NameCensus.

UK surname

Coltman

A surname of English origin meaning a dealer or breeder of colts (young male horses).

In the 1881 census there were 838 people recorded with the Coltman surname, ranking it #4,497 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,056, ranked #5,522, down from #4,497 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Burton-on-Trent, London parishes and Hawick and Wilton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Charnwood, Tweeddale East Area and Blaby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coltman is 1,147 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.0%.

1881 census count

838

Ranked #4,497

Modern count

1,056

2016, ranked #5,522

Peak year

1998

1,147 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coltman had 838 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,497 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,056 in 2016, ranked #5,522.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,128 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Coltman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coltman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Coltman 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 546 #4,628
1861 historical 443 #5,835
1881 historical 838 #4,497
1891 historical 827 #4,909
1901 historical 1,128 #4,297
1911 historical 1,105 #4,205
1997 modern 1,093 #5,099
1998 modern 1,147 #5,071
1999 modern 1,135 #5,162
2000 modern 1,126 #5,171
2001 modern 1,102 #5,164
2002 modern 1,131 #5,165
2003 modern 1,108 #5,151
2004 modern 1,118 #5,117
2005 modern 1,079 #5,208
2006 modern 1,050 #5,348
2007 modern 1,049 #5,398
2008 modern 1,071 #5,323
2009 modern 1,115 #5,259
2010 modern 1,124 #5,336
2011 modern 1,120 #5,297
2012 modern 1,051 #5,489
2013 modern 1,074 #5,491
2014 modern 1,083 #5,478
2015 modern 1,062 #5,527
2016 modern 1,056 #5,522

Geography

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Where Coltmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Burton-on-Trent, London parishes, Hawick and Wilton and Gateshead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Charnwood, Tweeddale East Area, Blaby and Ceredigion. 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 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
4 London parishes London 3
5 Gateshead Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Charnwood 021 Charnwood
2 Tweeddale East Area Scottish Borders
3 Charnwood 018 Charnwood
4 Blaby 008 Blaby
5 Ceredigion 011 Ceredigion

Forenames

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First names often paired with Coltman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Coltman

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Coltman is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Coltman is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Coltman falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Coltman

The surname Coltman originated in England, likely during the late medieval period or early modern era. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English words "colt" and "man," referring to a person who worked with or trained young horses, specifically colts.

The name is believed to have first emerged in areas with a strong agricultural or equine industry, such as the Midlands and northern counties of England. Early spellings of the name included Colteman, Coultman, and Coulteman, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Coltman surname can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a John Colteman is listed as a resident of the village of Ripon. Additionally, the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1524, suggesting its widespread use across various regions of England by the 16th century.

Notably, the Coltman surname is mentioned in the renowned Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and households commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This inclusion indicates the presence of individuals bearing this occupational name during the Norman conquest of England.

Throughout history, several notable figures have carried the Coltman surname. One prominent individual was John Coltman (1704-1762), an English merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of the town of Beccles in Suffolk. Another notable figure was Sir David Coltman (1756-1830), a British judge who served as a Baron of the Exchequer and played a crucial role in the establishment of the Court of Exchequer in Scotland.

Other individuals of note include Robert Coltman (1713-1787), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, and John Coltman (1804-1887), a British politician and Member of Parliament for Penzance from 1852 to 1857.

Lastly, it is worth mentioning John Coltman (1921-2012), a British military officer and author who served in World War II and later wrote several books detailing his experiences during the conflict.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Coltman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coltman 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 192 Coltmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.88x.

