Show ContentsColburne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Colburne is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from a family once having lived in Colbourne, a township in the parish of Catterick in the North Riding of Yorkshire. 1 It is from the place-name that the family name is derived. 2 3

The place-names come from the Old English words "col," meaning "cool," and "burna," meaning "stream," collectively meaning "dweller near a cold stream." 4

The Domesday Book of 1086 lists this place as Corburne 5 and by 1198 it was known as Coleburn.

Early Origins of the Colburne family

The surname Colburne was first found in Yorkshire where one of the first of the name on record was Geoffrey de Colebrunn in 1208 who held estates in the North Riding of Yorkshire in the parish of Catterick. Later, William de Colburn was listed as a Freeman of York in 1386. 6

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included Ricardus Collebround and Margarela Colbrand. 7

Researching old Somerset records we found Robert Colbern and William Colebrond both listed 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 8

Early History of the Colburne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Colburne research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1370, 1386, 1622, 1631, 1677, 1686, 1693, 1695, 1701, 1778, 1794, 1795, 1799, 1800, 1801, 1808 and 1863 are included under the topic Early Colburne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Colburne Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Colburne has been recorded under many different variations, including Colburn, Colburne, Colborne, Colbourne, Coulbourne, Colbourn, Cullburn, Colborn, Colbryn, Coulbryne, Culbourne, Cullburne and many more.

Early Notables of the Colburne family

Notables of the family at this time include Prisca Coborn (1622-1701) an English wealthy widow of a brewer, who established the Coopers' Company and Coborn School, a coeducational school in Bow in 1701.Sir John Colborne, first Baron Seaton (1778-1863), general, only son of Samuel Colborne of Lyndhurst, Hampshire, was born there on 16 Feb. 1778. He entered the army as an ensign in the 20th regiment on 10 July 1794, and won every step of promotion without purchase. He was promoted lieutenant on 4 Sept. 1795, and captain-lieutenant on 11 Aug...
Another 90 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Colburne Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Colburne migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Colburne or a variant listed above:

Colburne Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Robert Colburne, aged 28, who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Defence" 9
  • Edward Colburne, aged 17, who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Defence" 9
  • Robert Colburne, who settled in New England in 1635
  • Edward Colburne, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1635 9
  • Nich Colburne, who landed in Virginia in 1662 9
Colburne Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Colburne, aged 30 who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "City of London" in 1869 10
  • Miss Ann Colburne, aged 1 who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "City of London" in 1869 10
  • Miss Edith Colburne, aged 34, who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Parthia" in 1873 10
Colburne Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. James Colburne, aged 27, who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Mesaba" in 1910 10
  • Clare Colburne, aged 39, who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Noordam" in 1911 10
  • Harry Colburne, aged 32, Canadian who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Rosalind" in 1923 10
  • Mr. William H. Colburne, aged 37, Australian who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "American" in 1943 10


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  5. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  6. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  7. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  8. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  9. 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)
  10. Ellis Island Search retrieved 9th February 2023. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result


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