Explore the Family Name Collins
The meaning of Collins
1. English: variant of Colin, with genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s. 2. 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. 3. Americanized form of French Colin or Collin and also Collette. 4. In some cases an Americanized form of Slovenian Kolenc.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Collins in the United States?
The Collins surname experienced a shift in popularity between 2000 and 2010, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, it ranked 52nd in popularity with a count of 317,848. However, by 2010, the rank had dropped to 59, marking a decline of 13.46%. Despite this drop in ranking, the actual number of people bearing the Collins surname increased to 329,770, a growth of 3.75%. The proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 5.13, from 117.83 to 111.79.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #52 | #59 | -13.46% |
| Count | 317,848 | 329,770 | 3.75% |
| Proportion per 100k | 117.83 | 111.79 | -5.13% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Collins
As per the Decennial U.S. Census, the ethnic identity associated with the Collins surname also saw some changes from 2000 to 2010. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 32.43%, while those claiming two or more races rose by 35.15%. The largest increase was seen among Hispanics, with a rise of 53.42%. The majority of people with the Collins surname identified as White, though the percentage decreased slightly from 73.92% to 71.61%. The proportion of Blacks saw a small increment of 3.36%, and those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native increased by 2.67%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 73.92% | 71.61% | -3.12% |
| Black | 21.7% | 22.43% | 3.36% |
| Hispanic | 1.61% | 2.47% | 53.42% |
| Two or More Races | 1.65% | 2.23% | 35.15% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.75% | 0.77% | 2.67% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.37% | 0.49% | 32.43% |
Collins 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 Collins is British & Irish, which comprises 55.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (20.1%) and Eastern European (4.0%). Additional ancestries include Nigerian, Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 55.3% |
| French & German | 20.1% |
| Eastern European | 4.0% |
| Other | 20.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Collins
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 Collins have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 84.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 84.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 84.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 83.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 83.70% |
What Collins 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 Collins is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L21 and E-P252, which are predominantly found among people with European and Sub-Saharan African ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Taylor, Thompson, Robinson, Thomas, Wilson, Evans, Walker, Brown, Smith, Mitchell.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Collins surname are: H1, T2b, H. 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 Collins 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.
"Collins" Surname 41.6%
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.
"Collins" Surname 26.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Collins" Surname 25.2%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Cat Allergy
An allergic reaction to cats, characterized by symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and difficulty breathing.
"Collins" Surname 35.7%
23andMe Users 36.7%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Collins?
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 Collins are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition