NameCensus.

UK surname

Colby

From the Old Norse byname Koli, meaning "coal black," likely referring to someone with dark features or hair.

In the 1881 census there were 621 people recorded with the Colby surname, ranking it #5,686 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 684, ranked #7,836, down from #5,686 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, King's Lynn St Margaret and Pakefield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waveney, Kingston upon Hull and Great Yarmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Colby is 748 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.1%.

1881 census count

621

Ranked #5,686

Modern count

684

2016, ranked #7,836

Peak year

1999

748 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Colby had 621 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,686 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 684 in 2016, ranked #7,836.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 674 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Colby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Colby surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Colby 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 362 #6,537
1861 historical 370 #6,899
1881 historical 621 #5,686
1891 historical 539 #6,986
1901 historical 588 #7,179
1911 historical 674 #6,264
1997 modern 741 #6,944
1998 modern 744 #7,150
1999 modern 748 #7,161
2000 modern 735 #7,220
2001 modern 721 #7,194
2002 modern 719 #7,355
2003 modern 696 #7,416
2004 modern 696 #7,437
2005 modern 666 #7,643
2006 modern 678 #7,557
2007 modern 677 #7,645
2008 modern 672 #7,711
2009 modern 700 #7,643
2010 modern 716 #7,645
2011 modern 697 #7,715
2012 modern 687 #7,704
2013 modern 701 #7,717
2014 modern 715 #7,646
2015 modern 705 #7,679
2016 modern 684 #7,836

Geography

Back to top

Where Colbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, King's Lynn St Margaret, Pakefield, St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waveney, Kingston upon Hull, Great Yarmouth and Southend-on-Sea. 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 London parishes London 3
2 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
3 Pakefield Suffolk
4 St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey London (South Districts)
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waveney 004 Waveney
2 Kingston upon Hull 021 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 Great Yarmouth 004 Great Yarmouth
4 Great Yarmouth 009 Great Yarmouth
5 Southend-on-Sea 014 Southend-on-Sea

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Colby

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Colby

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Colby, 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 Colby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Colby 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Colby is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Colby is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Colby 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 Colby is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Colby

The surname Colby has its origins in the Old Norse language, where it was derived from the word "kolr," meaning "coal" or "black." It first emerged in England during the 11th century, following the Norman Conquest.

Colby is believed to have originated as a place name, referring to settlements or villages with a connection to coal mining or coal-blackened landscapes. The earliest known record of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Coleby" in Lincolnshire.

The name spread throughout various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. Over time, it evolved into various spellings, including Colby, Colbie, Colbey, and Coulby.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Colby was Sir John Colby (c. 1335-1405), a prominent English soldier and landowner who served as a knight during the Hundred Years' War. Another notable figure was Samuel Colby (1616-1687), a Puritan settler who migrated from England to Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 17th century.

In the 18th century, Thomas Colby (1784-1857) gained recognition as a renowned English landscape painter, known for his depictions of rural scenes. Later, in the 19th century, Frank Moore Colby (1865-1925) made his mark as an American editor and publisher, serving as the editor-in-chief of the New International Encyclopedia.

Another prominent individual with the Colby surname was William Egan Colby (1920-1996), an American diplomat and intelligence officer who served as the Director of Central Intelligence from 1973 to 1976.

While the Colby surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, where it continues to be carried by numerous individuals.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Colby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Colby 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. Suffolk leads with 157 Colbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.31x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 157 21.31x
Norfolk 95 10.22x
Yorkshire 75 1.25x
Lincolnshire 49 5.07x
Middlesex 40 0.66x
Lancashire 30 0.42x
Surrey 30 1.02x
Essex 22 1.84x
Kent 19 0.92x
Sussex 17 1.67x
Hampshire 11 0.89x
Durham 10 0.56x
Monmouthshire 9 2.06x
Cheshire 7 0.52x
Northamptonshire 7 1.23x
Oxfordshire 5 1.34x
Herefordshire 4 1.61x
Cardiganshire 3 2.03x
Dorset 3 0.76x
Ross-shire 3 1.81x
Somerset 3 0.31x
Devon 2 0.16x
Gloucestershire 2 0.17x
Midlothian 2 0.25x
Pembrokeshire 2 1.04x
Staffordshire 2 0.10x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.26x
Cornwall 1 0.15x
Flintshire 1 0.62x
Glamorgan 1 0.10x
Inverness-shire 1 0.55x
Northumberland 1 0.11x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.12x
Rutland 1 2.25x
Warwickshire 1 0.07x
Wiltshire 1 0.19x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkley in Suffolk leads with 75 Colbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1217.53x.

