Collins Name History
Collins Irish Coat of Arms
Collins roots in Ireland and Britain
The surname Collins has a variety of likely origins in Britain and Ireland:
- Anglo-Saxon: A patronymic surname based on the name Colin, an English diminutive form of Nicholas. In England, Collins usually signified "son of Colin."
- Irish: "cuilein" = darling, a term of endearment applied to a whelp or young animal. The medieval surname was Ua Cuiléin, which has usually become Ó Coileáin today.
- Welsh: Collen = hazel, hazel grove.
Alternative spellings or related surnames include Collin, Colling, Coling, Collings, Colings, Collis, Coliss, Collen, and Collens.
Collins in early historical records
The earliest documented evidence of the name in England dates back as far as the twelfth and thirteenth centuries where several instances have been recorded. One Colinus de Andresia appears in the pipe rolls of Berkshire in 1191, while a Colinus is mentioned in Hartopp's Register of the Freeman of Leicester recorded in 1196. The name Colinc is also mentioned several times in the Domesday Book. The personal name Colin from which the surname derives has an even older history; Ceawlin, the king of the West Saxons, Caelin, a brother of St Chad, and the early Welsh saint, Kollen, all have names related to Colin. In Ireland, Collins may be regarded as a genuinely indigenous Irish name; in fact, it is one of the most numerous surnames, ranked number 30.
Variant Spellings of the Irish surname Collins include Collin, Collings, Colling, Collis, Coullins, Caullings, Caullis, Colins, Colings, Coliss, and many more.
More about Collins family crest and name history
The Collins history is long and storied. We have two heirloom-quality products that provide detailed information on the Collins coat of arms and name.
- Framed Irish Family Name History
- Framed Irish Coat of Arms & Family History
We also carry many other products, including clothing, glassware, flags and more, all of which can be personalized with the Collins coat of arms and surname. Visit our Irish Coat of Arms page for great gift ideas.
Find a Collins pub in Ireland
Where better to take a selfie than in front of Collins Pub in Ireland? You can find at least three pubs in Ireland bearing the Collins name:
If you can't visit in person, our personalized pub gifts are the next best thing!
Notable people named Collins
- A. E. J. Collins, English cricketer
- Albert Collins (1932-1993), American blues musician
- Alfred Collins, London's longest-serving taxi driver
- Allen Collins, American guitarist
- Andrew B. Collins (analyst), American research analyst
- Andrew Collins (writer), British writer and broadcaster
- Ann Collins, American painter
- Annie Collins, New Zealand film editor
- Anthony Collins, English philosopher
- Anthony G. Collins, American university president
- Anthony Vincent Collins (1893-1963), British film score composer and conductor
- Arthur Collins (singer)
- Arthur A. Collins, founder of Collins Radio
- Arthur L. Collins, murdered mine manager
- Barbara-Rose Collins, American politician
- Barnabas Collins, fictional vampire from Dark Shadows
- Ben Collins (driver), British racing driver
- Ben Collins (programmer), Debian Project Leader from January 1999 to March 2001
- Bev Collins, Canadian politician
- Bill Collins (television presenter), Australian film critic and television presenter
- Bill Collins (racecaller), Australian racecaller
- Bill Collins (baseball outfielder), American baseball outfielder
- Billy Collins, American poet
- Bob Collins (American radio broadcaster), American broadcaster
- Bob Collins (Australian politician), Australian politician
- Bobby Collins (footballer), Scottish footballer
- Bootsy Collins, American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter
- Brent Collins, American actor
- Bridget Jean Collins, maiden name of American playwright Jean Kerr
- Bud Collins, American journalist
- Cardiss Collins, American politician
- Careena Collins, American porn actress
- Carla Collins, an entertainer reporter
- Catfish Collins, American guitarist, brother of Bootsy Collins
- Cecil Collins, British artist
- Cecil Collins (football), American football player and prison inmate
