Collett family



Collett (also spelled Collet) is a Norwegian family of English origin, descended from English-born merchant James Collett (born 1655 in London, died 1727 in Christiania), who settled in Christiania in 1683. He married Karen Leuch, and died as the richest man in the city. The firm he founded, Collett & Leuch, later renamed Collett & Søn (Collett & Son), was continued for four generations until 1821. The family became part of the patriciate of Christiania in the 18th century. His descendants continued to play important roles in Norwegian history and owned several properties, such as Buskerud Manor, Store Ullevål Manor, Flateby, Økern Manor and Firma Albert Collett. One of the most well-known family members are statesman and First Minister Jonas Collett.

A Danish branch of the family is descended from Bernt Anker Collet, and uses the spelling Collet. They own the estates of Lundbygård and Katholm Castle, and formerly owned Rønnebæksholm.

Famous members

 * Albert Collett (1842–1896), owner of Firma Albert Collett and Buskerud Manor
 * Alf Collett (1844-1919), genealogist
 * Anne Cathrine Collett (1768–1846), owner of Lundbygård, the wealthiest woman in Denmark
 * Arthur Collett (1879–1968), pediatrician
 * Axel Collett (1880–1968), co-owner of Firma Albert Collett
 * Bernt Anker Collet (1803–1857), owner of Lundbygård
 * Bernt Johan Collet (1941–), owner of Lundbygård, Danish Minister of Defense and chamberlain
 * Brita Collett Paus (Collett, 1917-1998), humanitarian
 * Carl Oscar Collett (1922–2008), businessman and politician
 * Christian Ancher Collett (1771–1833), engineer
 * Christian Collett Kjerschow (1821–1889), politician, grandson of Christian Ancher Collett
 * Christian Michelsen (1857–1925), first prime minister of an independent Norway, great-grandson of Christian Ancher Collett
 * Camilla Collett (née Wergeland, 1813–1895), writer
 * Ditlevine Feddersen (née Collett, 1727–1803), poet
 * Emil Collett (1875–1940), chemist
 * Frederik Collett (1839–1914), painter
 * James Collett (1655–1727), English merchant, patriarch of the dinasty
 * Johan Collett (1775–1827), statesman
 * Johan Collett II (1874–1969), businessman
 * John Collett I (1758–1810), businessman
 * John Collett II (1807–1891), landowner
 * Jonas Collett (1772–1851), statesman
 * Karl-Johan Persson (1975-), chairman of H&M, 5x great-grandson of Peter Collett and 4x great-grandson of John Collett II
 * Mathia Collett (1737-1801), businesswoman, wife of Norway's then wealthiest person
 * Mathias Collett (1708-1759), governor
 * Nils Collett Vogt (1864–1937), poet
 * Oscar Collett (1877–1950), landowner and benefactor
 * Peter Collett (1766–1836), supreme court justice
 * Peter Jonas Collett (1813-1851), jurist
 * Peter Severin Steenstrup (1807–1863), naval officer, son of Thea Collett
 * Robert Collett (1842–1913), zoologist

Literature

 * Alf Collett: En gammel Christiania-Slægt. Familien Collett og Christianias Fortid, Christiania 1888
 * Fotolitografisk Gjengivelse af det i Storthingets Arkiv opbevarede Original-Haandskrift af Kongeriget Norges Grundlov af 17.de Mai 1814 (viser eidsvollsmannens segl med slektsvåpenet)
 * Haagen Krog Steffens: Norske Slægter 1912, Gyldendalske Boghandel, Kristiania 1911
 * Hugo Høgdahl: Norske ex libris og andre bokeiermerker. Fra biskop Arne Sigurdsson til Gerhard Munthe, Oslo 1946, side 79-81 (Peter Colletts ex libris)
 * Hans Cappelen: «Norske Serafimerridderes våpenskjold», Heraldisk Tidsskrift, bind 2, side 234-235, København 1965-1969 (Jonas Colletts våpenplate i Riddarholmskyrkan, Stockholm)
 * Hans Cappelen: Norske slektsvåpen, Oslo 1969 (2. opplag 1976), p. 82
 * Herman Leopoldus Løvenskiold: Heraldisk nøkkel, Oslo 1978
 * Harald Nissen og Monica Aase: Segl i Universitetsbiblioteket i Trondheim, Trondheim 1990, side 49