NameCensus.

UK surname

Colebrook

A place name derived from places in English counties meaning "stream or brook where charcoal was produced".

In the 1881 census there were 364 people recorded with the Colebrook surname, ranking it #8,525 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 555, ranked #9,223, down from #8,525 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Clee, London parishes and Great Yarmouth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Wight, Halton and North Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Colebrook is 600 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.5%.

1881 census count

364

Ranked #8,525

Modern count

555

2016, ranked #9,223

Peak year

2000

600 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Colebrook had 364 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,525 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 555 in 2016, ranked #9,223.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 545 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Colebrook surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Colebrook surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Colebrook 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 325 #7,157
1861 historical 285 #8,826
1881 historical 364 #8,525
1891 historical 436 #8,262
1901 historical 517 #7,852
1911 historical 545 #7,342
1997 modern 562 #8,527
1998 modern 574 #8,631
1999 modern 582 #8,615
2000 modern 600 #8,426
2001 modern 566 #8,619
2002 modern 582 #8,624
2003 modern 563 #8,691
2004 modern 546 #8,906
2005 modern 542 #8,887
2006 modern 525 #9,135
2007 modern 532 #9,122
2008 modern 539 #9,098
2009 modern 551 #9,155
2010 modern 565 #9,167
2011 modern 551 #9,251
2012 modern 541 #9,294
2013 modern 544 #9,420
2014 modern 556 #9,298
2015 modern 551 #9,294
2016 modern 555 #9,223

Geography

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Where Colebrooks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Clee, London parishes, Great Yarmouth, Portsmouth, Portsea and Hayling, North. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Wight, Halton, North Lincolnshire and Tandridge. 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 Clee Lincolnshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Great Yarmouth Norfolk
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Hayling, North Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Wight 003 Isle of Wight
2 Halton 006 Halton
3 North Lincolnshire 006 North Lincolnshire
4 Isle of Wight 002 Isle of Wight
5 Tandridge 005 Tandridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Colebrook

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Colebrook

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Colebrook 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

Colebrook is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Colebrook falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Colebrook 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 Colebrook, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Colebrook

The surname Colebrook is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is a locational surname, derived from the place name Colebrook in Devon, England. The name is composed of two Old English elements, "col" meaning charcoal or coal, and "broc" meaning a brook or stream, suggesting that the original bearers of the name lived near a stream where charcoal was produced or traded.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1176, where a person named William de Colebroc is mentioned. The Domesday Book of 1086 also contains references to places with similar names, such as Colenbroke in Gloucestershire and Colebroke in Buckinghamshire.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including Colebrook, Colbrook, and Colbroc. One notable bearer of the name during this time was John de Colebrook, a member of the gentry from Devonshire, who was mentioned in records from 1273.

The Colebrook surname has been associated with several historical figures over the centuries. Sir George Colebrooke (1729-1809) was a British colonial administrator who served as Governor of Bombay from 1786 to 1798. Henry Thomas Colebrooke (1765-1837) was an English orientalist and one of the founders of Sanskrit studies in the West.

Other notable individuals with the Colebrook surname include Robert Colebrooke (1690-1758), an English merchant and philanthropist who founded the Colebrooke Charity School in London, and Ely Howard Colebrook (1821-1890), an American politician who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut.

More recently, Sir Ralph Colebrook (1882-1971) was a British civil engineer and contractor who made significant contributions to the development of infrastructure in Africa and the Middle East. He was knighted in 1949 for his services to construction engineering.

While the Colebrook surname originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and historical events. Despite its locational origins, the name has endured for centuries and continues to be carried by individuals of diverse backgrounds and achievements.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Colebrook families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Colebrook 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. Hampshire leads with 93 Colebrooks recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.54x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 93 12.54x
Middlesex 66 1.82x
Kent 45 3.64x
Surrey 40 2.27x
Lincolnshire 25 4.32x
Glamorgan 18 2.86x
Sussex 17 2.79x
Hertfordshire 12 4.81x
Lancashire 10 0.23x
Durham 8 0.74x
Suffolk 8 1.81x
Berkshire 7 2.58x
Channel Islands 6 5.59x
Monmouthshire 4 1.53x
Carmarthenshire 2 1.31x
Oxfordshire 2 0.89x
Somerset 2 0.34x
Cornwall 1 0.24x
Devon 1 0.13x
Gloucestershire 1 0.14x
Northumberland 1 0.19x
Royal Navy 1 2.32x
Yorkshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Andover in Hampshire leads with 22 Colebrooks recorded in 1881 and an index of 313.84x.

