Surname Collingwood - Meaning and Origin
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Collingwood: What does the surname Collingwood mean?
The last name Collingwood is an English surname derived from the old English words 'cola' and 'inga', meaning 'dark-haired', or 'black-haired'. The surname is thought to denote the characteristic of dark hair, or possibly refer to one's ancestor’s location, such as a dark wood or coal wood. In the modern era, the last name Collingwood is most common in England, with scattered distribution elsewhere, primarily in Ireland, Scotland, and Australia.
The name likely originated independently in different places, and has a variety of variants both in spelling and meaning. For instance, Collingwood can also be spelled 'Colyngwood' or 'Coleingwood', all of which refer to a dark wood or coal wood. Similarly, other variants refer to a 'wood of a nagging person' or a 'wood of holly trees'.
Despite the variety of potential meanings, one interpretation that is consistent throughout is the suggestion of a dark or black-haired individual, making it likely that the surname originally referred to dark hairedness of an ancestor. This makes it part of a larger pattern of surnames derived from physical characteristics, which were also popular in old English and other European languages.
The last name Collingwood is part of a rich history of surname meanings and each variant tells its own story. From a physical characteristic of dark hair to a nearby locality, the families who carry this name today all have their own unique origin story.
Order DNA origin analysisCollingwood: Where does the name Collingwood come from?
The last name Collingwood can be found in many countries today. It is most common in the United Kingdom, where it is a popular surname in Cumberland and Northumberland. It is also common in many parts of Ireland. In the United States, the name is fairly widespread, with many Collingwoods found in the Southern Appalachian region. It is also found in other countries, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa.
The origins of the Collingwood name can be traced back to a place called The Collingwood in Cumberland, England. The name was held by people who lived in or near this small hamlet during the 11th century. Over the years, the name has been used by a variety of families. Over time, the name has been changed to different spellings and it is thought that this is due to the lack of formal spelling systems used centuries ago.
Today, the Collingwood name is still used throughout the UK, Ireland, and beyond. The name has become more widespread as families having the name have continued to move and settle in different parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Collingwood
The surname Collingwood is of English origin, likely derived from one of the places called Collingwood in Devon and Northumberland. Collingwood is also sometimes a nickname for someone from any of those towns, meaning “wood of the collar” or “boundary wood”, referring to the geographic areas that those towns inhabit.
Variations and spellings of the surname Collingwood include Colingwood, Collingwoode, Cawlingwood, and Callyngwood. In some cases, the suffix ‘s’ has been added, making the spelling Collingwoods.
There are many variants of the same origin of the name Collingwood, such as Colgan, Colkin, Cawley, Colgate, Colegate, Collagans, Collison, Collens, Collenette, Collingham, Collington, Collingston, Collingsworth, Colleywood, Coulstock, and Collyer.
Other related surnames have also resulted from the Collingwood variants and spellings, such as Collis, Collinwood, Hellingsworth, Cullington, Cullinane, Cullingford, Kellingwood, Kellingworth, Kollingwood, Curling, and Callaghan.
Finally, there are some surnames that have a similar sound to Collingwood, but are actually unrelated. They include Culling, Cullingford, Kellingworth, Kellingwood, Cullings, and Collington.
Famous people with the name Collingwood
- Geordie Collingwood, a professional Cricket player and a former Australian Vice-Captain.
- Mike Collingwood, an English Footballer who played in the Premier League.
- Alan Collingwood, an Australian Footballer and former Geelong Captain.
- Bill Collingwood, an English statistician, known for developing the Collingwood system.
- Lawson Collingwood, an Australian businessman and the President of the Victorian Football League.
- John Collingwood, a British Royal Air Force officer and the recipient of the Victoria Cross medal.
- John William Collingwood, an English historian, biographer and author.
- Geoffrey Collingwood, a British filmmaker and one of the first to receive a British Academy of Film and Television Arts fellowship.
- Reuben William Collingwood, a British electricity expert and professor.
- Alan Collingwood, an English organist, choirmaster and conductor.
- Mike Collingwood, a former British international field hockey player.