Surname Callingham - Meaning and Origin

Callingham: What does the surname Callingham mean?

The last name Callingham is of English origin, and is believed to derive from a place name in the Midlands, recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Calingeham'. It may have referred to a settlement or farmstead called 'Cægelinga Ham' or 'Ceolhelmes Ham', a combination of the Old English 'ceoling', meaning a 'prince', and 'ham', meaning a home or settlement. The surname Callingham also does not appear prior to the mid-19th century, nor are there any known major variants of the name, suggesting that it is fairly rare.

The Callingham family history can be traced to places like Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Buckinghamshire. The earliest recorded reference to the name appears in Wiltshire Records along with Simon de Callingham, a witness in 1381. The name traveled to other parts of England including Yorkshire, Derbyshire and also to Scotland, where there are numerous records of the Callingham name from the 17th to 19th century.

The Callinghams have played a prominent role in British society over the centuries. Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, which is an authoritative genealogical reference book, includes several entries related to the Callinghams. This includes a Earl Cottenham who served as Speaker of the House of Commons in 1846, and more recently, the Baroness Boothroyd, who was the first female Speaker of the House of Commons and was of Callingham descent.

The Callingham surname was recently the subject of a television series. Focus Features aired a documentary series about a Callingham family from across the United Kingdom, highlighting their experiences in past centuries and presenting some of the common threads linking them together.

The Callingham name is associated with a proud and honorable family history, documented in various records and literature, and is still in use today by many people across the United Kingdom.

Callingham: Where does the name Callingham come from?

Callingham is an English surname that was first recorded in 1517 when William Callyngham was registered in the Bedfordshire section of the 1274 Feet of Fines. The surname is believed to be derived from a place name, possibly Caldwell in Lincolnshire, and indicates that the family was from that region.

The Callingham surname is still commonly found in England today, with most occurrences occurring in the East Midlands counties of Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. According to the 1881 UK Census, Lincolnshire had the highest number of people with the Callingham surname, with a total of 893 people carrying the name. Other counties with significant populations of the surname included Derbyshire (391), Nottinghamshire (231) and Warwickshire (109).

Today, the Callingham name is still fairly common in England and can be found throughout the country. Family history records reveal many of the families that emigrated from Britain during the 19th and early 20th centuries took the name to Australia, Canada and the United States. The largest concentrations of the Callingham surname outside of the British Isles can be found in the United States, Australia and Canada, with smaller numbers in New Zealand, South Africa and other parts of the world.

Variations of the surname Callingham

The surname Callingham is a British surname that originates from an old English word of 'Calla' which means "rocky land" or "clearing". This epithet was given to those who lived near rocky land or a clearing in the forest or down a long road.

The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Callingham are Callam, Callenham, Callengham, Callamgham, Callham, Callhamme, Callen, Calling, Callingham, Callyng, Calymgham, and Colingam.

Callam is a variant of the surname usually associated with those living in Scotland. It is a derivation of "Callingham" Anglicised as Callan which means "rocky" or "boulder".

Callenham is believed to be a derivative of Callingham, and is a locational surname originally associated with the village of Callenham in Kent. It means “homestead of a man called Cola”.

Callham is a variant of the original surname. It is believed to have derived from the old English word of “Ceala”, meaning “rocky” or “boulder”, combined with “hām” which means “homestead”.

Callen is derived from the Old English personal name “Ceol”, or the Old Norse personal name “Kjallandi”. Both have been anglicised to "Cola”.

Callingham is a derivative of the surname and is believed to refer to a place where a stone is located. It is derived from the Old English words of “Calla”, meaning “rocky” or “boulder” and “inga” meaning “clearing in the forest”.

Callyng is a variant of the original name and is derived from the same Old English words of “Calla”, and “inga”. It is a locational surname thought to have originated from a place connected to the Callyng family name.

Calymgham is a derivative of the surname believed to have originated as a location named after the surname Callingham.

Colingam is a variant of the surname which is believed to have derived from the Old English given name “Cola”. It is likely to have originated from a place called Colingam or a place associated with a men of the same name.

There are many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Callingham. These variations typically involve a slight difference in the spelling of the original name as well as changes in the suffix to reflect the occupation or location of the person with the surname.

Famous people with the name Callingham

• Rosie Callingham: British actress best known for her roles in the UK television programmes As Time Goes By and Moving On.
• Molly Callingham: British travel and documentary photographer.
• Stuart Callingham: British actor most popular for his role in the TV show A Time of Exile.
• Keith Callingham: British actor and TV producer, famous primarily for his production work for television and films.
• Melody Callingham: British singer-songwriter and actress, best known for her theatre roles in musicals such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Cats.
• Thomas Callingham: British journalist and newspaper editor, most well-known for his scathing editorial criticizing the government’s handling of the Iraq War in 2005.
• Brian Callingham: British painter and sculptor, known for his large-scale outdoor installations.
• Justin Callingham: British actor and comedian, famous for his roles in sitcoms such as Fawlty Towers, Absolutely Fabulous, and Coupling.
• Jessica Callingham: British film producer, mostly known for her work producing independent films and documentaries.
• Paul Callingham: British composer, best known for his popular film scores for True Lies and The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec.

Other surnames

Callingwood