My interest in the name Colbourn initially arose from my wife's family arguments concerning its spelling: many preferred the version with an 'e' at the end. Whilst tracing her family tree it appeared that the spelling flip-flopped between the two spellings without any particular rhyme or reason, and, indeed, frequently both versions used within a single family group.

Initially, I am only including the argued variant, Colbourne. But there are many arising from historical mutation. The following represents a short list of possible variants to be included at a later date:

• Colburn
• Colborn
• Coulbourn
• Coulbourne
• Cobern
• Coburn

Colbourn appears to have originated from an Anglicised version of the Norse name Kolbrandr, or, similarly, the Swedish Kolbrand (kol: coal; brand: burn). In the 11th century, the Doomsday Book recorded people by the names of Colbrand in Devonshire and Colbran in Warwickshire.

The name underwent several transformations through the developments of dialects and written language, leading to the wide variations that are now evident; however, in the 17th century, there was a vicar of the parish of Mottram in Longdendale named William Colbourn who may be the earliest recording of the lead spelling of this study.

Various other theories have been advanced (at least, been proposed by others on the internet) as to the origin; some are more fanciful than others. The Family Search website lists a number taken from the Dictionary of American Family Names by Patch Hanks (2003, 2006). One is that it is a habitational name from Colburn in Catterick, Coalburn in South Wingfield, or Coldbourne in Bramley. Whilst this has some apparent homophonic merit, the occasion of people with those names does not, so far, appear to bear witness. A second Norse derivative is also offered: Kolbiǫrn (kol: coal; biǫrn: bear) appeals to the arctophilist inside me!