The last name Collins is of Irish and English origin. In Ireland, the name is derived from the Gaelic Ó Coileáin, meaning "descendant of Coileán", a personal name that can be translated as "little dog" or "whelp". In England, the name is derived from the Old English personal name Colin, which is a diminutive of Nicholas, meaning "victory of the people". The Collins surname is found throughout the English-speaking world, and is particularly common in Ireland, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.