NameCensus.

UK surname

Biddiscombe

A locational surname referring to someone from Biddiscombe in Somerset, England.

In the 1881 census there were 111 people recorded with the Biddiscombe surname, ranking it #18,597 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 318, ranked #14,159, up from #18,597 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Greenwich and Queen Camel. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sedgemoor and North Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Biddiscombe is 381 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 186.5%.

1881 census count

111

Ranked #18,597

Modern count

318

2016, ranked #14,159

Peak year

1999

381 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Biddiscombe had 111 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,597 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 318 in 2016, ranked #14,159.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 239 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Biddiscombe surname distribution map

The map shows where the Biddiscombe surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Biddiscombe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Biddiscombe over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 62 #22,232
1861 historical 108 #19,856
1881 historical 111 #18,597
1891 historical 163 #17,300
1901 historical 167 #16,943
1911 historical 239 #13,321
1997 modern 376 #11,533
1998 modern 380 #11,827
1999 modern 381 #11,873
2000 modern 361 #12,288
2001 modern 356 #12,228
2002 modern 374 #12,040
2003 modern 358 #12,208
2004 modern 360 #12,205
2005 modern 360 #12,112
2006 modern 349 #12,473
2007 modern 355 #12,458
2008 modern 356 #12,534
2009 modern 351 #12,940
2010 modern 348 #13,304
2011 modern 345 #13,221
2012 modern 329 #13,593
2013 modern 325 #13,924
2014 modern 325 #14,030
2015 modern 326 #13,898
2016 modern 318 #14,159

Geography

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Where Biddiscombes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Greenwich, Queen Camel, London parishes and Bridgwater, Goathurst, Durleigh, Wembdon, Chilton Trinity. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sedgemoor and North Dorset. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Greenwich London (South Districts)
3 Queen Camel Somerset
4 London parishes London 3
5 Bridgwater, Goathurst, Durleigh, Wembdon, Chilton Trinity Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sedgemoor 008 Sedgemoor
2 Sedgemoor 011 Sedgemoor
3 Sedgemoor 009 Sedgemoor
4 Sedgemoor 013 Sedgemoor
5 North Dorset 004 North Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Biddiscombe

These lists show first names that appear often with the Biddiscombe surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Biddiscombe

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Biddiscombe, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Biddiscombe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Biddiscombe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Biddiscombe is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Biddiscombe is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Biddiscombe falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Biddiscombe is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Biddiscombe, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Biddiscombe

The surname Biddiscombe originated in the county of Devon, England during the 11th century. It likely derived from the Old English words "bydel" meaning messenger and "comb" meaning a valley, suggesting the name's bearers may have lived near a valley frequented by messengers.

One of the earliest known references to the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Bidilcombe." This spelling variation highlights the surname's evolution over time.

In the 13th century, records mention a William Biddiscombe, a landowner in the village of Biddiscombe near Chudleigh, Devon. This village likely took its name from the surname, rather than the other way around.

During the 16th century, the name appears in various church records in the Devonshire area, with spellings such as "Biddicombe" and "Biddecombe."

Notable individuals with the surname Biddiscombe include:

1. John Biddiscombe (1619-1688), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for Lyme Regis. 2. Samuel Biddiscombe (1755-1832), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. 3. Elizabeth Biddiscombe (1786-1867), an English writer and poet, known for her work "Poems on Various Subjects." 4. Sir George Biddiscombe (1834-1912), a British naval officer and explorer who surveyed the coasts of Australia and New Zealand. 5. Arthur Biddiscombe (1891-1962), an English cricketer who played for Somerset County Cricket Club.

While the name Biddiscombe is still found predominantly in the South West of England, bearers of the surname can now be found throughout the United Kingdom and other parts of the world due to migration.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Biddiscombe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Biddiscombe surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Somerset leads with 31 Biddiscombes recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.12x.

County Total Index
Somerset 31 18.12x
Kent 25 6.89x
Wiltshire 14 14.89x
Dorset 13 18.63x
Middlesex 7 0.66x
Hampshire 5 2.29x
Surrey 4 0.77x
Yorkshire 4 0.38x
Glamorgan 3 1.62x
Monmouthshire 2 2.60x
Royal Navy 1 7.89x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Greenwich in Kent leads with 15 Biddiscombes recorded in 1881 and an index of 88.65x.

Place Total Index
Greenwich 15 88.65x
Donhead St Mary 10 2083.33x
Plumstead 9 74.44x
Bathwick 6 317.46x
Cann 6 3000.00x
Queen Camel 6 3000.00x
Wembdon 6 1176.47x
Marston Magna 5 4545.45x
Sherborne 5 243.90x
Donhead St Andrew 4 1379.31x
Ilkley 4 232.56x
Kingston On Thames 4 32.15x
South Cadbury 3 4285.71x
Trent 3 1764.71x
Ystradyfodwg 3 18.47x
Fordingbridge 2 169.49x
Harrow 2 123.46x
Holdenhurst 2 34.97x
Teddington London 2 82.99x
Chelsea London 1 3.12x
Christchurch 1 42.02x
Dorchester Holy Trinity 1 175.44x
Huntspill 1 142.86x
Kensington London 1 1.69x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 22.32x
Maidstone 1 9.26x
Oborne 1 2000.00x
Portsea 1 2.34x
Royal Navy 1 9.23x
St Pancras London 1 1.17x
St Woollos 1 11.66x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Biddiscombe surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Emma 5
Mary 5
Harriet 3
Sarah 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Jane 2
Anna 1
Beatrice 1
Blanch 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Christena 1
Constance 1
Elizth.Jane 1
Emily 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Jean 1
Kitty 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Marian 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Thuga 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Biddiscombe surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Henry 7
William 6
John 5
George 4
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Frederick 2
James 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Clarence 1
Enos 1
Ernest 1
Felix 1
Fines 1
Francis 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
Peter 1
Reginald 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Biddiscombe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Biddiscombe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 111 people were recorded with the Biddiscombe surname. That placed it at #18,597 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Biddiscombe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 318 in 2016. That gives Biddiscombe a modern rank of #14,159.

What does the Biddiscombe surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Biddiscombe in Somerset, England.

What does the Biddiscombe map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Biddiscombe bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.