Collings (surname)

Collings is an Olde English surname with two possible origins. One is from the Norse name which in Olde English became 'Cola', meaning swarthy or dark. The second possibility is that it comes from 'Coll', a diminutive of Nicholas, meaning 'victory of the people'.^[1]

Alternative spellings or related surnames include Collin, Colling, Coling, Collins, Colings, Collis, Coliss, Collen, and Collens.^[2] For further information, see Collins.

Notable people with this surname include

• Benjamin Collings (?-1931), a Stamford, Connecticut, yachtsman who was killed during an act of piracy off of Long Island in 1931
• David Collings (b. 1940), a British actor
• Francis Collings, presenter of the "Sports News" television segment broadcast on BBC 1, BBC News 24 and BBC World since 1997
• Jesse Collings (1831-1920), mayor of Birmingham, England, a member of Parliament, and an advocate of educational reform and land reform
• Joe Collings (1865-1955), an Australian politician
• Marie Collings (1791-1853), Dame of Sark from 1852 to 1853
• Matthew Collings (b. 1955), a British art critic and broadcaster
• Michael R. Collings (b. 1947), poet and speculative fiction literature critic, and former
• Samuel Collings, British artist of 18th century
• Samuel Collings (actor), British actor
• William Frederick Collings (1852-1927), Seigneur of Sark from 1882 to 1927
• William Thomas Collings (1824-1882), Seigneur of Sark from 1853 to 1882
• John Stanhope Collings-Wells (1880-1918), an English recipient of the Victoria Cross
• Collings and Herrin (podcast) - a podcast from Andrew Collins and Richard Herring

Fictional characters

• Harry Collings, a character in the 1971 film The Hired Hand played by Peter Fonda

References