This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Collins family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Collins Family History

Collins Surname Meaning

English: variant of Colin with genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s. Irish and Manx: shortened Anglicized from Ó Coileáin compare Cullen or in Man or west Ulster shortened from Mac Coileáin compare McQuillan and McCallion.

The genitival -s is a local addition to Collin and variants after the surname was Anglicized. Americanized form of French Colin or Collin and also Collette.

In some cases an Americanized form of Slovenian Kolenc.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Collins family from?

You can see how Collins families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Collins family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Collins families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 511 Collins families living in New York. This was about 15% of all the recorded Collins's in USA. New York had the highest population of Collins families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Collins surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Collins ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Collins. 17% of Collins men worked as a Laborer and 7% of Collins women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Collins were Truck Driver and Housewife.

View Census Data for Collins | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    17%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • Salesman
    4%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    7%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Teacher
    5%
  • Housewife
    5%

What Collins family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2 million census records available for the last name Collins. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Collins census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Collins

Passenger Lists

There are 260,000 immigration records available for the last name Collins. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Collins immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 347,000 military records available for the last name Collins. For the veterans among your Collins ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Collins military records

You've only scratched the surface of Collins family history

Discover More

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Collins family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial