Origins of the Surname of COLLIE

[StuartC]

Hi All,

Have been looking for some time now for the origins of my family surname COLLIE.
I have managed to get back as far as about 1750 in Rafford Morayshire.
I see a lot of COLLIE surnames in the Aberdeen area. There is a town just north of Aberdeen
called COLLIESTON, and wonder if this is where it all started. I have also see a possible connection
to Scandinavia.
Does anyone have any ideas or documentary evidence of the COLLIE surname origins?

Many thanks in advance

Regards
StuartC

[jgmills]

From the Book 'Scottish Surnames' by David Dorward, Collie is defined as:

Collie - The Gaelic word coille (pronounced 'coll-ye') means copse, and figures in countless place-names, it is probably the source of the surname, which occurs mainly in Aberdeenshire. Thomas de Colley of Kildrummy on Deeside figures in the Ragman Roll of 1296, William Coly was a burgess of Aberdeen in 1436. A derivitive is Collison, said to have been one of the chief names in Aberdeenshire in 18th Century.

Hope that helps

John

[StuartC]

John,

Thanks for the reply. I guess migration from Aberdeen to the West would count for the
spread of the name into Morayshire

Regards
StuartC