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from Latin columba ‘dove.’ The name was very popular in the Ireland of the Middle Ages, thanks to various saints named either Columba or Columban. In an English context the name refers to the occupation of a charcoal burner, or to the servant of a man named Cole.

      Colin, Colkin, Coll, Collard, Colle, Collens, Collerson, Collet, Collete, Collett see NICHOLAS.

      Collar, Colleer, Coller see COLLIER.

      Colley, Collie (Eng) Nickname for a person with ‘coal-black’ hair.

      Collier, Collar, Colleer, Coller, Colliar, Colliard, Collyear, Collyer, Colyer (Eng) Occupational name of a charcoal burner.

      Coleman can also have this meaning.

      Collin, Collins, Collinson, Collison, Collisson, Colls, Collyns see NICHOLAS.

      Collyear, Collyer see COLLIER.

      Colman see COLEMAN.

      Colt, Coldtart, Coltart, Colter, Coltman, Coult, Coultate, Coulthard, Coulthart, Coultman (Eng) Occupational name of a colt-herd, though Colt may occasionally be a nickname for someone who behaved like a colt.

      Colyer see COLLIER.

      Comfort, Cumfort (Eng) Nickname of someone who provided comfort, probably in the form of support and encouragement. Names of similar meaning are SOLACE and SOLLAS. In some instances Comfort is a later development of Comport, formerly a place name in Kent and Surrey.

      Comper (Eng) A reference to someone who was a gossip.

      Compton (Eng) Someone who came from one of the several places so-named because it was a ‘settlement in a narrow valley.’

      Coningsby, Conningsby (Eng) Someone who came from a place so-named because it was the ‘king’s settlement.’

      Connor, Connors, O’Conchor, O’Conor, O’Connor, O’Connour (Irish) Descendant of Conchobhar, a Gaelic personal name of uncertain meaning. Suggestions as to it significance range from ‘meddlesome,’ ‘dog desiring’ or ‘dog-lover,’ ‘wolf-lover,’ ‘high will.’

      Samuel Lover writes in Handy Andy: ‘The rider was Edward O’Connor; and he was worthy of his name – the pure blood of that royal race was in his heart, which never harboured a sentiment that could do it dishonour, and overflowed with feelings which ennoble human nature, and make us proud of our kind.’

      Constant, Constans, Contant, Coutant, Coutans (Eng) Complimentary nickname for someone considered to be ‘steadfast, faithful.’

      Cooksey (Eng) Descendant of someone who came from the Worcestershire place of this name, ‘Cucu’s island.’

      Cooper, Cooperman, Copper, Coupar, Couper, Cowper, Cupper (Eng) Descendant of someone who made wooden tubs and casks.

      An American woman, Ellen Donna Cooperman, who owned a Long Island feminist film company, attempted in 1978 to have her surname legally changed to Cooperperson. She claimed that the new version of her name would ‘more properly reflect her sense of human equality.’ The New York State Supreme Court refused to allow the change on the basis that it would lead to an avalanche of similar demands, Manson to Peoplechild, etc. A lower court had previously ruled against Ms Cooperman, saying that the proposed change would hold the women’s movement up to ridicule.

      Coopersmith see SMITH.

      Cope see CAPE.

      Copestake, Capstack, Capstick, Coupstak (Fre and Eng) Occupational name of a stake-cutter. The first part of the name represents French couper ‘to cut.’

      Coppell, Coppayl, Cupples, Curpel, Curtpeil (Eng) Nickname for a man with short hair, from Old French curt peil.

      Copper see COOPER.

      Copperfield see STANSFIELD.

      Coppersmith (Eng) An occupational name of obvious meaning.

      Corden, Cordner, Cordon, Cordwent, Corwin see Codner.

      Corte see COURT.

      Cosier (Eng) Occupational name of a cobbler.

      Cotter, Coterel, Cotman, Cottier (Eng) A villager who lived in a cot or cottage. Those of higher social class were husbonds ‘householders.’

      Coule, Coules, Coull see NICHOLAS.

      Coulman see COLEMAN.

      Coult, Coultate, Coulthard, Coulthart, Coultman see COLT.

      Counter (Eng) Occupational name for a ‘keeper of accounts.’ He may also have been concerned with taxes.

      Coupar, Couper see COOPER.

      Coupstak see COPESTAKE.

      Court, Corte, Courtman, Courts, Curt (Eng) Two separate names have blended here. These forms could indicate someone who worked at a manorial court, but they could also be a nickname for a ‘short’ man.

      Richard Court, who died in 1791, had been a blacksmith, as his epitaph reveals:

      My Sledge and Hammer lie Reclin’d,

      My Bellows too have lost their Wind;

      My Fire is out, and Forge decay’d,

      And in the Dust my Vice is laid.

      Coutant, Coutans see CONSTANT.

      Covington (Eng) Someone who came from a place so-named because it was the ‘settlement of Cova’s people.’

      Cowle, Cowles see NICHOLAS.

      Cowper see COOPER.

      Cox, Coxe, Coxen, Coxon see COCK.

      Crabbe, Crab, Crabb, Crabbie, Crabs, Crabtree (Eng) The form Crabtree makes it clear that these names could sometimes refer to crab-apple trees, or to their fruit. Even then, given the fondness of our ancestors for nicknames drawn from Nature, the name was likely to refer to someone’s ‘sourness.’ If the reference was to the crustacean, a comment was probably being made on someone’s shambling gait, his ‘crab-like’ movement.

      Mrs Carol Crabb reported to Woman magazine that the midwife who brought her new baby to be fed commented: ‘Here you are, Mrs Crabb, your little lobster.’ Mrs Crabb was not amused.

      The ‘lobster’ remark will remind avid readers of Charles Dickens of the incident in Nicholas Nickleby, when Nicholas falls in love with an unknown girl. He asks Newman Noggs to follow her and find out who she is. When Newman returns he announces: ‘The name’s Bobster. I remember it by lobster.’ Nicholas is taken aback and can only say: ‘That must be the servant’s name.’ He is later greatly relieved to discover that Noggs has followed the wrong girl, and that the object of his affections is really Madeline Bray.

      Crackston see HAMILTON.

      Craft, Crafts see CROFT.

      Craig, Cragg, Craggs, Craigie, Craik (Scot) Descendant of someone who lived near a rugged mass of rock, a crag.

      Crakebone see BRISBANE.

      Crane (Eng) Nickname presumably commenting on a man’s long legs. See GREWCOCK.

      There is a well-known

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