NameCensus.

UK surname

Comins

A variant of the surname "Comyn", derived from the nickname "Comyn" meaning "pleasant, pleasing, or agreeable".

In the 1881 census there were 151 people recorded with the Comins surname, ranking it #15,419 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 215, ranked #18,670, down from #15,419 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and Witheridge, Thelbridge. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kingston upon Hull, East Lindsey and Kelvindale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Comins is 240 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.4%.

1881 census count

151

Ranked #15,419

Modern count

215

2016, ranked #18,670

Peak year

1911

240 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Comins had 151 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,419 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 215 in 2016, ranked #18,670.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 240 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Comins surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Comins surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Comins 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 166 #11,986
1861 historical 163 #14,242
1881 historical 151 #15,419
1891 historical 181 #16,065
1901 historical 235 #13,662
1911 historical 240 #13,281
1997 modern 225 #16,352
1998 modern 233 #16,459
1999 modern 236 #16,404
2000 modern 227 #16,792
2001 modern 220 #16,914
2002 modern 224 #17,042
2003 modern 217 #17,176
2004 modern 222 #17,020
2005 modern 223 #16,938
2006 modern 219 #17,254
2007 modern 216 #17,575
2008 modern 205 #18,359
2009 modern 214 #18,220
2010 modern 223 #18,096
2011 modern 215 #18,379
2012 modern 214 #18,358
2013 modern 213 #18,743
2014 modern 212 #18,945
2015 modern 208 #19,085
2016 modern 215 #18,670

Geography

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Where Comins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Witheridge, Thelbridge, London parishes and Molton, South. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kingston upon Hull, East Lindsey, Kelvindale, Kirklees and West Berkshire. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 Witheridge, Thelbridge Devon
4 London parishes London 3
5 Molton, South Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kingston upon Hull 001 Kingston upon Hull, City of
2 East Lindsey 007 East Lindsey
3 Kelvindale Glasgow City
4 Kirklees 008 Kirklees
5 West Berkshire 010 West Berkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Comins

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Comins

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Comins 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

Comins is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Comins 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 Comins 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 Comins, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Comins

The surname Comins is of English origin, originating from the northwestern counties of England in the medieval period around the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "comin," meaning a newcomer or stranger. This name was likely given as a descriptive surname to someone who had recently arrived in a particular area or village.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears to be Comin, found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199. Over time, the name evolved into various spellings such as Comyn, Comyns, Commins, and eventually Comins.

One of the earliest references to the name is in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, where the name Comyn is recorded as a landowner in Lincolnshire. This suggests that the family held some status and prominence in the region during the Norman era.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Sir John Comyn, Lord of Badenoch and Lochaber in Scotland. He was a powerful nobleman and played a significant role in the Wars of Scottish Independence against England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.

Another historical figure was Sir Robert Comyn, who was the Lord Chancellor of Scotland in the late 13th century. He was a prominent figure in the Scottish court and served as a close advisor to King John Balliol.

In the 15th century, a member of the Comins family, William Comins, was a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol, England. He served as the Mayor of Bristol in 1467.

During the Tudor period, Sir John Comins was a notable figure who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset in the 1540s. He was also a landowner and held various political and administrative positions in the region.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Robert Comins, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was a courtier and soldier who served under Queen Elizabeth I and later King James I. Sir Robert was knighted for his military service and held various positions at the royal court.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Comins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Comins 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. Lincolnshire leads with 34 Comins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.44x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 34 14.44x
Devon 20 6.52x
Middlesex 20 1.36x
Yorkshire 20 1.37x
Lancashire 16 0.92x
Somerset 9 3.80x
Cambridgeshire 5 5.36x
Derbyshire 5 2.17x
Kent 5 0.99x
Oxfordshire 5 5.50x
Lanarkshire 4 0.84x
Staffordshire 3 0.60x
Cheshire 1 0.31x
Glamorgan 1 0.39x
Gloucestershire 1 0.35x
Surrey 1 0.14x
Wiltshire 1 0.77x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hundleby in Lincolnshire leads with 13 Comins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4062.50x.

Place Total Index
Hundleby 13 4062.50x
St John Lincoln 11 4400.00x
Everton 9 16.16x
Tiverton 7 132.58x
Helmsley 6 769.23x
Chipping Norton 5 238.10x
Claylane 5 155.76x
Deptford St Paul 5 12.90x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 5 122.85x
Kensington London 5 6.11x
Salford 5 9.73x
South Molton 5 297.62x
St Martin Lincoln 5 228.31x
Brightside Bierlow 4 13.97x
Fitzhead 4 3076.92x
Govan 4 3.40x
Hampstead London 4 17.44x
Holy Trinity 4 11.39x
St Pancras London 4 3.37x
Halberton 3 422.54x
Hannah Cum Hagnaby 3 5000.00x
Henstridge 3 461.54x
Islington London 3 2.10x
Leeds 3 3.64x
Wednesbury 3 24.14x
Coleby 2 909.09x
Crediton 2 68.73x
Manchester 2 2.54x
Scarborough 2 15.08x
St George Bloomsbury 2 23.67x
Witheridge 2 384.62x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 10.38x
Camberwell 1 1.06x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 3.37x
Langley Burrell 1 185.19x
Liscard 1 17.06x
Littleham 1 44.64x
Milverton 1 114.94x
St Anne Soho London 1 11.89x
Staines 1 42.92x
Swansea Town 1 4.76x
Taunton St James 1 28.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Sarah 5
Ann 3
Annie 3
Elizabeth 3
Susan 3
Alice 2
Catherine 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Grace 2
Lettice 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Priscilla 2
Ruth 2
Allice 1
Amelia 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elizbth 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Florrey 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Lavinia 1
Lilian 1
Lilly 1
Lucy 1
May 1
Olive 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 14
William 8
Thomas 6
George 5
Henry 4
Frederick 3
James 3
Albert 2
Charles 2
Edward 2
Robert 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Authur 1
Benjamin 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Hedley 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Leak 1
Maltby 1
Morris 1
Robt.W. 1
Sidney 1
Tom 1
Williams 1
Wingate 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Comins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Comins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 151 people were recorded with the Comins surname. That placed it at #15,419 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Comins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 215 in 2016. That gives Comins a modern rank of #18,670.

What does the Comins surname mean?

A variant of the surname "Comyn", derived from the nickname "Comyn" meaning "pleasant, pleasing, or agreeable".

What does the Comins map show?

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