What does the surname Cole mean?
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Swarthy nickname Old English col, or short Nicholas, or Welsh Coch anglicised. Dark complexion, charcoal work, or affectionate Cole for Nicholas, three gates into the same spelling.
Where does the Cole family come from?
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The Cole family is rooted in South West and South East, in England. Within that, the name was particularly concentrated in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset & Bristol and Dorset & Wiltshire. The atlas page for the name records the historical territory it has held over the centuries.
Where did the Cole family historically hold territory?
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At its greatest historical extent, the Cole name has been concentrated in London, Birmingham & the Black Country, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire & Herefordshire and Shropshire. The atlas page distinguishes the core territory of the name from this wider historical reach with hatched silhouettes on the map.
Is Cole a England surname?
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Yes, Cole is a England surname. Its editorial home in this atlas is England, where the historical territory and family record of the name are concentrated.
How old is the Cole surname?
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Dark complexion, charcoal work, or affectionate Cole for Nicholas, three gates into the same spelling. European hereditary surnames crystallised broadly between the 12th and 14th centuries, and the Cole name took its modern form within that long settlement.
What is the Cole family known for?
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Coal-black or Saint Nicholas' pet form. Dark complexion, charcoal work, or affectionate Cole for Nicholas, three gates into the same spelling.
Where is the Cole surname found today?
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England is the primary historical home of the Cole surname. In the modern era, the name is also borne across the wider diaspora, particularly in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, where families carry the line of descent from the same England origin recorded on this page.
What does the Clan Rising page for the Cole family cover?
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The Clan Rising page for the Cole family covers the meaning of the surname, the historical geography of the name and the seat of the head of the family. Each section is linked to the underlying atlas of England so the name can be read in the geography that shaped it.
Who is the head of the Cole family today?
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The seat for the head of the Cole family is currently vacant on this register. Clan Rising is rebuilding the chief and family structure for the modern era, and the family page allows readers to claim the seat or pledge to the name.