English
The surname 'Cullen' is of Scottish origin. It is derived from the habitation name from a place in the former county of Bannfs. (now part of Grampian region), so called from the Gaelic word 'cuilan', a diminutive of the word 'coil', and 'cuil', meaning 'nook', 'recess'. In English it is also a habitation name from the Rhineland city of 'Cologne', in France ( in itself an Old Flemish form of the Middle High German word 'Koln', named from the Latin word 'colonia', meaning 'colony'). In Irish it has been Anglicised in the Gaelic form 'O'Cuilinn' which means 'descendant of Cuileann', a byname meaning 'Holly'. It has also been Anglicised in the Gaelic form 'O'Coileain' which means 'descendant of Coilean', a byname meaning 'Puppy', 'Young Dog'. Public and Civil registry archive's confirm that the surname 'Cullen' and or it's variant's, date as far back as the seventeenth century were a 'Peter Cullen', and a 'Jane Croke', are recorded in 1660-1, as receiving their marriage licence in London. The exact period of settlement in North America has not been definitely determined but data extracted from Historical archive's confirm that one of the first forefathers to bring this name to America was a certain 'Stephen Cullen', from Ederny, County Fermanagh, Ireland. He emigrated to North America in 1848, aged forty. He was born in 1808 in or near Lossiemouth, Scotland. Today, 'Cullen' is the 'One thousand two hundred and sixty-sixth' most common surname in North America.