NameCensus.

UK surname

Colbert

A French surname derived from the Old French word "colbert," meaning "dark-haired" or "coal-black beard."

In the 1881 census there were 500 people recorded with the Colbert surname, ranking it #6,776 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 796, ranked #6,952, down from #6,776 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Broughton, Sawtry St Andrew, Sawtry All Saints, Sawtry St Judith, Conington and Offord Darcy. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolsover, Sefton and Mansfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Colbert is 813 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 59.2%.

1881 census count

500

Ranked #6,776

Modern count

796

2016, ranked #6,952

Peak year

2010

813 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Colbert had 500 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,776 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 796 in 2016, ranked #6,952.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 704 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Colbert surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Colbert surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Colbert 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 269 #8,303
1861 historical 331 #7,706
1881 historical 500 #6,776
1891 historical 531 #7,061
1901 historical 612 #6,963
1911 historical 704 #6,060
1997 modern 776 #6,700
1998 modern 794 #6,788
1999 modern 804 #6,759
2000 modern 787 #6,864
2001 modern 766 #6,876
2002 modern 765 #7,011
2003 modern 738 #7,097
2004 modern 745 #7,058
2005 modern 729 #7,107
2006 modern 736 #7,092
2007 modern 746 #7,085
2008 modern 758 #7,050
2009 modern 791 #6,961
2010 modern 813 #6,923
2011 modern 789 #7,033
2012 modern 789 #6,917
2013 modern 796 #6,996
2014 modern 802 #6,989
2015 modern 787 #7,026
2016 modern 796 #6,952

Geography

Back to top

Where Colberts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Broughton, Sawtry St Andrew, Sawtry All Saints, Sawtry St Judith, Conington, Offord Darcy, Kettering and St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolsover, Sefton and Mansfield. 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 Broughton Huntingdonshire
2 Sawtry St Andrew, Sawtry All Saints, Sawtry St Judith, Conington Huntingdonshire
3 Offord Darcy Huntingdonshire
4 Kettering Northamptonshire
5 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolsover 003 Bolsover
2 Sefton 034 Sefton
3 Mansfield 009 Mansfield
4 Mansfield 006 Mansfield
5 Sefton 032 Sefton

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Colbert

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Colbert

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Colbert, 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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Colbert surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Colbert household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Colbert is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Colbert is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Colbert falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Colbert is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Colbert

The surname Colbert is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "col" meaning "neck" and "bert" meaning "bright" or "famous." It is believed to have originated in the medieval era, around the 11th or 12th century, in the northern regions of France.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Colbert can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Coleberd," likely referring to a person with a distinctive or prominent neck.

In the 13th century, the name Colbert was associated with the town of Colbert-sous-Salmaise, located in the Côte-d'Or region of Burgundy, France. This place name may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

During the reign of Louis XIV in the 17th century, Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619-1683) was a prominent French statesman and finance minister. His administrative reforms and promotion of mercantilism played a significant role in the economic development of France.

Another notable figure with the surname Colbert was Édouard-Philippe Colbert (1636-1710), a French nobleman and military officer who served as the Governor-General of French West Indies from 1677 to 1683.

In the 18th century, Jean-Baptiste-Joachim Colbert (1734-1789) was a French nobleman and politician who served as the Minister of State under King Louis XVI.

The Colbert family also had a strong presence in the United States, with notable individuals such as Claudette Colbert (1903-1996), a renowned American actress who starred in films like "It Happened One Night" and "Since You Went Away."

Another prominent American with the Colbert surname was Stephen Colbert (born 1964), a celebrated comedian, writer, and television host known for his satirical news program "The Colbert Report" and his current role as the host of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."