County Total Index
Durham 192 7.88x
Leicestershire 176 19.37x
Middlesex 90 1.10x
Yorkshire 47 0.58x
Surrey 42 1.05x
Buckinghamshire 38 7.67x
Northumberland 35 2.87x
Roxburghshire 29 19.54x
Staffordshire 26 0.94x
Northamptonshire 25 3.24x
Lancashire 23 0.24x
Warwickshire 15 0.73x
Derbyshire 12 0.94x
Hertfordshire 11 1.95x
Midlothian 11 1.00x
Kent 7 0.25x
Clackmannanshire 6 8.87x
Monmouthshire 6 1.01x
Rutland 6 9.97x
Oxfordshire 5 0.99x
Berkshire 4 0.65x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.77x
East Lothian 4 3.69x
Lanarkshire 4 0.15x
Angus 3 0.40x
Gloucestershire 3 0.19x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.27x
Renfrewshire 3 0.47x
Stirlingshire 3 0.99x
Cornwall 2 0.22x
Lincolnshire 2 0.15x
Channel Islands 1 0.41x
Hampshire 1 0.06x
Sussex 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 55 Coltmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.83x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 55 24.83x
Wycombe 35 94.77x
Leicester St Mary 29 39.51x
Middleton In Teesdale 20 311.04x
Loughborough 19 46.09x
Battersea 16 5.31x
Burton Upon Trent 16 24.73x
Westoe 16 11.58x
Belgrave 15 73.17x
Wilton 15 92.14x
Bethnal Green London 14 3.93x
Bournmoor 14 365.54x
Hawick 14 42.14x
Wigston Magna 14 116.18x
Kettering 12 38.50x
Wolsingham 11 49.51x
St Pancras London 10 1.52x
Bishopwearmouth 9 4.30x
Byker 9 14.93x
Ouston 9 252.81x
Thirsk 9 96.05x
Darlington 8 8.50x
Heaton 8 197.53x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 7.58x
Heworth 8 16.65x
Isham 8 747.66x
Killerby 8 3200.00x
Nunwick Cum Howgrave 8 7272.73x
Pilkington 8 21.66x
Bishop Auckland 7 21.41x
Cockerton 7 89.51x
Houghton Le Spring 7 41.54x
Longbenton 7 13.56x
Middlesbrough 7 6.62x
Poplar London 7 4.53x
Alloa 6 18.28x
Exton 6 327.87x
Foleshill 6 27.60x
Hanbury 6 397.35x
Hornsey 6 5.79x
Hugglescote 6 44.91x
Newington 6 1.98x
South Leith 6 4.86x
St Woollos 6 9.08x
Watford 6 13.70x
Wingate 6 35.91x
Birmingham 5 0.73x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 1.13x
Everton 5 1.61x
Farnworth 5 8.58x
Finchley 5 15.92x
Lambeth 5 0.70x
Leicester All Sts 5 28.03x
Leicester Newarke 5 105.49x
Litchurch 5 9.68x
Penshaw 5 68.31x
Sarratt 5 255.10x
Sowerby In Thirsk 5 102.25x
St George Hanover Square 5 3.46x
Winshill 5 61.12x
Brompton In 4 110.19x
Broughton Astley 4 201.01x
Chessington 4 588.24x
Chester Le Street 4 21.37x
Dunbar 4 26.28x
Fleckney 4 185.19x
Hanwell 4 27.53x
Holgate 4 251.57x
March 4 23.02x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 4 5.49x
Newcastle On Tyne St 4 6.33x
Reading St Giles 4 6.63x
Sherburn 4 53.91x
South Shields 4 18.42x
St Marylebone London 4 0.91x
Stoke Newington London 4 6.27x
Thame 4 43.48x
Tunstall 4 32.95x
Westminster St John 4 4.01x
Whitworth 4 22.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 52
Sarah 33
Jane 27
Elizabeth 23
Margaret 18
Ann 17
Emma 14
Annie 12
Emily 12
Eliza 9
Charlotte 7
Clara 7
Florence 7
Agnes 6
Alice 6
Anne 6
Hannah 6
Maria 6
Ada 5
Catherine 5
Martha 5
Edith 4
Lucy 4
Susan 4
Barbara 3
C. 3
Eleanor 3
Ethel 3
Fanny 3
Isabella 3
Lydia 3
Matilda 3
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Frances 2
Grace 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Isabel 2
Kate 2
Lizzie 2
Selina 2
Angelina 1
Bessie 1
Betty 1
E.P. 1
Eliz. 1
Elizb. 1
Henrietta 1
Violetta 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 57
John 54
Thomas 35
George 29
James 20
Joseph 13
Robert 11
Arthur 10
Charles 10
Henry 10
Richard 9
Alfred 8
Samuel 8
Walter 8
Albert 7
Ernest 7
Frederick 7
Wm. 6
Edward 5
Frank 4
Francis 3
Geo. 3
Ralph 3
Edwin 2
Elisha 2
Emanuel 2
Guy 2
Harry 2
Jonathan 2
Joselph 2
Martin 2
Matthew 2
Zina 2
Chas.Ernest 1
Daniel 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Fredk 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.Arthur 1
Fredk.Josh. 1
Harold 1
Henderson 1
J.D. 1
Jessie 1
Jno. 1
Jose.Sp. 1
Loval 1
Mark 1
Mathew 1

FAQ

Coltman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coltman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 838 people were recorded with the Coltman surname. That placed it at #4,497 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coltman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,056 in 2016. That gives Coltman a modern rank of #5,522.

What does the Coltman surname mean?

A surname of English origin meaning a dealer or breeder of colts (young male horses).

What does the Coltman map show?

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