Collins - Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: Ó Coileáin
Meaning: “young hound / whelp”
Traditional stronghold: Cork, Limerick
Pronunciation: KOL-inz; Irish O Coileain: oh KOL-awn
History of the Collins name
Collins comes from cuileann, sometimes linked to 'whelp' or 'young hound', and the main O'Coileain sept originated around Ui Chonaill Gabhra in west Limerick before being displaced eastward into west Cork, where the name became strongly established, particularly around Clonakilty. A separate English surname Collins, unrelated in origin, also existed and contributed to the name in parts of Leinster. West Cork's association with the name was cemented in modern history by its most famous bearer, born near Clonakilty in 1890.
Variants: Collin · O'Collins · Cullane
Famous bearers of the name
- Michael Collins - Cork-born revolutionary leader and architect of the War of Independence
- Steve Collins - Dublin-born former world champion boxer
- Patrick Collins - Sligo-born Post-Impressionist painter
Related names from the same part of Ireland: Murphy · O'Brien · Ryan · O'Sullivan · McCarthy · Daly · Fitzgerald · Flynn