[4] The Domesday Book (compiled in 1086) was the first to document names in England and Wales and at this time only the upper classes were literate.
During the time between this and the first census of 1801 names continually changed due to the illiterate nature of the British population.
Indeed, the need to be able to complete such documents may be a key factor in the change to fixed spellings.
The earliest documented evidence of the name in England dates back as far as the twelfth and thirteenth centuries where several instances have been recorded.
In Ireland, Collins is one of the most common surnames, ranked number 30.