Find out how popular the last name Collings is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Collings.

Collings, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Collings surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Collings in America

Collings is the 10411th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Collings surname appeared 3,093 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Collings.

We can also compare 2010 data for Collings to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Collings

The surname COLLINGS has its origins in England, likely emerging in the 13th or 14th century. It is derived from the Old English word "coll," meaning "coal," and the suffix "-ing," which denotes a patronymic or occupational name. This suggests that the name initially referred to someone who worked with coal, such as a coal miner or merchant.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval records from various parts of England. One notable example is the appearance of William Collyng in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327. The surname also appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, with the spelling "Colyng."

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Colling, Collings, and Collinges. This variation in spelling was common during this period due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions. One example is John Collinges, who was recorded in the Parish Registers of Shropshire in 1598.

The surname COLLINGS may also be linked to certain place names in England, such as Collingbourne in Wiltshire or Collington in Somerset. These place names likely derived from the Old English words "coll" and "tun," meaning "coal town" or "coal settlement."

Historically, the name COLLINGS has been associated with several notable individuals. One such person was William Collings (1675-1743), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of planetary motion and published works on navigation.

Another notable figure was Jesse Collings (1831-1920), an English politician and activist who advocated for workers' rights and land reform. He served as a Member of Parliament and played a significant role in the establishment of allotments for agricultural workers.

In the literary realm, David Collings (1940-2003) was a British actor renowned for his portrayal of Gandalf in the BBC radio adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" in the 1980s.

Samuel Collings (1690-1765) was an English Presbyterian minister and author who wrote on religious topics, including a commentary on the Book of Revelation.

John Collings (1808-1879) was a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, such as the Ipswich Railway Station and the Church of St. Matthew in Bethnal Green.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Collings

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Collings.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Collings was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Collings has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Collings was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Collings, please contact us.

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