Show ContentsColbrook History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The lineage of the name Colbrook begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived near a cool stream. The surname Colbrook is derived from the Old English words col, which means cool, and broc, which means brook. Thus, Colbrook is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. However, Colbrook may also belong to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads; in this case, the name Colbrook is derived from residence in or near the settlement of Colebrook in Devon.

Early Origins of the Colbrook family

The surname Colbrook was first found in Surrey where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Colbrook family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Colbrook research. Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Colbrook History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Colbrook Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Colbrook has undergone many spelling variations, including Colebrooke, Colbrook, Collbrook, Colebroke, Colbroke, Collbroke and many more.

Early Notables of the Colbrook family

More information is included under the topic Early Colbrook Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Colbrook migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Colbrook were among those contributors:

Colbrook Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Robert Colbrook who settled in Philadelphia in 1774

HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. E Colbrook, British Engine Room Artificer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 1


  1. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook