Show ContentsColeman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Coleman Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Coleman

What does the name Coleman mean?

The roots of the English name Coleman in the northern counties are with the Irish personal name Colmán, which is in turn derived from the word "colm," meaning "dove." St. Columban (c. 540-615) of Ireland was a missionary in Europe, and forms of his name were adopted throughout Europe, where they were later adopted into surnames. It was "ancient Anglo-Saxon personal name mentioned by Bede." 1

It is thought that the Norwegians then brought the name to Cumberland, Westmorland and Yorkshire. In southern England, Coleman finds its roots in the Old English workd "col," referring to "coal." In this instance the name was occupational for someone who gathered coal, or burned charcoal.

Early Origins of the Coleman family

The surname Coleman was first found in Buckinghamshire, where a record from the Pipe Rolls of 1176 show a Colemannus de Eston. 2 The name can also be found in Southern England in the Domesday Book, 3 where it was first listed as a personal name as in Colemannus.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list the name as a personal name and a surname: Coleman le Hen in Suffolk, 1273; Editha Colman in Oxfordshire; and Martin Coleman in London. Much later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Matilda Colman as residing there and holding lands at that time. 4

Early History of the Coleman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Coleman research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1166, 1551, 1595, 1598, 1615, 1617, 1618, 1621, 1623, 1636, 1647, 1660, 1664, 1669, 1678, 1834, 1836, 1838, 1840, 1847, 1849, 1863, 1890 and 1929 are included under the topic Early Coleman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Coleman Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Colman, Coleman, Coalman, Coulman, Colemen, Colmen, Coalmen, Colmin, Colmen, Coulmen, Coulmin, Colemin and many more.

Early Notables of the Coleman family

  • Thomas Coleman (1598-1647), English divine, a native of Oxford, entered Magdalen Hall in 1615, graduated B.A. in 1618, M.A. in 1621. 5
  • Edward Colman or Coleman (1636-1678), was an English Catholic courtier under Charles II of England; he was hanged, drawn and quartered on a treason charge, having been implicated by Titus Oates in his...
  • Dr. Charles Coleman (d. 1664), was chamber musician to Charles I. On 4 May 1617, a Charles Coleman played the part of Hymen in a masque, by Robert White. He died in Fetter Lane in 1664. 6
  • Edward Coleman (d. 1669), was a musician and a celebrated teacher of the viol, lute, and singing. He was the original composer of Shirley's fine lines in the 'Contention of Ajax and Ulysses.' 5

Coleman World Ranking

the United Kingdom, the name Coleman is the 219th most popular surname with an estimated 26,288 people with that name. 7 However, in Australia, the name Coleman is ranked the 189th most popular surname with an estimated 16,820 people with that name. 8 And in New Zealand, the name Coleman is the 209th popular surname with an estimated 2,696 people with that name. 9 Canada ranks Coleman as 712nd with 7,480 people. 10 Newfoundland, Canada ranks Coleman as 598th with 77 people. 11 The United States ranks Coleman as 82nd with 236,265 people. 12

Migration of the Coleman family to Ireland

Some of the Coleman family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 77 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Coleman migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the First Fleet and Second Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

First Fleet
  • Mr. Charles Coleman, (b. 1753), aged 36, British settler convicted in Kent, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Neptune" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 13
  • Mr. William Coleman, (b. 1740), aged 49, British settler convicted in Gloucestershire, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Neptune, Scarborough or Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 14
Second Fleet
  • Mr. Richard Coleman, British settler convicted in London, England in 1787, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Matilda" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 14
  • Mr. Robert Coleman, British settler convicted in London, England in 1789, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Salamander" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 14
Following the First and Second Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Coleman Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Henry Coleman, (b. 1770), aged 27, English farmer who was convicted in Leicester, Leicestershire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1841 14
  • Miss Sarah Coleman, (Wilkinson, Salmon), (b. 1777), aged 21, English convict who was convicted in Devon, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Britannia III" on 18th July 1798, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1853 15
Coleman Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Coleman migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Coleman Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • J Coleman, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Indemnity 20
  • Thomas Coleman, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
  • Edward Coleman, who landed in Nelson, New Zealand in 1842
  • Thomas Coleman, aged 35, a baker, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" in 1842
  • Rebecca Coleman, aged 36, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" in 1842
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Coleman migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 21
Coleman Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Mr. John Coleman, (b. 1595), aged 40, British settler travelling aboard the ship "Expedition" arriving in Barbados in 1636 22

