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Collier Family History

Collier Name Meaning

English: from Middle English colier in most parts of the country ‘maker or seller of charcoal’ but in some areas (such as Bolton le Moors and Wigan Lancashire) where coal measures were near the surface ‘miner or seller of coal’ (in the modern sense ‘fossil fuel’). The name was taken to Ireland from England and was first recorded there in 1305. In Petty's ‘census’ of 1659 it was recorded as a principal surname in Meath. English: occupational name from Middle English coilour coliour culliour Old French coileor coillour ‘tax collector’. Surnames with this origin seem to have died out in Britain. French (northern): from collier ‘collar’ a metonymic occupational name for a maker of collars.

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


Similar surnames: Hollier, Callier, Hillier, Toller, Cobler, Colling, Collins, Colter

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Collier family from?

You can see how Collier families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Collier family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Collier families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 2,216 Collier families living in Lancashire. This was about 23% of all the recorded Collier's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Collier families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Collier surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Collier 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 Collier. 9% of Collier men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Collier women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Collier were Retired and Private Means. .

View Census Data for Collier | 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
    9%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Retired
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Collier family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 373,000 census records available for the last name Collier. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Collier census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Collier

Passenger Lists

There are 30,000 immigration records available for the last name Collier. 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 Collier immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 57,000 military records available for the last name Collier. For the veterans among your Collier ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Collier military records

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What is the average Collier lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Collier life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Collier in 1941 was 32, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Collier

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