Show ContentsColomb History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Colomb

What does the name Colomb mean?

The Hebrides islands and the west coast of Scotland are the ancestral home of the Colomb family. Their name comes from the Scottish name MacCallum, which means "the son of the gillie of Callum." However, the full form of the name was used until the 17th century. The Callums were an import branch of the Clan McLeod of Raasay.

Early Origins of the Colomb family

The surname Colomb was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, where they held a family seat from very early times.

Early History of the Colomb family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Colomb research. Another 126 words (9 lines of text) covering the year 1636 is included under the topic Early Colomb History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Colomb Spelling Variations

Medieval translation of Gaelic names could not be referred to as an accurate process. Spelling was not yet standardized, and names in documents from that era are riddled with spelling variations. Colomb has been written as Callum, MacColum, MacCallum, Colum, Callam, Callem, Calam and many more.

Early Notables of the Colomb family

More information is included under the topic Early Colomb Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Colomb Ranking

In France, the name Colomb is the 1,983rd most popular surname with an estimated 3,143 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Colomb family to Ireland

Some of the Colomb family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Colomb family

Ancestors of many of the Dalriadan families who crossed the Atlantic still live along the east coast of the United States and Canada. Some Scottish settlers arrived in Canada during the American War of Independence as United Empire Loyalists, while others stayed south to fight for a new nation. The descendants of Scottish settlers in both countries began to rediscover their heritage in the 19th and 20th centuries through Clan societies and highland games. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Colomb or a variant listed above: Patrick Callum who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1868.


Contemporary Notables of the name Colomb (post 1700) +

  • Philip Howard Colomb (1831-1899), Scottish naval officer
  • Pierre Colomb, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 2
  • Joseph Antoine Colomb, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 3
  • Charles Earl Colomb, Realtor, Building Company Executive, Chalmette, LA


The Colomb Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: In ardua tendit
Motto Translation: He reaches towards things difficult of attainment.


Suggested Readings for the name Colomb +

  • The Ancestry and Descendants of Christopher Columbus by Charles Maduell.

  1. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  2. Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, February 12) Pierre Colomb. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
  3. Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, February 12) Joseph Colomb. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook