Explore the Family Name Colin
The meaning of Colin
1. French, Walloon, and Breton: from a French shortened pet form of the personal name Nicolas (see Nicholas). This surname is also found in the Flemish part of Belgium. 2. English: from the personal name Colin, a diminutive of Col, itself a pet form of Nicholas. 3. Irish and Scottish: from the Irish personal name Coileán or Coilín meaning ‘young hound’, or from the Scottish Gaelic equivalent, Cailean. History: Pierre Colin from Les Biards in Manche, France, married first Marie-Charlotte Thibierge in Montmagny, QC, in 1747, and second Marie-Madeleine Louineau in Saint-François-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud, QC, in 1758. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Juan, Alfredo, Francisco, Jesus, Ricardo, Alberto, Angel, Arturo, Eduardo, Esteban, Faustino. French Alexandre, Andre, Armand, Georges, Henri, Jean Claude, Jean-Michel, Laurette, Lucien, Marcel, Patrice, Pierre.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Colin in the United States?
The surname Colin has seen a significant increase in popularity over the past decade, according to Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, it was ranked 5697 and by 2010, it had risen to rank 4270 – an impressive growth of 25.05%. The actual count of individuals with this surname also increased from 5583 in 2000 to 8318 in 2010, marking a 48.99% rise. Furthermore, for every 100,000 people, the prevalence of the surname Colin increased by 36.23%, going from 2.07 to 2.82.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,697 | #4,270 | 25.05% |
| Count | 5,583 | 8,318 | 48.99% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.07 | 2.82 | 36.23% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Colin
When considering the ethnic identity associated with the surname Colin, there have been notable changes between 2000 and 2010 based on the Decennial U.S. Census. The proportion of individuals identifying as Hispanic saw an increase of 10.08%, making it the most common ethnicity connected with the surname at 69.56% in 2010. On the contrary, those identifying as White decreased significantly by 23.08%, down to 20.20% in 2010. The Black community saw a modest rise of 5.99%, while those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 20.93%. Notably, there was a sharp decrease of 52.60% among individuals identifying with two or more races, and the American Indian and Alaskan Native group also saw a decrease of 39.13%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 63.19% | 69.56% | 10.08% |
| White | 26.26% | 20.2% | -23.08% |
| Black | 8.35% | 8.85% | 5.99% |
| Two or More Races | 1.54% | 0.73% | -52.6% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.43% | 0.52% | 20.93% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.23% | 0.14% | -39.13% |
Colin ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Colin is British & Irish, which comprises 21.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Spanish & Portuguese (18.4%) and Indigenous American (18.1%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Ashkenazi Jewish, Eastern European, Italian, and Scandinavian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 21.0% |
| Spanish & Portuguese | 18.4% |
| Indigenous American | 18.1% |
| Other | 42.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Colin
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Colin have recent ancestry locations all within Mexico.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Guerrero, Mexico | 40.40% |
| Sinaloa, Mexico | 40.40% |
| Mexico City, Mexico | 40.40% |
| Jalisco, Mexico | 40.40% |
| Nayarit, Mexico | 40.40% |
What Colin haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Colin is R-P297, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P297 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P312 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Roos, Jorge, Rapp, Simons, Harman, Browne, Reinhardt, Davis, Grey, Thomas.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Colin surname are: A2, H, B2. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Colin have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Colin" Surname 45.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Colin" Surname 30.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Colin" Surname 18.4%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Colin" Surname 18.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Colin?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Colin are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition