Show ContentsColsolm History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the bearers of the Colsolm family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in the region of Colston, a parish in the county of Nottingham.

Early Origins of the Colsolm family

The surname Colsolm was first found in Northumberland where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

Early History of the Colsolm family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Colsolm research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1090, 1200, 1379, 1636, 1668, 1680, 1721, 1722 and 1760 are included under the topic Early Colsolm History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Colsolm Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Colsolm include Coulson, Colson, Colsune, Colsoun, Colsoune, Culson, Culsoune, Cullson, Collson, Coullson, Collsoun and many more.

Early Notables of the Colsolm family

Notables of this surname at this time include: John Colson (1680-1760), British mathematician, Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University. He "was son of Francis Colson of Lichfield, vicar-choral of the cathedral and nephew of John Strype, the ecclesiastical historian." 1 Lancelot Colson (fl. 1668), was an astrologer who practised at the sign of the Royal Oak on...
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Colsolm Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Colsolm family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Colsolm or a variant listed above: John Coulson who settled in Hampstead, Connecticut, in the year 1666; John Coulson settled in Fort Cumberland, Nova Scotia in 1774; and Adam Colson settled in Reading sometime before 1668.



The Colsolm 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: Je mourrai pour ceux que j'aime
Motto Translation: I would die for those I love.


  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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