Contents [hide]

Colvin History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Colvin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The name Colvin is from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of the Britain and comes from the Old Welsh names Colwin and Coluin. The name Coluinus was recorded in Devon in the Domesday Book of 1086.

Early Origins of the Colvin family

The surname Colvin was first found in Devon where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say long before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Early History of the Colvin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Colvin research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1040, 1066, 1086, 1845, 1890 and 1927 are included under the topic Early Colvin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Colvin Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Colvin has been spelled many different ways, including Colvin, Colvinne, Calvin, Coulvin, Cowlvin, Colvine, Calvine, Caulvin, Colwin, Calwin, Caulwin, Colwine, Calwine, Callvine, Callvin, Callwin, Collwin and many more.

Early Notables of the Colvin family

Notables of the family at this time include

Sir Sidney Colvin (1845-1927), an Englishman born in Norwood, Surrey also led a remarkable life...
A noted editor, Colvin edited the works of many great writers, including Robert Louis Stevenson and John Keats...

Colvin Ranking

In the United States, the name Colvin is the 1,501^st most popular surname with an estimated 19,896 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Colvin family to Ireland

Some of the Colvin family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Colvin migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Colvins to arrive in North America:

Colvin Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

William Colvin, who landed in Maryland in 1714 2
Hugh Colvin, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1773

Colvin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Colvin, who arrived in America in 1806 2
John Colvin, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1811 2
Jane and John Colvin, who settled in Philadelphia in 1811
Jame Colvin, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1811 2
Marjory Colvin, who arrived in New York in 1822 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Colvin migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Colvin Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mr. John Colvin, aged 84 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Perseverance" Dublin, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in May 1847 3

Colvin migration to Australia +

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

Colvin Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Colvin, (b. 1801), aged 18, English shoe maker's boy who was convicted in London, England for life for pick pocketing, transported aboard the "Dromedary" on 11th September 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4
Mr. Meshach Colvin, British Convict who was convicted in Kent, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Caledonia" on 5th July 1820, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5
Mr. Joseph Colvin, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for life, transported aboard the "Countess of Harcourt" on 8th April 1821, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
Mr. Anthony Colvin, English convict who was convicted in London, England for life, transported aboard the "Bardaster" on 7th September 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
G.R. Colvin, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Athenian" in 1849 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Colvin 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:

Colvin Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Gavin Colvin, aged 31, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Wairoa" in 1877
Janet Colvin, aged 25, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Wairoa" in 1877
Mr. George Colvin, (b. 1857), aged 22, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Stad Haarlem" arriving in Lyttleton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th April 1879 9
Mrs. Emily Colvin, (b. 1859), aged 20, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Stad Haarlem" arriving in Lyttleton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th April 1879 9
Miss Emily Colvin, (b. 1877), aged 2, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Stad Haarlem" arriving in Lyttleton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th April 1879 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Colvin (post 1700) +

Ruth Johnson Colvin (b. 1916), American founder of the non-profit organization Literacy Volunteers of America, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2006
Verplanck Colvin (1847-1920), American lawyer, author, illustrator and topographical engineer who helped create New York's Forest Preserve and the Adirondack Park, eponym of Mount Colvin, New York
Addison Beecher Colvin (1858-1939), American businessman, banker and politician, New York State Treasurer from 1894 to 1898
Jack Colvin (1934-2005), American character actor of theater, film and television, best known for his role as tabloid reporter Jack McGee on The Incredible Hulk (1977 to 1982)
Marie Catherine Colvin (1956-2012), American journalist who worked for The Sunday Times, killed covering the siege of Homs in Syria
Shawn Colvin (b. 1956), American musician from Vermillion, South Dakota
Harvey Doolittle Colvin (1815-1892), American politician, Mayor of Chicago, Illinois (1873–1875) for the People's Party
Claudette Colvin (b. 1939), American activist for African American rights
Sir Sidney Colvin (1845-1927), English curator and literary and art critic, member of the Anglo-Indian Colvin family, good friend of Robert Louis Stevenson
Bazett David Colvin (1805-1871), English merchant, eldest son of James Colvin who inherited his father's estate at The Grove, Little Bealing, near Ipswich in 1847
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Colvin 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 hoc signo vinces
Motto Translation: Under this sign thou shall conquer.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 19)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dromedary
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/caledonia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/countess-of-harcourt
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bardaster
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The ATHENIAN 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Athenian.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html