- Charles Allston Collins, British Pre-Raphaelite artist
- Chris Collins (basketball), American basketball player, son of Doug Collins
- Chris Collins (politician), Canadian politician of Moncton North of New Brunswick Legislative Assembly
- Christopher Collins, voice actor
- Chuck Collins, American author on economic matters
- Clifton Collins Jr., American actor
- Dan Collins (ice hockey), American ice hockey player
- Danny Collins, Welsh footballer
- Darren Collins, Rushden and Diamonds all time record goalscorer
- David Collins (governor), first governor of Van Diemens Land (later Tasmania)
- David Collins (EastEnders), fictional character from EastEnders
- Dean Collins, American actor
- Dean Collins, American dancer
- Dobson Collins, American football player
- Dolly Collins, British folk singer
- Don Collins, American former professional basketball player
- Don Collins (baseball), American baseball player
- Don Collins, alleged raper of Robbie Middleton who attempted to murder him by dousing petrol on him and setting him on fire
- Donal Collins, priest and teacher accused of alleged sexual abuse of pupils in his charge
- Doug Collins (journalist), former Canadian journalist, alleged Holocaust denier
- Doug Collins (basketball), former NBA player, current coach
- Doug Collins (footballer), English former footballer
- Doug Collins (politician), US politician
- Eamon Collins (1954-1999), IRA member
- Eamonn Collins (footballer) (born 1965), Irish footballer
- Earl Collins, Canadian politician
- Edward "Cocky" Trowbridge Collins Sr. (18871951), Major League baseball player
- Ed Collins (American football) player, see Indianapolis Colts draft history
- Ed Collins (rugby league), see Bulimba Cup
- Ed Collins (musician), see Karl Loga
- Eddie Collins, rapper known as Greydon Square
- Edward Collins (figure skater)
- Edward Collins (Irish politician) (born 1941), former Irish Fine Gael politician
- Edward Collins (rugby league), Australian international rugby league footballer
- Edward Collins (Wisconsin politician), served one year as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
- Edward J. Collins, Jr., Massachusetts civil servant and public manager
- Edward Joseph Collins, American composer and pianist
- Edward Knight Collins (1802-1878), American shipping magnate
- Edward Treacher Collins, British surgeon and ophthalmologist
- Edwyn Collins, Scottish musician
- Eileen Collins, American astronaut
- Elizabeth Collins, Canadian swimmer
- Eoin Collins, Irish tennis player
- Eric Collins, adventurer
- Floyd Collins, American cave explorer
- Francis S. Collins, American geneticist, administrator of the Human Genome Project, and director of the NIH
- Francis Dolan Collins, American politician
- Gail Collins Pappalardi, songwriter
- Gary Collins (actor), American film and television actor
- Gary Collins (American football) (born 1940), American football end and punter for the Cleveland Browns
- Gary Collins (ice hockey), NHL player for the Toronto Maple Leafs
- Gary Collins (NASCAR), NASCAR driver
- Gary Farrell-Collins, Canadian politician
- George Collins (cricketer) (18891949), English cricketer
- George Collins (footballer), English football manager
- George Collins (Nova Scotia politician) (17711813), mariner, merchant and political figure in Nova Scotia
- George E. Collins, mathematician, one of the founders of computer algebra
- George Roseborough Collins, historian
- George W. Collins (1925-1972), U.S. Representative from Illinois
- Gerry Collins (broadcaster), Australian broadcaster
- Gerard Collins (canoer) (born 1952), Irish slalom canoer
- Gerry Collins (footballer) (born 1955), Scottish footballer and coach
- Gerry Collins (politician), Irish Fianna Fáil politician
- Glen Collins, New Zealand soccer player
- Glenda Collins, pop singer
- Godfrey Collins, British politician
- Grant Collins, Australian drummer
- Harlan Collins, American composer
- Harry Collins, British academic
- Heidi Collins, British broadcaster
- Henry Collins, Canadian mayor of Vancouver
- Henry Collins, Australian boxer
- Herbert Collins, British architect
- Herbert A. Collins, landscape and portrait painter
- Herbie Collins, Australian cricketer
