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Colville Family History

Colville Surname Meaning

English and Scottish (of Norman origin): habitational name from Colleville in Seine-Maritime, France, named with the Scandinavian personal name Koli (see Cole) + Old French ville ‘settlement, village’.

The Scottish branch of the family were descended from Philip de Colville who came to Scotland as a household knight of kings Malcolm IV (1153–65) and William ‘the Lion’ (1165–1214).

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


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Where is the Colville family from?

You can see how Colville families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Colville family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Colville families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 86 Colville families living in London. This was about 19% of all the recorded Colville's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Colville families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Colville surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Colville ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Colville. 18% of Colville men worked as a General Labourer and 74% of Colville women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Colville were Insurance Agent and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Colville | 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

  • General Labourer
    18%
  • Medical Practitioner
    12%
  • General Labourer Heavy Worker
    12%
  • Insurance Agent
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Private Means
    11%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

What Colville family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 27,000 census records available for the last name Colville. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Colville census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Colville

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Colville. 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 Colville immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Colville military records

You've only scratched the surface of Colville family history

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What is the average Colville lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Colville life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Colville in 1945 was 40, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Colville

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Colville 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.

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