Collins

Collins is a surname and given name of English and Irish origin. The surname is typically patronymic, derived from the given name Colin, itself a diminutive of Nicholas, and it commonly signifies “son of Colin.” The name is widespread in the English-speaking world and appears in various spellings and forms.

In publishing, Collins is a brand of dictionaries and reference works. The Collins English Dictionary is published by HarperCollins and is widely used in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. The brand traces back to William Collins, Sons, a Scottish publishing house established in the early 19th century; it became part of HarperCollins through corporate mergers in the late 20th century.

In business and engineering, Collins Aerospace is a major American aerospace and defense company. It was formed in 2018 from the merger of Rockwell Collins with UTC Aerospace Systems and is a subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies, providing avionics, communications, and other systems for civil and military aircraft.

Geographically, Collins is used as a place name for towns and features in several countries, notably in the United States and Canada, where multiple municipalities bear the name. Communities named Collins often originated from early settlers or local individuals with the surname.

Notable individuals bearing the surname include the U.S. senator Susan Collins and the English musician and singer Phil Collins. The name Collins thus appears across personal names, brands, and geographic locations in the modern world.