Place Total Index
Andover 22 313.84x
Islington London 18 5.13x
North Hayling 16 4848.48x
St John Near Swansea 15 192.55x
Great Grimsby 14 38.12x
Plumstead 11 26.73x
Portsea 11 7.57x
Edmonton 9 30.86x
Guildford Friary 9 1636.36x
Woolwich 9 19.73x
Gorleston 8 71.43x
Whippingham 8 142.35x
Watford 7 36.19x
Southampton St Mary 6 12.86x
St Helier 6 17.19x
Tonbridge 6 13.47x
Battersea 5 3.75x
East Barnet 5 101.01x
Lambeth 5 1.58x
Monkwearmouth Shore 5 23.79x
St Anne Soho London 5 24.19x
Stoke Newington London 5 17.74x
Streatham 5 18.62x
Widnes 5 16.14x
Appleshaw 4 1212.12x
Brighton 4 3.25x
Croydon 4 4.09x
Guildford St Mary 4 184.33x
Mynyddyslwyn 4 38.76x
Portsmouth 4 23.42x
Reading St Giles 4 15.01x
Scartho 4 1428.57x
St Pancras London 4 1.37x
Brenenden 3 188.68x
Clerkenwell London 3 3.51x
Havant 3 79.79x
Millbrook 3 16.06x
Paddington London 3 2.25x
Sittingbourne 3 30.77x
Swansea Town 3 5.81x
Toxteth Park 3 2.06x
Tufton 3 2000.00x
Waltham 3 326.09x
Westhampnett 3 461.54x
Basingstoke 2 23.45x
Biddenden 2 118.34x
Burnley 2 5.53x
Camberwell 2 0.87x
Chelsea London 2 1.83x
Chiddingly 2 181.82x
Cowley 2 322.58x
Gateshead 2 2.48x
Hastings Holy Trinity 2 44.44x
Headcorn 2 108.11x
Loose 2 110.50x
Lyncombe Widcombe 2 13.11x
Mile End Old Town London 2 2.60x
Pembrey 2 28.53x
Reigate Foreign 2 10.48x
Riby 2 571.43x
Southampton All Sts 2 15.71x
St Mary Bourne 2 148.15x
Winslade 2 1428.57x
Abbotts Ann 1 119.05x
Bodmin 1 14.75x
Clee With Weelsby 1 7.89x
Enfield 1 4.21x
Hampstead London 1 1.77x
Hornsey 1 2.19x
Horsham 1 8.44x
Lewes St John Southover 1 24.39x
Newbury 1 11.49x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 1 14.12x
Rochester St Nicholas 1 26.04x
Rolvenden 1 62.50x
Sculcoates 1 1.76x
South Hayling 1 75.76x
Tilehurst 1 18.21x
West Grinstead 1 54.35x
Woking 1 9.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Elizabeth 11
Ann 10
Ellen 10
Alice 9
Emily 9
Sarah 9
Emma 6
Jane 6
Eliza 5
Annie 4
Kate 4
Margaret 4
Amy 3
Catherine 3
Harriett 3
Maria 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Blanche 2
Charlotte 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Rose 2
Ruth 2
Susanah 2
Angelina 1
Bertha 1
C. 1
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizh. 1
Ethel 1
Evaline 1
Evelyn 1
Fanny 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Infant 1
L.F. 1
Laura 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Maggie 1
Margaretta 1
Margaritta 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 20
George 18
Charles 15
Alfred 10
James 10
Harry 9
Henry 9
John 9
Walter 6
Edward 4
Frederick 4
Joseph 4
Stephen 4
Thomas 4
Arthur 3
Christopher 3
Edwin 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Edmund 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Herbert 2
Jno. 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Cemer 1
Chas. 1
Colin 1
Cornelius 1
David 1
Dd. 1
Edw.W. 1
Edwd. 1
Francis 1
Hannavill 1
Harold 1
Horace 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
May 1
R. 1
R.F. 1
Ralph 1
Ridley 1
Riley 1
Robert 1
Silas 1

FAQ

Colebrook surname: questions and answers

How common was the Colebrook surname in 1881?

In 1881, 364 people were recorded with the Colebrook surname. That placed it at #8,525 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Colebrook surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 555 in 2016. That gives Colebrook a modern rank of #9,223.

What does the Colebrook surname mean?

A place name derived from places in English counties meaning "stream or brook where charcoal was produced".

What does the Colebrook map show?

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