Coles is a patronymic surname of English origins deriving from either a pet form of the name Nicholas or from the Old English word meaning '"coal black".
Notable people with the surname include:
- Arthur William Coles (1892âÂÂ1982), Australian businessman
- Vernell Eufaye "Bimbo" Coles (b. 1968), American basketball player
- Bryony Jean Coles (b. 1946), British prehistoric archaeologist
- Cameron Coles (b. 1974), Australian-born Scottish cricketer
- Cecil Frederick Coles (1888âÂÂ1918), British composer
- Charles "Honi" Coles (1911âÂÂ1992), American tap dancer
- Charlie Coles (1942âÂÂ2013), American basketball player and coach
- Charlotte Coles, British oncologist and professor
- Cowper Phipps Coles (1819âÂÂ1870), British naval captain and designer
- Cyril Henry Coles (1899âÂÂ1959), British writer, 50% of Manning Coles
- Dane Coles (b. 1986), New Zealand rugby player
- Daniel Richard Coles (b. 1981), English footballer
- Darnell Coles (b. 1962), American baseball player and coach
- Dennis Coles (b. 1970), Ghostface Killah of the Wu-Tang Clan
- Edward Coles (1786âÂÂ1868), American abolitionist and politician
- Elisha Coles (1640âÂÂ1680), English lexicographer
- Elizabeth Coles (1912âÂÂ1975), British novelist Elizabeth Taylor
- Fenton George Coles (b. 1937), Welsh rugby player
- George Coles (cricketer, born 1798) (1798âÂÂ1865), English amateur cricketer
- George Coles (politician) (1810âÂÂ1875), Canadian politician; first Premier of Prince Edward Island
- George Edward Coles (1851âÂÂ1903), English cricketer
- George Coles (architect) (1884âÂÂ1963), English architect
- Sir George James "G.J." Coles (1885âÂÂ1977), founder of what was to become the Coles Group shopping empire, Australia
- H. Brent Coles (b. 1951), mayor of Boyse, Idaho
- Isaac Coles (1747âÂÂ1813), American politician
- Kimberly Coles (b. 1962), American actress
- Joanne Coles (b. 1992), English motorcycle trials rider
- John Coles (1833âÂÂ1919), English businessman
- John Coles (archaeologist) (1930âÂÂ2020), archaeologist
- John David Coles, American TV and film director
- Leslie Stephen Coles (1941âÂÂ2014), American biogerontologist and a key member of the Supercentenarian Research Foundation
- Laveranues Leon Coles (b. 1977), American football player
- Lisa Coles (b. 1964), American broadcaster Lisa Guerrero
- Manning Coles, pseudonym of British spy writers Adelaide Manning (1891âÂÂ1955) and Cyril Coles (1899âÂÂ1965)
- Mark Coles, New Zealand cricket coach
- Miriam Coles Harris (1834âÂÂ1925), author whose anonymous first novel attracted several impostors
- Nathaniel Adams Coles (1919âÂÂ1965), American jazz musician Nat King Cole
- Neil Chapman Coles (b. 1934), British golfer
- Peter Coles (b. 1963), Professor of Astrophysics at Cardiff University
- Ray Coles, mayor and committee member Lakewood, New Jersey
- Richard Coles (b. 1962), British musician and clergyman
- Richard Coles (civil servant) (1862âÂÂ1935), British civil servant
- Robert Coles (b. 1929), American psychiatrist, educator, author
- Robert Coles (âÂÂ1655), early settler in New England
- Walter Coles (1790âÂÂ1857), U.S. Representative from Virginia
- William Coles Finch (1864âÂÂ1944), English author and historian
- Wayne Coles-Janess, Australian writer, film director and producer
See also
References