English
The surname Coleman is of Irish and English origin.It is derived from the Old Irish personal name Colman,earlier Columban;the Latin Columba 'Dove'.This was the name of an Irish missionary to Europe,generally known as St.Columban (540-615),who founded the monastery of Bobbio in Northern Italy in 614.He enjoyed a considerable cult following throughout central Europe,so that forms of his name were adopted as given names;in Italy(as Columbano),in France(as Colombain),Czech(as Kolman),and Hungarian(as Kalman).The Scandinavians adopted the name as Old Norse Kalman,and was introduced into England by Norwegians from Ireland.This is the name of a sixth century saint generally known as St.Columba (521-97),who converted the Picts to Cristianity,known in Scandinavian languages as Kalman.There are more than one hundred saints named Colman in Ireland.The name may also be an English occupational name for a burner of charcoal or gatherer of coal;from the Old English 'col' coal and 'mann' man.It could also be an occupational name for the servant of a man named Cole.The Irish have used it as an anglicization of the Gaelic name O'Clumhain as have Jewish people as an anglicization of Kalman.The name dates as far back as the tenth century were a Robert Coelman is recorded in historical archives;in its Old Irish form it dates to early history.The surname was brought to America by English and Irish immigrants.One of the first forebears to bring this name to America is that of a John Coleman,an engraver,who came to America aboard the Betsey;he settled in Virginia.This name is the ninety-first most common surname in America.