This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Colin family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Colin Family History

Colin Surname Meaning

French Walloon and Breton: from a French shortened pet form of the personal name Nicolas (see Nicholas). This surname is also found in the Flemish part of Belgium.

English: from the personal name Colin, a diminutive of Col, itself a pet form of Nicholas.

Irish and Scottish: from the Irish personal name Coileán or Coilín, meaning ‘young hound’, or from the Scottish Gaelic equivalent Cailean.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Colin family from?

You can see how Colin families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Colin family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Colin families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 36 Colin families living in Warwickshire. This was about 19% of all the recorded Colin's in United Kingdom. Warwickshire had the highest population of Colin families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Colin surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Colin ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Retired and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Colin. 34% of Colin men worked as a Retired and 72% of Colin women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Colin were Old Age Pensioner and Paid Domestic.

View Census Data for Colin | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Retired
    34%
  • Carter On Fruit Farm
    34%
  • Old Age Pensioner
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    6%
  • Paid Domestic
    3%

What Colin family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 26,000 census records available for the last name Colin. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Colin census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Colin

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Colin. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Colin immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Colin. For the veterans among your Colin ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Colin military records

You've only scratched the surface of Colin family history

Discover More

What is the average Colin lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Colin life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1970, and highest in 1958. The average life expectancy for Colin in 1950 was 58, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Colin

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Colin ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Colin family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial