NameCensus.

UK surname

Combes

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near or in a valley.

In the 1881 census there were 634 people recorded with the Combes surname, ranking it #5,595 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 523, ranked #9,679, down from #5,595 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lurgasall, London parishes and East and West Tisbury, Wardour. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Newark and Sherwood and Chichester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Combes is 740 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 17.5%.

1881 census count

634

Ranked #5,595

Modern count

523

2016, ranked #9,679

Peak year

1911

740 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Combes had 634 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,595 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 523 in 2016, ranked #9,679.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 740 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Combes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Combes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Combes 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 464 #5,343
1861 historical 524 #5,005
1881 historical 634 #5,595
1891 historical 597 #6,413
1901 historical 593 #7,137
1911 historical 740 #5,795
1997 modern 576 #8,378
1998 modern 605 #8,343
1999 modern 601 #8,430
2000 modern 583 #8,571
2001 modern 562 #8,664
2002 modern 557 #8,894
2003 modern 529 #9,109
2004 modern 531 #9,100
2005 modern 518 #9,208
2006 modern 505 #9,415
2007 modern 509 #9,443
2008 modern 514 #9,445
2009 modern 533 #9,393
2010 modern 545 #9,420
2011 modern 542 #9,387
2012 modern 513 #9,684
2013 modern 530 #9,609
2014 modern 537 #9,565
2015 modern 529 #9,623
2016 modern 523 #9,679

Geography

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Where Combes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lurgasall, London parishes, East and West Tisbury, Wardour, Chiddingfold, Haslemere and Frensham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Newark and Sherwood, Chichester, Havant and Bath and North East Somerset. 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 Lurgasall Sussex
2 London parishes London 3
3 East and West Tisbury, Wardour Wiltshire
4 Chiddingfold, Haslemere Surrey
5 Frensham Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 054 Wiltshire
2 Newark and Sherwood 012 Newark and Sherwood
3 Chichester 011 Chichester
4 Havant 010 Havant
5 Bath and North East Somerset 004 Bath and North East Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Combes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Combes

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Combes 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

Combes 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

Combes falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Combes

The surname Combes is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "combe" meaning a small valley or hollow. It is likely that the name first arose as a descriptive term for someone who lived in or near a valley.

The earliest recorded use of the name Combes dates back to the 12th century in the region of Normandy, France. It appears in various medieval records and documents from this time period, often spelled as "de Combes" or "de la Combe", indicating a person from a particular valley.

One notable early bearer of the name was Raoul de Combes, a Norman knight who accompanied William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Raoul de Combes is mentioned in the Domesday Book, a survey of English lands and properties commissioned by William I in 1086.

In the 13th century, the name Combes can be found in various regions of France, including Burgundy, Languedoc, and Provence. One prominent figure from this era was Guillaume de Combes, a French poet and troubadour born in Provence around 1220.

As the Combes family spread across France and Europe, the name took on various spellings and regional variations, such as Combe, Coombes, and Coombe. In England, the name Coombes is believed to have originated from French Huguenot settlers who fled religious persecution in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Other notable individuals with the surname Combes include:

1. Jean Combes (1701-1779), a French mathematician and astronomer. 2. Émile Combes (1835-1921), a French statesman and Prime Minister of France from 1902 to 1905. 3. Philipp Combes (1892-1979), a German-American architect known for his Art Deco designs. 4. Justin Combes (1768-1857), a French military officer and general during the Napoleonic Wars. 5. André Combes (1924-2018), a French physicist and pioneer in radio astronomy.

The surname Combes has a rich history spanning centuries and regions, reflecting its origins as a descriptive term for those living in or near valleys. It has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including knights, poets, scientists, and military leaders.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Combes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Combes 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. Sussex leads with 120 Combes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.53x.

