Contents [hide]

Coleman History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Coleman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The roots of the English name Coleman in the northern counties are with the Irish personal name Colmán, which is in turn derived from the word "colm," meaning "dove." St. Columban (c. 540-615) of Ireland was a missionary in Europe, and forms of his name were adopted throughout Europe, where they were later adopted into surnames. It was "ancient Anglo-Saxon personal name mentioned by Bede." 1

It is thought that the Norwegians then brought the name to Cumberland, Westmorland and Yorkshire. In southern England, Coleman finds its roots in the Old English workd "col," referring to "coal." In this instance the name was occupational for someone who gathered coal, or burned charcoal.

Early Origins of the Coleman family

The surname Coleman was first found in Buckinghamshire, where a record from the Pipe Rolls of 1176 show a Colemannus de Eston. 2 The name can also be found in Southern England in the Domesday Book, 3 where it was first listed as a personal name as in Colemannus.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list the name as a personal name and a surname: Coleman le Hen in Suffolk, 1273; Editha Colman in Oxfordshire; and Martin Coleman in London. Much later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Matilda Colman as residing there and holding lands at that time. 4

Early History of the Coleman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Coleman research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1166, 1551, 1595, 1598, 1615, 1617, 1618, 1621, 1623, 1636, 1647, 1660, 1664, 1669, 1678, 1834, 1836, 1838, 1840, 1847, 1849, 1863, 1890 and 1929 are included under the topic Early Coleman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Coleman Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Colman, Coleman, Coalman, Coulman, Colemen, Colmen, Coalmen, Colmin, Colmen, Coulmen, Coulmin, Colemin and many more.

Early Notables of the Coleman family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Thomas Coleman (1598-1647), English divine, a native of Oxford, entered Magdalen Hall in 1615, graduated B.A. in 1618, M.A. in 1621. 5
Edward Colman or Coleman (1636-1678), was an English Catholic courtier under Charles II of England; he was hanged, drawn and quartered on a treason charge, having been implicated by Titus Oates in his...
Dr. Charles Coleman (d. 1664), was chamber musician to Charles I. On 4 May 1617, a Charles Coleman played the part of Hymen in a masque, by Robert White. He died in Fetter Lane in 1664. 6

Coleman World Ranking

In the United States, the name Coleman is the 82^nd most popular surname with an estimated 236,265 people with that name. 7 However, in Canada, the name Coleman is ranked the 712^nd most popular surname with an estimated 7,480 people with that name. 8 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Coleman is the 598^th popular surname with an estimated 77 people with that name. 9 Australia ranks Coleman as 189^th with 16,820 people. 10 New Zealand ranks Coleman as 209^th with 2,696 people. 11 The United Kingdom ranks Coleman as 219^th with 26,288 people. 12

Migration of the Coleman family to Ireland

Some of the Coleman family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Coleman migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Coleman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Coleman, who landed in America in 1630 13
Henry Coleman, who arrived in Virginia in 1632 13
Katherine Coleman, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 13
Joseph Coleman, who arrived in New England in 1637 13
Robert Coleman, who landed in Virginia in 1637 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Coleman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Rota Coleman, who arrived in Virginia in 1703 13
Robert Coleman, who landed in Virginia in 1703 13
Geo Coleman, who arrived in Virginia in 1704 13
Philip Coleman, aged 50, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1740 13
Margaret Coleman, who landed in Virginia in 1744 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Coleman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Isaac, Coleman Jr., who arrived in America in 1803 13
John Coleman, who landed in America in 1804 13
Daniel Coleman, who arrived in Long Island in 1812 13
David Coleman, aged 33, who arrived in New York in 1812 13
Mrs. Coleman, who landed in New York NY in 1812 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Coleman migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Coleman Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

William Coleman, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
Mary Coleman, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Bartw Coleman, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Bartholomew Coleman, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1754

Coleman Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Bartholomew Coleman was a proprietor and occupier of fishing rooms at Trinity, Newfoundland in 1800
Andrew Coleman, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1806
Patrick Coleman from Lismore, County Waterford, Ireland, settled in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1811 14
Patrick Coleman, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1818
Patrick Coleman, aged 19, an apothecary, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the barque "Independence" from Kinsale, Ireland
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Coleman migration to Australia +

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

Coleman Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Mr. Henry Coleman, (b. 1770), aged 27, English farmer who was convicted in Leicester, Leicestershire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1841 15
Miss Sarah Coleman, (Wilkinson, Salmon), (b. 1777), aged 21, English convict who was convicted in Devon, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Britannia III" on 18th July 1798, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1853 16

Coleman Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Coleman, British Convict who was convicted in Kent, England for life, transported aboard the "Earl Cornwallis" in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 17
Mr. Richard Coleman, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for life, transported aboard the "Earl Cornwallis" in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 17
Mr. Patrick Coleman, Irish convict who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 18
Miss Norah Coleman, (Kellman), British Convict who was convicted in Hampshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Experiment" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 19
Mr. James Coleman, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Baring" in April 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 20
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Coleman 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:

Coleman Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

J Coleman, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Indemnity 21
Thomas Coleman, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
Thomas Coleman, aged 35, a baker, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" in 1842
Rebecca Coleman, aged 36, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" in 1842
James Coleman, aged 15, a baker, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" in 1842
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Coleman migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 22

Coleman Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. John Coleman, (b. 1595), aged 40, British settler travelling aboard the ship "Expedition" arriving in Barbados in 1636 23

Contemporary Notables of the name Coleman (post 1700) +

Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman (1892-1926), first African American and first Native American to become a licensed airplane pilot, the first Black person to earn an international pilot's license
Eldridge Wayne Coleman (1943-2023), better known by his ring name "Superstar" Billy Graham, an American professional wrestler, WWWF Heavyweight Champion in 1977–1978. He was a three-time world champion in major professional wrestling promotions
Lester Knox Coleman III (1943-2021), American who was the co-author of the 1993 book Trail of the Octopus: From Beirut to Lockerbie – Inside the DIA
Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman (b. 1996), American actress, singer and producer. She began her career as a child model and backup dancer, before gaining prominence for her role as Rocky Blue on the Disney Channel sitcom Shake It Up In 2013 she competed on Dancing with the Stars. She become the youngest winner of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Some of her roles include The Greatest Showman, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far from Home
Catherine Daisy Coleman (1997-2020), American sexual abuse victim advocate
James Malone Coleman (1929-2020), American second bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee from Memphis, Tennessee
Kelly "King" Coleman (1938-2019), American professional basketball player
Benjamin "Ben" Coleman (1961-2019), American professional basketball player
Nicholas J. "Nick" Coleman (1950-2018), American journalist for the Star Tribune
John Coleman (1934-2018), American TV weatherman and co-founder of The Weather Channel
... (Another 225 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Coleman family +

Arrow Air Flight 1285

Mr. Bobby Lee Coleman (1965-1985), American Private 1st Class from Rochester, New York, USA who died in the Arrow Air Flight 1285 crash 24

Halifax Explosion

Mr. LeBaron Coleman (1851-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 25
Mr. Vincent J. P. Coleman (1876-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 25

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. George Edward Coleman (1919-1941), Australian Wireman from Young, New South Wales, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 26

HMS Cornwall

Ernest Coleman (d. 1942), British Stoker Petty Officer aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 27

HMS Dorsetshire

William James Coleman (d. 1945), British Marine aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 28

HMS Hood

Mr. Dennis J Coleman (b. 1922), English Marine serving for the Royal Marine from Chiddingly, Sussex, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 29

HMS Royal Oak

Maurice George NewBerry Coleman (d. 1939), British Boy Telegraphist with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 30
Jack Alfred Coleman (1921-1939), British Boy Telegraphist with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 30
Edward William Coleman (1900-1939), British Able Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 30

Lady of the Lake

Miss Eliza Coleman (b. 1805), Irish traveller from Moville, Ireland who sailed aboard the "Lady of the Lake" from Greenock, Scotland on 8th April 1833 to Quebec, Canada when the ship hit ice and sunk of the coast of Newfoundland on the 11th May 1833 and she died in the sinking

North Sea Flood

Harry W. Coleman, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953

RMS Lusitania

Miss Susan Coleman, Irish 2nd Class passenger residing in Brooklyn, New York, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 31

RMS Titanic

Mr. Albert Edward Coleman (d. 1912), aged 28, English Saloon Steward from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 32
Mr. John Coleman (d. 1912), aged 57, English Mess Steward from Itchen, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking and was recovered by CS Mackay-Bennett 32
Mr. John Coleman (d. 1912), aged 57, English Mess Steward from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 32

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Grove, Sir George, A Dictionary of Music and Musicians (AD. 1450-1889) London: Macmillan1902, Print, 2 Vols
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Britannia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-cornwallis
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 29th September 2021. Retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
American War Memorials - Flight 1285. (Retrieved 2016, August 24) . Retrieved from http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=317&MemID=550
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html