Coulson
Originally a surname meaning “son of Cole,” with a strong northern English presence.
The #6,792 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 62,172 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Coulson is generally understood as a patronymic surname meaning “son of Cole.” In older English dialects, Cole could appear as Coul, so Coulson developed as a variant built from that short form plus -son. The name is therefore closely related to Cole, Colson, and related forms like Coull in northern usage.
History
Nineteenth-century surname writers placed Coulson chiefly in northern England, especially Durham and neighboring counties, and one source notes it as still common there. The name also appears in older records of Anglo-Danish Northumbria, which fits its northern concentration. Over time, spellings such as Colson and Coulson have overlapped and shifted by region and dialect.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Guppy’s county surveys show Coulson clustered most strongly in northern counties, especially Durham and Northumberland.
From the historical record
“COUL]\IAN. See Colman. COULSON. See Colsou. COULTER. A lake at St. Nynians, cc Lanark, is so called. COULTHART. According to Tradition and a most elaborate Pedigree, the Coult- harts of Coultliart, co. Wigtown, are des- cended from Coulthartus, a Roman lieute- nant who fought under Julius Agilcola, and who gave his…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom