Show ContentsColsombe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestry of the name Colsombe dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in the region of Colston, a parish in the county of Nottingham.

Early Origins of the Colsombe family

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

Early History of the Colsombe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Colsombe 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 Colsombe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Colsombe Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Colsombe have been found, including Coulson, Colson, Colsune, Colsoun, Colsoune, Culson, Culsoune, Cullson, Collson, Coullson, Collsoun and many more.

Early Notables of the Colsombe 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 Colsombe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Colsombe family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Colsombe, 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 Colsombe 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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