- Ian Collins, high profile Australian businessman and former Australian rules footballer
- Ian Collins (radio presenter), UK radio presenter
- Ian Collins (soccer), American soccer coach at the University of Kentucky
- Ian Collins (tennis), British tennis player from the 1920s and 30s
- Jacinta Collins, Australian politician
- Jack Collins (actor) (born 1923), 1950s stage actor, musicals include Take Me Along
- Jack Collins (politician) (born 1944), American college basketball coach and Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
- Jack Collins (umpire), former Australian Test cricket umpire
- Jack A. Collins, Australian rules footballer for Melbourne
- Jack C. Collins, Coleman Medal winning Australian rules footballer for Footscray
- Jack Cecil Collins, Australian rules footballer for Essendon
- Jack Collins, former Australian rules footballer in the VFL and football administrator
- Jack Collins, former Australian Test Cricket Umpire
- Jack L. Collins, Australian rules footballer for Geelong
- John W. Collins, American chess player and teacher
- C. John Collins, aka Jack Collins, conservative evangelical and fellow of the Discovery
- Jackie Collins, British novelist
- James Collins, bioengineer and MacArthur "genius"
- [[Isabella Collins | "the best collins in the world"
- James Collins, Welsh footballer playing for West Ham
- James Collins, Irish politician and father of Gerard Collins
- James Collins, NBA basketball player
- James C. Collins, American business theorist
- James M. Collins, American politician
- Jane Collins, fictional character from EastEnders
- Jason Collins, NBA Basketball player
- Jason Collins, American surfer
- Jarron Collins, NBA Basketball player
- Jeremiah Collins, fictional character from Dark Shadows
- Jerry Collins, New Zealand rugby player
- Jess Collins, American artist
- Jessica Collins, American actress, starring in Tru Calling
- Jessica Collins, American actress, starring in Rubicon and The Nine
- Jimmy Collins, American baseball player
- Jim Collins, inventor and Rhodes Scholar
- Jo Collins, American model
- Joan Collins, British actress
- Joe Collins (1922-1989), American baseball player
- Canon John Collins, (1905-1982), UK radical Anglican cleric
- John Churton Collins (1848-1908), English literary critic
- John Collins (governor), (1776-1822), American manufacturer and Governor of Delaware.
- John Augustine Collins (1899-1989), Royal Australian Navy
- John Collins (American Football executive)
- John Collins (Australian musician) (Powderfinger)
- John Collins (Canadian musician), of The New Pornographers and The Smugglers
- John Collins (delegate) (1717-1795), Rhode Island delegate to Continental Congress
- John Collins (footballer born 1968), Scottish football player and manager
- John Collins (jazz guitarist)
- John Collins (mathematician) (1625-1683), English mathematician
- John Collins (musician/researcher)
- John Collins (poet) (1742-1808), English orator, singer, and poet
- John Collins (theater) (born c. 1969), American experimental theater director
- John Colins (UK businessman) (born 1941), former head of National Power
- John Collins (VC)
- John D. Collins, British actor, best known for his role as one of the British airmen in 'Allo 'Allo
- John F. Collins (1872-1962), Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island (1939-1941)
- John F. Collins (1919-1995), Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts (1960-1968)
- John H. Collins, American classical scholar
- John W. Collins, chess instructor
- Johnny Collins, British folk singer
- Joseph Collins (1866-1950), American neurologist
- Joseph Henry Collins, mining engineer and geologist
- Joseph Lawton Collins (1896-1987), American soldier
- Judith Collins, New Zealand politician
- Judson Dwight Collins (1823-1852), Methodist missionary to China
- Judy Collins, singer
- Justin Lee Collins, British comedian
- Kate Collins, American actress
- Kerry Collins, a quarterback in the National Football League
- Kim Collins (born 1976), runner from St Kitts and Nevis
- Kreigh Collins, American tennis player.
- Larry Collins from the music group The Collins Kids
- Larry Collins (1929-2005), American writer
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