Place Total Index
Kirkley 75 1217.53x
Great Yarmouth 44 57.12x
Lowestoft 34 97.70x
Pakefield 16 874.32x
Bermondsey 14 7.78x
Holy Trinity 13 9.02x
Brighton 11 5.35x
East Thickley 10 273.97x
Great Harwood 10 77.10x
Bedwas 9 283.91x
Blundeston 9 608.11x
Greenwich 9 9.35x
Islington London 9 1.54x
Norton In Malton 9 123.97x
Portsea 9 3.70x
Walthamstow 9 20.94x
Hunslet 8 8.56x
New Sleaford 8 129.03x
Old Malton 8 212.20x
Poplar London 8 7.01x
Dunston 7 434.78x
Gedney 7 177.22x
Ipswich St Peter 7 70.56x
Leeds 7 2.07x
Northampton All Sts 7 36.27x
Burton Pedwardine 6 1428.57x
Heigham 6 12.02x
Norwich St Swithin 6 372.67x
Scarning 6 434.78x
Sculcoates 6 6.31x
South Lynn 6 57.20x
South Shoebury 6 125.26x
St Bartholomew Great 6 109.09x
Wrentham 6 294.12x
Altrincham 5 21.43x
Asgarby 5 1111.11x
Claypole 5 357.14x
Newington 5 2.24x
Norwich St George Tombland 5 304.88x
Woolwich 5 6.56x
Kidlington 4 138.41x
Leadenham 4 1052.63x
Nether Hallam 4 4.93x
North Chapel 4 243.90x
Ross 4 40.57x
Rotherhithe 4 5.35x
Tonbridge 4 5.37x
Wigan 4 3.99x
Aberford 3 222.22x
Bromley London 3 2.25x
Cratfield 3 291.26x
Everton 3 1.31x
Fryerning 3 205.48x
Hornsey 3 3.92x
Mile End Old Town London 3 2.33x
New Malton 3 41.90x
Norwich St Augustine 3 80.00x
Oswaldtwistle 3 11.83x
Preston 3 1.56x
Stornoway 3 13.86x
Stow Bedon 3 447.76x
Sutton 3 14.07x
Tottenham 3 3.11x
Toxteth Park 3 1.23x
Trefilan 3 526.32x
Widnes 3 5.80x
Almsford 2 327.87x
Bayards Leap 2 198.02x
Bridewell Precinct London 2 344.83x
Burythorpe 2 370.37x
Camberwell 2 0.52x
Ingatestone 2 104.17x
Lambeth 2 0.38x
Latchingdon Snoreham 2 175.44x
Litton Cheney 2 208.33x
Rockland St Andrews 2 645.16x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 0.92x
Terrington St Clement 2 47.62x
Thetford St Peter 2 81.63x
Westminster St James 2 3.22x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 44
John 37
James 23
George 19
Thomas 15
Charles 13
Robert 13
Henry 12
Joseph 10
Alfred 8
Frederick 8
Samuel 7
Walter 7
Arthur 5
Daniel 4
Edward 4
Harry 4
Albert 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Nathaniel 3
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Henery 2
Herbert 2
Jeremiah 2
Mathew 2
Richard 2
Stephen 2
Benjamin 1
Cornelius 1
Dixon 1
Edith 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Jas. 1
Gerald 1
Gladstone 1
Jno. 1
Jos. 1
Lawrence 1
Lewis 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
R.C. 1
Ralph 1
Randall 1
Rob. 1
Wynne 1

FAQ

Colby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Colby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 621 people were recorded with the Colby surname. That placed it at #5,686 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Colby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 684 in 2016. That gives Colby a modern rank of #7,836.

What does the Colby surname mean?

From the Old Norse byname Koli, meaning "coal black," likely referring to someone with dark features or hair.

What does the Colby map show?

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