Coley Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Coley last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Coley last name
Meaning of the Coley last name: dark-haired. Coley is an English surname from Middle English colly, 'dark' or 'coal-black', a nickname for hair or complexion. The last name is found in the Midlands and the South West. A curious detail: the same colour word sits behind collie, once used for a dark farm dog.
Arms associated with the Coley name
Coats of arms associated with the Coley last name belong to the English heraldic tradition, each with its own blazon.
Get your full Coley family history
This is only a glimpse of the Coley story. The full Coley history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Coley coat of arms. Get the full Coley report.
Coley name FAQ
What does the Coley name mean?
Dark-haired. Common variants include Colley.
Where does the Coley surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Coley coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Coley coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).