Coleman migration to Canada +

Coleman Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • William Coleman, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
  • Mary Coleman, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Bartw Coleman, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Bartholomew Coleman, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1754
Coleman Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Bartholomew Coleman was a proprietor and occupier of fishing rooms at Trinity, Newfoundland in 1800
  • Andrew Coleman, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1806
  • Patrick Coleman from Lismore, County Waterford, Ireland, settled in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1811 23
  • Patrick Coleman, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1818
  • Joanna Coleman, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1833
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Coleman migration to the United States +



Coleman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Coleman, who landed in America in 1630 24
  • Henry Coleman, who arrived in Virginia in 1632 24
  • Katherine Coleman, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 24
  • Joseph Coleman, who arrived in New England in 1637 24
  • Sara Coleman and four children settled in New England in 1637
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Coleman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Rota Coleman, who arrived in Virginia in 1703 24
  • Robert Coleman, who landed in Virginia in 1703 24
  • Geo Coleman, who arrived in Virginia in 1704 24
  • Philip Coleman, aged 50, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1740 24
  • Margaret Coleman, who landed in Virginia in 1744 24
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Coleman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Isaac, Coleman Jr., who arrived in America in 1803 24
  • John Coleman, who landed in America in 1804 24
  • Mrs. Coleman, who landed in New York NY in 1812 24
  • Daniel Coleman, who arrived in Long Island in 1812 24
  • David Coleman, aged 33, who arrived in New York in 1812 24
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Coleman (post 1700) +

  • David John Coleman (1942-2016), English footballer who played for Colchester (1961-1962)
  • David Robert Coleman OBE (1926-2013), English sports commentator and television presenter for the BBC for over 40 years, the first broadcaster to receive the Olympic Order award
  • Alan Coleman (1936-2013), English-born, Australian television series writer, director producer and creator of The Restless Years, Punishment, Neighbours and Shortland Street
  • Iain Coleman (1958-2025), British Labour politician, Member of Parliament for Hammersmith and Fulham in London (1997-2005), elected as a councillor in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham for Shepherd's Bush Green ward in May 2010
  • Joseph Howard Coleman (1947-2025), American baseball player, as a pitcher (1965-1982), including 15 seasons in Major League Baseball with the Washington Senators (1965-70), Detroit Tigers (1971-76), Chicago Cubs (1976), Oakland Athletics (1977-78), Toronto Blue Jays (1978), San Francisco Giants (1979) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1979)
  • Alberta Coleman (1916-1983), American corporal in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, first all-female, all-African-American battalion to server overseas
  • Willie Lee Coleman (b. 1922), American private in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, first all-female, all-African-American battalion to server overseas
  • Michael Coleman (1963-2025), Irish hurler who played for the Abbeyknockmoy club and at senior level for the Galway county team
  • Charles Thomas Coleman (d. 2024), also known as Chuck Coleman, American aviator, aerospace engineer, airshow and test pilot
  • ... (Another 233 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Arrow Air Flight 1285
  • Mr. Bobby Lee Coleman (1965-1985), American Private 1st Class from Rochester, New York, USA who died in the Arrow Air Flight 1285 crash 25
  • Mr. LeBaron  Coleman (1851-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 26
  • Mr. Vincent J. P.  Coleman (1876-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 27
  • Mr. George Edward Coleman (1919-1941), Australian Wireman from Young, New South Wales, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 27
  • Ernest Coleman (d. 1942), British Stoker Petty Officer aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 28
  • ... (Another 13 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Suggested Readings for the name Coleman +

  • Coleman Family History by George Simpson.
  • Colemans of Greene County: a Bit of Alabama History by Stephen Beasley Coleman.
  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  6. Grove, Sir George, A Dictionary of Music and Musicians (AD. 1450-1889) London: Macmillan1902, Print, 2 Vols
  7. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  8. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  9. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  10. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  11. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  12. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  13. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Britannia
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-cornwallis
  17. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
  18. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
  19. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  20. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  21. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  22. Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 29th September 2021. Retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  23. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  24. 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)
  25. American War Memorials - Flight 1285. (Retrieved 2016, August 24) . Retrieved from http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=317&MemID=550
  26. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  27. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
  28. Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A

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