NameCensus.

UK surname

Comb

A surname referring to someone who made or sold combs.

In the 1881 census there were 208 people recorded with the Comb surname, ranking it #12,511 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 186, ranked #20,575, down from #12,511 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dunbar, Inveresk and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Central Bedfordshire, Richmond upon Thames and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Comb is 388 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.6%.

1881 census count

208

Ranked #12,511

Modern count

186

2016, ranked #20,575

Peak year

1861

388 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Comb had 208 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,511 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 186 in 2016, ranked #20,575.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 388 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Comb surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Comb surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Comb 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 317 #7,308
1861 historical 388 #6,602
1881 historical 208 #12,511
1891 historical 225 #13,714
1901 historical 140 #18,795
1911 historical 87 #24,147
1997 modern 171 #19,438
1998 modern 175 #19,658
1999 modern 182 #19,317
2000 modern 170 #20,120
2001 modern 169 #19,912
2002 modern 169 #20,307
2003 modern 168 #20,171
2004 modern 163 #20,685
2005 modern 167 #20,296
2006 modern 168 #20,368
2007 modern 168 #20,634
2008 modern 172 #20,523
2009 modern 169 #21,190
2010 modern 172 #21,404
2011 modern 169 #21,499
2012 modern 170 #21,379
2013 modern 175 #21,320
2014 modern 188 #20,503
2015 modern 187 #20,502
2016 modern 186 #20,575

Geography

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Where Combs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dunbar, Inveresk, London parishes, Edinburgh and Dirleton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Central Bedfordshire, Richmond upon Thames and Northumberland. 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 Dunbar Haddington
2 Inveresk Edinburgh
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dirleton Haddington

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Central Bedfordshire 031 Central Bedfordshire
2 Richmond upon Thames 015 Richmond upon Thames
3 Central Bedfordshire 026 Central Bedfordshire
4 Central Bedfordshire 029 Central Bedfordshire
5 Northumberland 023 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Comb

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Comb

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Comb is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Comb is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Comb falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Comb is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Comb

The surname Comb is believed to have originated in England, with its roots traced back to the 13th century. It is thought to be an occupational name, derived from the Old English word "camb," which referred to a maker or seller of combs, a tool used for grooming hair or wool.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, a 13th-century census document, where a Robert le Combe is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use during that time period and may have evolved from the earlier spelling "Combe."

The name is also associated with various place names in England, such as Combe in Oxfordshire and Combes in Devon. These place names likely originated from the Old English word "cumb," meaning a small valley or hollow, which could indicate that some bearers of the Comb surname may have derived their name from these geographical locations.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, where a Richard del Combe is recorded. This further solidifies the presence of the surname during the medieval period.

One notable bearer of the name was John Combe (c. 1506 – 1589), a wealthy landowner and close friend of William Shakespeare. It is believed that Shakespeare may have based the character of Justice Shallow in his plays on John Combe.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Combe (1589 – 1672), an English philosopher and physician who wrote extensively on moral philosophy and ethics. His work, "The Moral Philosophy of the Stoics," published in 1670, was highly influential in its time.

In the 18th century, William Combe (1741 – 1823) was a notable English satirist and writer, best known for his parodies and humorous works such as "The Diaboliad" and "The Tour of Dr. Syntax."

The name also appeared in the United States in the early colonial period, with individuals like John Combe (1599 – 1673), who was one of the founders of the town of Stamford, Connecticut.

Throughout its history, the surname Comb has maintained its connection to its occupational origins, with variations in spelling such as Combe, Combes, and Combs also appearing over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Comb families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Comb 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. East Lothian leads with 76 Combs recorded in 1881 and an index of 291.19x.

County Total Index
East Lothian 76 291.19x
Midlothian 32 12.12x
Durham 22 3.75x
Perthshire 13 14.70x
Northumberland 9 3.07x
Fife 5 4.29x
Middlesex 5 0.25x
Surrey 5 0.52x
Yorkshire 5 0.26x
Lanarkshire 4 0.63x
Cornwall 2 0.90x
Glamorgan 2 0.58x
Gloucestershire 2 0.52x
Inverness-shire 2 3.40x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 7.01x
Suffolk 2 0.83x
Sussex 2 0.60x
Berwickshire 1 4.19x
Channel Islands 1 1.71x
Cumberland 1 0.59x
Devon 1 0.24x
Hertfordshire 1 0.74x
Kent 1 0.15x
Lancashire 1 0.04x
Oxfordshire 1 0.82x
Somerset 1 0.32x
West Lothian 1 3.37x
Wiltshire 1 0.57x
Worcestershire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dunbar in East Lothian leads with 37 Combs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1010.93x.

Place Total Index
Dunbar 37 1010.93x
Dirleton 15 1470.59x
North Leith 14 114.57x
Ryhope 12 294.84x
Stranton 10 50.66x
Blairgowrie 9 257.14x
Aberlady 8 1176.47x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 7.53x
Cowpen 6 88.89x
Athelstaneford 5 980.39x
Bridlington 5 111.86x
Prestonkirk 5 381.68x
Dunfermline 4 22.30x
Hackney London 4 3.62x
South Leith 4 13.47x
Barony 3 1.86x
Inveresk 3 41.96x
Lambeth 3 1.75x
Scone 3 191.08x
Seghill 3 208.33x
Gladsmuir 2 172.41x
Inverness 2 13.51x
Kirkmabreck 2 160.00x
Merton 2 119.05x
Whittinghame 2 465.12x
Winchcomb 2 104.17x
Albury 1 238.10x
Berwick North 1 54.64x
Burntisland 1 30.67x
Chilcompton 1 232.56x
Cockburnspath 1 131.58x
Colinton 1 34.01x
Edinburgh St Stephens 1 19.23x
Forteviot 1 238.10x
Gittisham 1 333.33x
Haddington 1 25.97x
Hammersmith London 1 2.06x
Hove 1 6.86x
Ipswich St Clement 1 16.39x
Kempsey 1 102.04x
Kirknewton 1 131.58x
Lancaster 1 7.19x
Landewednack 1 250.00x
Llandaff 1 8.76x
Lowestoft 1 8.82x
Maidstone 1 4.99x
Maryhill 1 8.02x
Michaelstone Super Avon 1 26.95x
Millom 1 19.23x
Oxford St Giles 1 17.21x
Salisbury St Edmund 1 35.71x
St Gennys 1 303.03x
St Helier 1 5.26x
Uphall 1 30.67x
Worth 1 41.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 4
Mary 4
Elizabeth 3
Amy 2
Anne 2
Elizth. 2
Emma 2
Kate 2
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Georgina 1
Harriett 1
Janet 1
Margaret 1
Susan 1
Teate 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 5
Alexander 3
John 3
Thomas 3
Matthew 2
William 2
Alex 1
Amy 1
Arthur 1
Bathgate 1
Benjamin 1
David 1
Edward 1
George 1
Mathew 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
Wm. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Comb households.

FAQ

Comb surname: questions and answers

How common was the Comb surname in 1881?

In 1881, 208 people were recorded with the Comb surname. That placed it at #12,511 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Comb surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 186 in 2016. That gives Comb a modern rank of #20,575.

What does the Comb surname mean?

A surname referring to someone who made or sold combs.

What does the Comb map show?

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