 344.83x
St Benedict Lincoln 1 222.22x
St John Lincoln 1 277.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Elizabeth 13
Ann 9
Emma 6
Annie 5
Eliza 5
Fanny 5
Jane 5
Ada 4
Clara 4
Kate 4
Sarah 4
Emily 3
Alice 2
Edith 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Katherine 2
Lydia 2
Rebecca 2
Alismond 1
Anne 1
Betsy 1
Biddy 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clarice 1
Elena 1
Ellen 1
Gartrude 1
Hanah 1
Harret 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Lizzie 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Mercy 1
Nellie 1
Rhoda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 18
John 14
James 10
George 6
Arthur 5
Edward 5
Robert 5
Thomas 5
Henry 4
Charles 3
Herbert 3
Alfred 2
Geo.H. 2
Joseph 2
Edmond 1
Edmund 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Mark 1
Richard 1
Tom 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Collishaw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Collishaw surname in 1881?

In 1881, 213 people were recorded with the Collishaw surname. That placed it at #12,328 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Collishaw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 303 in 2016. That gives Collishaw a modern rank of #14,637.

What does the Collishaw surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in Yorkshire, England.

What does the Collishaw map show?

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