Coleen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Coleen

What does the name Coleen mean?

Coleen is an ancient Anglo-Saxon surname that came from the personal name Nicholas. A common diminutive of the name Nicholas was Colin. 1

Saint Collen was a 7th-century monk who gave his name to Llangollen, Denbighshire which translates from the Welsh as "church of the hazel-wood."

Early Origins of the Coleen family

The surname Coleen was first found in various counties throughout old Britain. By example, the Hundreorum Rolls of 1273 list William de Colince or Colunce as holding lands at Chadlington, Oxford, and Hugh de Culunce had custody of Pont Orson temp. King John, c. 1200. Ernis de Coulonces married a daughter of William de Warrenne, Earl of Surrey, temp. Henry I. and Hugh de Colonches in 1165, held a barony of four fees. Adam de Coulnce paid a fine to the King in Oxfordshire 1203, and Hugh de Coulnce confirmed lands to Mottisfont Priory 2

We must look to Somerset to view an early entry for an early phonetic match to the more popular spellings of today. For it is there that John Colyngs was listed as holding lands, 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) 3

Down in Cornwall, the Halset manor in Lesnewth, "belonged to the family of Colyn but in the reign of James I. it was the property of Thomas Southcott, Esq. and Mr. Humphrey Brown." 4

Again in Cornwall, "the manor of Luxulian was in the family of Collins in the reign of Elizabeth, after which it became the property of the Kendalls." 4

Early History of the Coleen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Coleen research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1500, 1576, 1618, 1623, 1624, 1625, 1651, 1653, 1660, 1667, 1683, 1690, 1697, 1705, 1711 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Coleen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Coleen Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Coleen has been recorded under many different variations, including Collins, Collin, Collings, Colling, Collis, Caullins, Caulling, Caullings, Caullis, Colins, Colings, Coliss and many more.

Early Notables of the Coleen family

Distinguished members of the family include Samuel Collins (1576-1651), an English clergyman and academic, Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge and Provost of King's College, Cambridge; and his son, John Collins (1624-1711), an English academic and politician; Abraham Cowley (1618-1667), an English poet born in the City of London; John Collinges (1623-1690), an English Presbyterian theologian, participant in the Savoy Conference, ejected minister, and prolific writer; John Collins (1625-1683), an...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Coleen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Coleen family to Ireland

Some of the Coleen family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 72 words (5 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 Coleen family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Coleen or a variant listed above: Alary Collin who settled in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1774; George Collin settled in Maryland in 1775; Patrick Collin settled in New Castle County, Del. in 1856.

Contemporary Notables of the name Coleen (post 1700) +

Wanda Coleen Hunter, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Indiana, 1972 5
Coleen Seng (b. 1936), American Democratic Party politician, Mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska, 2003-07 6
Coleen Gray (1922-2015), born Doris Bernice Jensen, an American actress, best known for her roles in the films Nightmare Alley (1947), Red River (1948), and The Killing (1956)
Coleen Patricia Nolan (b. 1965), English singer, television presenter and author
Coleen Kent Menlove (b. 1943), American 10th general president of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1999 to 2005)
Coleen Seng (b. 1936), American politician, the 50th mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska
Coleen Erin McGrath, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1984 7

Sources +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 3) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html