Show ContentsColl History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Coll is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from the given name Nicholas. Coll was a popular diminutive of Nicholas in the Middle Ages.

Early Origins of the Coll family

The surname Coll was first found in Lincolnshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Coll family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Coll research. Another 119 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1293, 1334, 1379, 1406, 1408, 1438, 1524, 1777, 1796 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Coll History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Coll Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Coll include Colls, Colles, Colle, Coll, Col and others.

Early Notables of the Coll family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Allan Colle, a prominent landholder in 13th century Lincolnshire

Coll Ranking

In the United States, the name Coll is the 11,256th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Coll is ranked the 2,703rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,000 - 2,500 people with that name. 2

Ireland Migration of the Coll family to Ireland

Some of the Coll family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 73 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Coll migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Coll Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Coll, who landed in Virginia in 1657 3
  • Edw Coll, who arrived in Virginia in 1663 3
  • Abiah Coll, who arrived in Virginia in 1665 3
  • Barnaby Coll, who landed in Maryland in 1677 3
Coll Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Christian Wilhelm Coll, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 3
  • Hamm Coll, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1753 3
  • Joh Jacob Coll, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 3
Coll Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Antonio Buenaventura Coll, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1802 3
  • Dominick Coll, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1803 3
  • John Coll, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1803-1827 3
  • Juan Antonio Coll, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1804 3
  • Ines Coll, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1816-1826 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Coll migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Coll Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • William Coll, aged 24, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Eleanor Gordon" in 1834
  • Jane Coll, aged 36, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Caronge" in 1838
  • John Coll, aged 7, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Caronge" in 1838
  • Biddy Coll, aged 9, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Caronge" in 1838
  • Mary Coll, aged 2, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Caronge" in 1838

Australia Coll migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Coll Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Coll, (b. 1811), aged 20, Irish shoe maker who was convicted in Antrim, Ireland for life for burglary, transported aboard the "Bussorah Merchant" on 16th August 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4
  • Charles Coll, aged 18, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Marshall Bennett" 5

New Zealand Coll migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Coll Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Coll, (b. 1849), aged 17, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 5th January 1867 6
  • Mr. Patrick Coll, (b. 1846), aged 20, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 5th January 1867 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Coll (post 1700) +

  • Barbara "WebMama" Coll (b. 1960), American internationally recognized leader in search engine optimization 7
  • Steve Coll (b. 1958), American journalist and writer awarded the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction
  • Demetrio Carceller Coll (1929-2023), Portuguese billionaire heir and businessman
  • Anthony Peter "Tony" Coll (d. 2020), New Zealand professional rugby league footballer and coach who represented New Zealand in three World Cups
  • Julio Coll (1919-1993), Spanish screenwriter and film director
  • José Roca Coll (b. 1915), accomplished Spanish pianist


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bussorah-merchant
  5. South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MARSHALL BENNETT 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/marshallbennett1852.shtml
  6. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  7. Barbara Coll. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Barbara Coll. Retrieved from http://www.webmama.com/


Houseofnames.com on Facebook