History of your Surname
Get access to Cole family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Cole Family History

Cole Surname Meaning

English: usually from the Middle English and Old French personal name Col(e) Coll(e) Coul(e) a pet form of Nicol (see Nichol and Nicholas ) a common personal name from the mid 13th century onward. English families with this name migrated to Scotland and to Ulster (especially Fermanagh). English: occasionally perhaps from a different (early) Middle English personal name Col of native English or Scandinavian origin. Old English Cola was originally a nickname from Old English col ‘coal’ in the sense ‘coal-black (of hair) swarthy’ and is the probable source of most of the examples in Domesday Book. In the northern and eastern counties of England settled by Vikings in the 10th and 11th centuries alternative sources are Old Norse Kolr and Koli (either from a nickname ‘the swarthy one’ or a short form of names in Kol-) and Old Norse Kollr (from a nickname perhaps ‘the bald one’). English: nickname for someone with swarthy skin or black hair from Middle English col coul(e) ‘charcoal coal’ (Old English col). Scottish and Irish: when not of English origin this is a shortened and altered form of McCool . French (northern mainly Seine-Maritime): from a short form of the personal name Nicolas (see Nicholas ). Compare 1 above and Colle . Americanized form of German Kohl .7: Americanized form of Dutch Kool .8: In some cases particularly in New England Americanized form (translation into English; compare 3 above) of French Charbonneau .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Mole, Coley, Coll, Dole, Cope, Bole, Hole, Colle, Coble, Cote

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Cole family from?

You can see how Cole families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cole family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cole families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 937 Cole families living in New York. This was about 26% of all the recorded Cole's in USA. New York had the highest population of Cole families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cole surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Cole ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Cole. 16% of Cole men worked as a Laborer and 6% of Cole women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cole were Truck Driver and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Cole | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    16%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    6%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Teacher
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Cole family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1 million census records available for the last name Cole. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cole census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Cole

Passenger Lists

There are 109,000 immigration records available for the last name Cole. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Cole immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 217,000 military records available for the last name Cole. For the veterans among your Cole ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cole military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cole family history

Discover More

What is the average Cole lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Cole life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Cole in 1940 was 53, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cole

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Cole family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Cole last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial