Collins Irish Family Gifts & Heritage

Collins is the English form of Ó Coileáin, “descendant of Coileán,” an old personal name meaning whelp. The family belonged to the Uí Fhidhgheinte, the same stock as the O’Donovans, and were lords of Uí Chonaill Gabhra, now the baronies of Upper and Lower Connello in County Limerick. Driven out in 1178, the main body moved south into West Cork, where the native Ó Cuilleáin name was also rendered Collins. Those who stayed in Limerick held Claonghlas in the south-west of the county until the Fitzgeralds dispossessed them late in the thirteenth century, and today Collins is one of the most familiar names in Munster.

Its most famous bearer is Michael Collins (1890–1922), born at Woodfield near Sam’s Cross in West Cork, who rose to become chairman of the Provisional Government and commander-in-chief of the National Army in 1922.

Celebrate the name with a Collins woven blanket or accent mug on the Irish National Tartan, a garden flag, a coaster set and a ceramic Christmas ornament. For wearing, pick the family crest T-shirt or the Celtic harp tee, and add the novelty license plate for the car. Learn more in our Collins surname history.