NameCensus.

UK surname

Combs

An English occupational surname for a maker or seller of combs, or a topographical name for someone living near a valley.

In the 1881 census there were 588 people recorded with the Combs surname, ranking it #5,934 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 144, ranked #24,390, down from #5,934 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Philip and Jacob and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tameside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Combs is 782 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 75.5%.

1881 census count

588

Ranked #5,934

Modern count

144

2016, ranked #24,390

Peak year

1861

782 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Combs had 588 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,934 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 144 in 2016, ranked #24,390.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 782 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Combs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Combs surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Combs 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 679 #3,828
1861 historical 782 #3,519
1881 historical 588 #5,934
1891 historical 504 #7,377
1901 historical 409 #9,338
1911 historical 272 #12,205
1997 modern 139 #22,132
1998 modern 145 #22,139
1999 modern 144 #22,405
2000 modern 144 #22,357
2001 modern 143 #22,133
2002 modern 150 #21,913
2003 modern 141 #22,549
2004 modern 148 #22,000
2005 modern 139 #22,887
2006 modern 147 #22,221
2007 modern 145 #22,693
2008 modern 146 #22,822
2009 modern 139 #24,161
2010 modern 135 #25,127
2011 modern 123 #26,512
2012 modern 138 #24,614
2013 modern 141 #24,670
2014 modern 142 #24,734
2015 modern 135 #25,481
2016 modern 144 #24,390

Geography

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Where Combs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Philip and Jacob, Manchester, Lambeth and Southampton St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tameside. 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 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Southampton St Mary Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tameside 009 Tameside
2 Tameside 018 Tameside
3 Tameside 015 Tameside
4 Tameside 001 Tameside
5 Tameside 003 Tameside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Combs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Combs

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Combs surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Combs household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Combs is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Combs is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Combs falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Combs

The surname Combs originated in England, derived from the Old English word "cumb," meaning a small valley or hollow between hills. It was likely an occupational name given to someone who lived in such a geographical feature. The name was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "de Combe," with various spellings emerging over time, including Coombe, Combe, and Combs.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Robert de Combe, who lived in Somerset, England, in the 13th century. Around the same period, the name appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where Walter de la Combe was mentioned as a landowner.

In the 14th century, the name was found in various records across England, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where John Combe was listed in 1327. Another notable bearer was William Combe, a Member of Parliament for Cirencester in 1379.

During the 16th century, the Combs surname spread across England, with several prominent individuals bearing the name. One of them was John Combe (1506-1550), a wealthy landowner and close friend of William Shakespeare. It is believed that Shakespeare may have based the character of Sir John Falstaff on Combe.

In the 17th century, Edward Combe (1613-1689) was a notable English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Ludgershall and as a judge on the Western Circuit. Another notable figure was the English poet and author, William Combe (1741-1823), best known for his satirical work "The Diaboliad."

The 18th century saw the rise of Thomas Combe (1745-1823), a renowned English philosopher and writer who co-founded the Analytical Review and advocated for educational reforms. Another prominent individual was George Combe (1788-1858), a Scottish phrenologist and one of the founders of the Edinburgh Phrenological Society.

Throughout history, the Combs surname has been associated with various notable personalities across different fields, reflecting its long-standing presence and diverse origins within England and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Combs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Combs 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. Middlesex leads with 72 Combs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.26x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 72 1.26x
Lancashire 55 0.81x
Sussex 55 5.71x
Yorkshire 43 0.76x
Surrey 32 1.15x
Gloucestershire 31 2.77x
Cheshire 25 1.98x
Monmouthshire 22 5.32x
Somerset 22 2.39x
Kent 21 1.08x
Glamorgan 20 2.01x
Wiltshire 20 3.96x
Staffordshire 19 0.98x
Devon 17 1.43x
Worcestershire 17 2.28x
Hampshire 14 1.19x
Dorset 11 2.93x
Essex 11 0.97x
Clackmannanshire 10 21.18x
Durham 9 0.53x
Northumberland 8 0.94x
Warwickshire 7 0.49x
Midlothian 6 0.78x
Angus 5 0.94x
Northamptonshire 4 0.74x
Suffolk 4 0.57x
Berkshire 3 0.70x
Dumfriesshire 3 2.38x
Lanarkshire 3 0.16x
Oxfordshire 3 0.85x
Denbighshire 2 0.93x
Hertfordshire 2 0.51x
Westmorland 2 1.59x
Berwickshire 1 1.44x
Brecknockshire 1 0.87x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.29x
East Lothian 1 1.32x
Herefordshire 1 0.43x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 1.21x
Lincolnshire 1 0.11x
Shropshire 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alvesdiston in Wiltshire leads with 17 Combs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3617.02x.

Place Total Index
Alvesdiston 17 3617.02x
Barnton 12 398.67x
Ashton Under Lyne 11 7.42x
Seaford 11 335.37x
Walcot 11 22.44x
Portsea 10 4.35x
Trevethin 10 25.63x
Alloa 9 39.32x
Horsforth 9 72.46x
Shoreditch London 9 3.63x
Chiswick 8 25.62x
Pennycross 8 800.00x
Brighton 7 3.60x
Castle Northwich 7 167.46x
Cliffe 7 214.72x
Gloucester St Nicholas 7 134.87x
Kensington London 7 2.20x
Sheffield 7 3.88x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 7 26.60x
Winterbourne 7 113.09x
Areley Kings 6 454.55x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 1.95x
Hackney London 6 1.87x
Holbeck 6 15.99x
Islington London 6 1.08x
Laleston 6 571.43x
Lambeth 6 1.20x
Lichfield St Chad 6 138.25x
Manchester 6 1.97x
Newhaven 6 76.63x
Newington 6 2.84x
Oldham 6 2.74x
Westbury On Severn East 6 23.67x
Worcester St Martin 6 59.58x
Aberystruth 5 13.73x
Acton 5 14.92x
Aldington 5 378.79x
Bedwellty 5 6.85x
Bishopwearmouth 5 3.43x
Bow London 5 6.87x
Broad Clist 5 121.65x
Burton Bradstock 5 270.27x
Bury 5 6.45x
Dundee 5 2.53x
Earsdon 5 72.25x
Everton 5 2.31x
Piddinghoe 5 1136.36x
St Pancras London 5 1.09x
Swansea Town 5 6.13x
Twerton 5 52.69x
Walthamstow 5 12.31x
West Ham 5 2.01x
Woolwich 5 6.94x
York St Michael Le 5 273.22x
Bermondsey 4 2.35x
Camberwell 4 1.10x
Coleshill 4 86.58x
Hammersmith London 4 2.84x
Hapton 4 94.34x
Monkwearmouth 4 24.57x
Newton 4 7.65x
Rotherhithe 4 5.66x
St Mary Virgin In Marsh 4 1052.63x
Wellingborough 4 14.80x
West Bromwich 4 3.62x
Bilston 3 8.02x
Birmingham 3 0.62x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 2.84x
Dumfries 3 24.08x
Harting 3 120.00x
Hendon 3 14.58x
Lewisham 3 2.88x
Limehouse London 3 4.78x
Little Leigh 3 333.33x
Llandaff 3 9.06x
Petworth 3 52.08x
Roath 3 6.64x
Speen 3 42.74x
Sturminster 3 82.42x
Telscombe 3 1666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Elizabeth 21
Sarah 18
Eliza 10
Ann 9
Ellen 9
Annie 7
Jane 7
Emma 6
Margaret 6
Martha 6
Emily 5
Hannah 5
Harriet 5
Louisa 5
Maria 5
Alice 4
Amelia 4
Catherine 4
Charlotte 4
Rose 4
Adelaide 3
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Lucy 3
Susannah 3
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Barbara 2
Clara 2
Florence 2
Grace 2
Harriett 2
Helen 2
Kate 2
Laura 2
Lizzie 2
Margret 2
Mathilda 2
Minnie 2
Phillis 2
Phoebe 2
Rosa 2
Selina 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Violet 2
Betty 1
Virtue 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 40
John 29
James 24
George 23
Charles 16
Henry 13
Edward 11
Thomas 11
Walter 7
Frederick 6
Joseph 6
Alfred 5
Samuel 5
Robert 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Harry 3
Percy 3
Richard 3
Andrew 2
Edwin 2
Felix 2
Isaac 2
Matthew 2
Peter 2
Richd. 2
Saml. 2
Anthony 1
Bedgent 1
Benjamin 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Cornieuls 1
Fred 1
Geo.Hy. 1
Giles 1
Harold 1
Hen.J. 1
Hy. 1
Jasper 1
Laurence 1
Leonard 1
Mark 1
Nathaniel 1
Patrick 1
Philip 1
Phillip 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Combs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Combs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 588 people were recorded with the Combs surname. That placed it at #5,934 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Combs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 144 in 2016. That gives Combs a modern rank of #24,390.

What does the Combs surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a maker or seller of combs, or a topographical name for someone living near a valley.

What does the Combs map show?

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