Show ContentsColbeth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Colbeth is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived near a cold stream. The surname Colbeth is derived from the Old English word ceald, which means cold, and the Old Norse word bekkr, which means stream.

Alternatively the name could have been derived from Caldbeck, a parish, in the union of Wigton, Allerdale ward below Derwent, in Cumberland. "The church bears date 1112, and was founded soon after the establishment of an hospital for travellers, by the prior of Carlisle, with the permission of Ranulph D'Engain, chief forester of Inglewood." [1]

Another source claims the name to be Norman from Caudebec or Caldebec, Normandy. William de Caudebec occurs in the Duchy 1180-1195. [2]

Early Origins of the Colbeth family

The surname Colbeth was first found in Cumberland, but early records of the family are very scarce. Alan de Caudebec held lands there in 1214. Thomas de Caldebek was recorded in Yorkshire in 1321 although this may have been confused with Cumberland. [3]

Early History of the Colbeth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Colbeth research. Another 50 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1664, 1680, 1683, 1696, 1716, 1728, 1729, 1748, 1787, 1790, 1798 and 1806 are included under the topic Early Colbeth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Colbeth Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Colbeth are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Colbeth include: Colbeck, Caldebeck, Coulbeck, Colebeck, Coldbeck, Caldbeck, Callbeck, Calbeck, Coleback, Coalbeck, Callback, Coallbeck, Colbatch, Collback and many more.

Early Notables of the Colbeth family

Distinguished members of the family include John Colbatch (1664-1748), an English divine, admitted to St. Peter's, Westminster, as a scholar in 1680, and proceeded to Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1683. [4]Sir John Colbatch (d. 1729), was English physician, a native...
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Colbeth Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Colbeth family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Colbeth or a variant listed above: Joshua Colbeck who arrived in Virginia in 1664.



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. 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)
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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