| ![Show Contents]() Colpitts History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of ColpittsWhat does the name Colpitts mean? The ancestors of the Colpitts surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they lived in Newcastle. The name means "at the coal pits," and is found in the area around the great coal mines in Newcastle and the surrounding area in Shropshire. 1 "I have observed this name about Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It was probably assumed in the first instance by a person resident near a coal-pit." 2 Early Origins of the Colpitts familyThe surname Colpitts was first found in the historic county of Durham, now part of Tyne and Wear in the Newcastle upon Tyne area. Early records of the family are rare. The first record we found of the name was a marriage record in London of Nicholas Collpotts and Katherine Tatham, (1576-1577.) Braund's Newcastle lists John Colepitts as a hoastman in 1720 (epitaph, St. Nicholas, Newcastle-on-Tyne); and George Colpits, of Killingworth in 1763. 1 Black has no record of the family in Scotland, so one can presume that the family remained in this area. Today Colpitts Grange is a village in Northumberland and Colpitt Lake is a lake near Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Early History of the Colpitts familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Colpitts research. Another 24 words (2 lines of text) covering the year 1576 is included under the topic Early Colpitts History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Colpitts Spelling VariationsBefore 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 Colpitts include Colpitts, Coldpitts, Colquit, Colquite, Colquitt, Colquits, Collpotts and many more. Early Notables of the Colpitts familyMore information is included under the topic Early Colpitts Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Colpitts migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia included the Third Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Third Fleet - Miss Ann Colpitts, (b. 1758), aged 29, English settler convicted in Durham, Durham on 19th July 1785, sentenced for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Lady Penrhyn" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 3
Following the Third Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include: Colpitts Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
| Contemporary Notables of the name Colpitts (post 1700) | + |
- Jerry Colpitts, American actor, known for The Bear (2011), The Leviathan Chronicles (2008) and Sketchy (2012)
- Peter Colpitts, American animator, known for I, Robot (2004), Johnny Mnemonic (1995) and Body Parts (1991)
- Jerry Colpitts, American actor, known for How I Spent My Summer Vacation (2025), UFO Club (2022) and The Bigfoot Club (2025)
- Fred Colpitts (1889-1963), Canadian politician, farmer and fox rancher, Member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1931 to 1939
- A. Russell Colpitts (1906-2008), Canadian farmer and politician born in Colpitts Settlement who represented Albert in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1939 to 1952
- Edwin Henry Colpitts (1872-1949), Canadian-born, Western Electric research branch chief who was involved in the development of oscillators and amplifiers, best known for his work on the "Colpitts oscillator"
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
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