While the surname Colbert has evolved over time, with variations in spelling and pronunciation across different regions, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in northern France, where it was likely associated with a person's physical attributes or place of residence.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Colbert families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Colbert 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. Lancashire leads with 107 Colberts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.86x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 107 1.86x
Huntingdonshire 87 90.56x
Middlesex 70 1.45x
Yorkshire 63 1.31x
Northamptonshire 34 7.47x
Durham 17 1.18x
Kent 12 0.73x
Lincolnshire 12 1.55x
Surrey 12 0.51x
Glamorgan 10 1.19x
Lanarkshire 10 0.64x
Leicestershire 10 1.86x
Essex 8 0.84x
Cheshire 7 0.66x
Hampshire 6 0.61x
Monmouthshire 6 1.72x
Bedfordshire 5 2.00x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.89x
Brecknockshire 3 3.10x
Berkshire 2 0.55x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.65x
Devon 2 0.20x
Dunbartonshire 2 1.54x
Angus 1 0.22x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.51x
Gloucestershire 1 0.11x
Somerset 1 0.13x
Sussex 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 35 Colberts recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.91x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 35 22.91x
Offord D Arcy 23 4035.09x
Newchurch 17 36.19x
Broughton 14 2857.14x
Sawtry St Judith 14 3888.89x
Chelsea London 13 8.92x
Kettering 13 70.61x
Toxteth Park 12 6.17x
Chatham 10 22.02x
Croydon 10 7.64x
Preston 10 6.51x
Bethnal Green London 9 4.28x
Stockton On Tees 9 12.97x
Horncastle 8 100.25x
Leicester St Margaret 8 6.12x
Peterborough 8 24.28x
Shadwell London 8 59.08x
St George In East London 8 17.58x
West Ham 8 3.79x
Bingley 7 22.93x
Cornsay 7 180.41x
East Cottingwith 7 1627.91x
Farcett 7 593.22x
Offord Cluny 7 1458.33x
Birkenhead 6 7.05x
Great Raveley 6 1764.71x
Huby 6 731.71x
Liverpool 6 1.72x
New Malton 6 104.71x
Shoreditch London 6 2.86x
Westhoughton 6 39.16x
Foulridge 5 342.47x
Govan 5 1.29x
Oundle 5 98.23x
Poplar London 5 5.48x
Sheffield 5 3.28x
York St Cuthbert 5 113.90x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 4 4.77x
Brampton 4 200.00x
Cwmdu 4 38.99x
Glasgow 4 1.44x
Grantham 4 39.68x
North Bierley 4 15.45x
Ramsey 4 52.02x
Scarborough 4 9.18x
St George Hanover Square 4 4.69x
Standground 4 183.49x
Wavertree 4 21.76x
Denaby 3 110.70x
Leeds 3 1.11x
Little Stukeley 3 612.24x
Penderyn 3 113.64x
St Marylebone London 3 1.16x
Swansea Higher 3 34.21x
Westminster St James 3 6.03x
Aberystruth 2 6.49x
Cardiff St Mary 2 4.31x
Castleford 2 11.45x
Dumbarton 2 11.05x
Eaton Socon 2 50.89x
Exeter St Mary Major 2 32.95x
Hammersmith London 2 1.68x
Holdenhurst 2 7.69x
Islington London 2 0.43x
Lambeth 2 0.47x
Leicester Black Friars 2 57.31x
Paddington London 2 1.12x
Portsmouth 2 8.76x
Ringstead 2 126.58x
Salford 2 1.18x
Spaldwick 2 338.98x
St Giles Cambridge 2 50.51x
St Pancras London 2 0.51x
West Derby 2 1.19x
Westleigh 2 15.34x
Whittingham 2 79.05x
York St John Micklegate 2 172.41x
Fletching 1 27.40x
Hackney London 1 0.37x
Northampton St Peter 1 36.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 39
Sarah 18
Elizabeth 17
Ellen 10
Ann 9
Margaret 8
Alice 7
Catherine 7
Eliza 7
Louisa 7
Emily 6
Martha 6
Ada 5
Annie 5
Charlotte 5
Harriet 4
Jane 4
Lizzie 4
Maria 4
Rebecca 4
Agnes 3
Bridget 3
Emma 3
Fanny 3
Matilda 3
Rose 3
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Elizth. 2
Hannah 2
Hester 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Katherine 2
Selina 2
Christiania 1
Clara 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Ethelda 1
Eveline 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Lena 1
Lousia 1
Maggie 1
Manorah 1
Margret 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 45
John 34
George 16
James 16
Thomas 15
Charles 8
Robert 7
Albert 6
Edward 5
Samuel 5
Alexander 4
Arthur 4
Henry 4
Michael 4
Alfred 3
Frederick 3
Joseph 3
Walter 3
David 2
Hartley 2
Henery 2
Herbert 2
Maurice 2
Patrick 2
Richard 2
Charlie 1
Chas. 1
Cornel 1
Daniel 1
E. 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Harris 1
Harry 1
Isaiah 1
Jabey 1
Jessophal 1
Lever 1
Lewis 1
Louise 1
Mathew 1
Oates 1
Oliver 1
Peter 1
Reginald 1
Reuben 1
Richardson 1
Sagar 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Colbert surname: questions and answers

How common was the Colbert surname in 1881?

In 1881, 500 people were recorded with the Colbert surname. That placed it at #6,776 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Colbert surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 796 in 2016. That gives Colbert a modern rank of #6,952.

What does the Colbert surname mean?

A French surname derived from the Old French word "colbert," meaning "dark-haired" or "coal-black beard."

What does the Colbert map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Colbert 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.