County Total Index
Sussex 120 11.53x
Middlesex 106 1.72x
Surrey 75 2.49x
Lancashire 41 0.56x
Wiltshire 39 7.14x
Kent 36 1.71x
Gloucestershire 34 2.81x
Hampshire 26 2.05x
Cheshire 22 1.61x
Dorset 14 3.45x
Monmouthshire 13 2.91x
Nottinghamshire 13 1.56x
Somerset 12 1.21x
Devon 11 0.86x
Staffordshire 10 0.48x
Berkshire 7 1.51x
Northumberland 7 0.76x
Warwickshire 7 0.45x
Yorkshire 6 0.10x
Dumfriesshire 5 3.67x
Essex 5 0.41x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.70x
Durham 4 0.22x
Midlothian 4 0.48x
Norfolk 4 0.42x
Glamorgan 3 0.28x
Pembrokeshire 2 1.02x
Fife 1 0.27x
Isle of Man 1 0.87x
Worcestershire 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. Bosham in Sussex leads with 50 Combes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1886.79x.

Place Total Index
Bosham 50 1886.79x
Islington London 20 3.34x
East Tisbury 18 957.45x
Lurgashall 16 1032.26x
Kensington London 13 3.79x
Newark Upon Trent 11 36.78x
Wardour 11 687.50x
St Marylebone London 10 3.03x
Trevethin 10 23.72x
Westminster St Margaret 10 33.58x
Barnton 9 276.92x
Fernhurst 9 391.30x
Plumstead 9 12.82x
Portsea 9 3.63x
Weston Subedge 9 1250.00x
East Wittering 8 1632.65x
Woolwich 8 10.28x
Battersea 7 3.08x
Croydon 7 4.19x
Englefield 7 853.66x
Hambledon 7 219.44x
Margate St John Baptist 7 18.14x
Milverton 7 153.17x
St Pancras London 7 1.41x
Wimborne Minster 7 106.87x
Alverstoke 6 13.10x
Bermondsey 6 3.26x
Burslem 6 10.05x
Chalton 6 1363.64x
Dalton In Furness 6 21.22x
Denton 6 36.95x
Elswick 6 8.18x
Frensham 6 135.75x
Garston 6 27.75x
Hulme 6 3.92x
Moss Side 6 15.56x
Ratcliffe London 6 17.60x
Winterbourne 6 89.69x
Batheaston 5 147.06x
Chichester St Pancras 5 160.77x
Dumfries 5 37.15x
Fulham London 5 5.58x
Gravesend 5 28.03x
Hampton Wick London 5 110.62x
Harting 5 184.50x
Rotherhithe 5 6.55x
Sale 5 29.90x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 4 3.74x
Brighton 4 1.90x
Bristol St Augustine 4 20.47x
Clapham 4 5.18x
Darlington 4 5.64x
Eastbourne 4 8.35x
Great Yarmouth 4 5.09x
Guildford St Nicholas 4 75.19x
Haslemere 4 168.78x
Kingston On Thames 4 5.53x
Limehouse London 4 5.90x
North Chapel 4 238.10x
Paddington London 4 1.76x
Tewkesbury 4 37.00x
Thorncombe 4 171.67x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 2.63x
Camberwell 3 0.76x
Cheltenham 3 3.21x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 2.58x
Dagenham 3 41.38x
Hackney London 3 0.87x
Holy Trinity 3 111.11x
Hornsey 3 3.84x
Horton 3 306.12x
Hove 3 6.57x
Leftwich 3 49.59x
Oldham 3 1.27x
Reigate Foreign 3 9.21x
Skircoat 3 12.43x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.41x
Tipton 3 4.70x
Lambeth 2 0.37x
Newcastle Lower 2 89.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 33
James 26
John 25
George 22
Charles 17
Henry 14
Thomas 14
Alfred 8
Frederick 8
Robert 8
Albert 7
Harry 7
Edward 6
Arthur 4
Benjamin 4
Frank 4
Walter 4
Allan 3
Edwin 3
Richard 3
Abdiel 2
Cyrus 2
Daniel 2
Eli 2
Jesse 2
Joseph 2
Matthew 2
Nathaniel 2
Noah 2
Samuel 2
Thos. 2
Willie 2
Wm. 2
Earnest 1
Edman 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
Greswell 1
Hedley 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Lazarus 1
Leonard 1
Lester 1
Louis 1
Margaret 1
Mark 1
Nicholas 1
Peniston 1

FAQ

Combes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Combes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 634 people were recorded with the Combes surname. That placed it at #5,595 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Combes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 523 in 2016. That gives Combes a modern rank of #9,679.

What does the Combes surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near or in a valley.

What does the Combes map show?

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