NameCensus.

UK surname

Coombes

A locational surname originating from places named with the Old English word "cumb" meaning a valley or hollow.

In the 1881 census there were 3,173 people recorded with the Coombes surname, ranking it #1,419 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,089, ranked #945, up from #1,419 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sedgemoor, West Dorset and Caerphilly.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coombes is 7,626 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 123.4%.

1881 census count

3,173

Ranked #1,419

Modern count

7,089

2016, ranked #945

Peak year

1999

7,626 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coombes had 3,173 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,419 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,089 in 2016, ranked #945.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,618 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Coombes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coombes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Coombes 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 1,314 #2,182
1861 historical 1,253 #2,275
1881 historical 3,173 #1,419
1891 historical 3,386 #1,406
1901 historical 4,601 #1,233
1911 historical 5,618 #934
1997 modern 7,276 #886
1998 modern 7,577 #886
1999 modern 7,626 #888
2000 modern 7,572 #889
2001 modern 7,376 #892
2002 modern 7,397 #910
2003 modern 7,248 #909
2004 modern 7,221 #912
2005 modern 7,148 #907
2006 modern 7,110 #913
2007 modern 7,136 #918
2008 modern 7,205 #914
2009 modern 7,358 #916
2010 modern 7,436 #925
2011 modern 7,343 #920
2012 modern 7,119 #928
2013 modern 7,229 #933
2014 modern 7,206 #944
2015 modern 7,089 #947
2016 modern 7,089 #945

Geography

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Where Coombes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Newchurch. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sedgemoor, West Dorset and Caerphilly. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 Newchurch Hampshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sedgemoor 012 Sedgemoor
2 Sedgemoor 006 Sedgemoor
3 West Dorset 003 West Dorset
4 Caerphilly 019 Caerphilly
5 Sedgemoor 010 Sedgemoor

Forenames

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First names often paired with Coombes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Coombes

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

Coombes 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

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

Meaning and origin of Coombes

The surname Coombes is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "cumb," meaning a small valley or hollow. It is a locational surname, indicating that the original bearers of this name hailed from one of the numerous places in England named Coombes or a variation thereof.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Coombes dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Cumba." This suggests that the name was already well-established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

During the Middle Ages, the name Coombes was particularly prevalent in the counties of Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Warwickshire, where several small hamlets and villages bore variations of the name, such as Combes, Coombs, or Coombes.

One notable early bearer of the surname was Sir John Coombes, a prominent landowner and military commander who fought alongside King Edward III in the Hundred Years' War against France in the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the name Coombes appeared in the records of the parish of Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. It is possible that the playwright may have known or encountered individuals with this surname during his lifetime.

During the English Civil War of the 17th century, a Captain Thomas Coombes served in the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell and was present at the Battle of Naseby in 1645, where the Royalist army was decisively defeated.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure bearing the Coombes surname was John Coombes, a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields and the Radcliffe Observatory in Oxford.

Another notable bearer of the name was Benjamin Coombes, a skilled engraver and printmaker who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His intricate etchings and engravings depicting landscapes and architectural scenes are highly prized by collectors today.

Throughout history, the Coombes surname has been associated with various occupations, including landowners, soldiers, architects, artists, and tradesmen, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and endeavors of those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Coombes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coombes 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. Devon leads with 540 Coombes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.31x.

County Total Index
Devon 540 8.31x
Middlesex 447 1.43x
Hampshire 332 5.19x
Somerset 324 6.44x
Surrey 281 1.85x
Kent 174 1.63x
Sussex 120 2.28x
Oxfordshire 105 5.44x
Dorset 102 4.98x
Wiltshire 102 3.69x
Lancashire 83 0.22x
Gloucestershire 74 1.21x
Cornwall 63 1.78x
Warwickshire 57 0.72x
Cheshire 53 0.77x
Glamorgan 49 0.90x
Durham 35 0.38x
Monmouthshire 35 1.55x
Yorkshire 35 0.11x
Staffordshire 30 0.28x
Worcestershire 29 0.71x
Channel Islands 27 2.92x
Essex 17 0.28x
Nottinghamshire 11 0.26x
Royal Navy 9 2.42x
Cambridgeshire 8 0.40x
Northamptonshire 8 0.27x
Brecknockshire 7 1.12x
Derbyshire 6 0.12x
Angus 5 0.17x
Berkshire 5 0.21x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.26x
Suffolk 5 0.13x
Herefordshire 4 0.31x
Norfolk 2 0.04x
Bedfordshire 1 0.06x
Denbighshire 1 0.08x
Fife 1 0.05x
Hertfordshire 1 0.05x
Leicestershire 1 0.03x
Midlothian 1 0.02x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.14x
Morayshire 1 0.21x
Northumberland 1 0.02x
Renfrewshire 1 0.04x
Shropshire 1 0.04x
Westmorland 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 59 Coombes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.70x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 59 4.70x
Tormoham 55 19.99x
Lambeth 50 1.84x
Islington London 49 1.62x
Ryde 48 34.90x
Lurgashall 45 574.71x
Stoke Damerel 39 8.57x
Camberwell 38 1.90x
Burnham 35 91.31x
Brading 34 39.96x
Plymouth St Andrew 33 6.59x
Alverstoke 31 13.38x
St Pancras London 29 1.15x
Exeter St Mary Major 27 68.88x
Poplar London 27 4.58x
Aston 26 1.20x
Bedminster 26 5.50x
Bermondsey 26 2.80x
Plumstead 26 7.32x
Hammersmith London 25 3.25x
St Marylebone London 24 1.44x
Ilminster 23 65.49x
Paddington London 23 2.00x
Shipton Under Wychwood 23 185.33x
Berrow 22 465.12x
Birmingham 22 0.84x
Carisbrooke 22 24.75x
Exeter St Sidwell 21 14.10x
Southampton St Mary 21 5.22x
St Budeaux 21 103.75x
Sturminster 21 105.63x
Battersea 19 1.65x
Exeter St Edmund 19 135.42x
Taunton St James 19 25.91x
West Derby 19 1.75x
Exeter Heavitree 18 37.13x
Westbury On Trym 18 8.67x
Woolwich 18 4.57x
Moorlinch 17 636.70x
Handsworth 16 6.16x
Henstridge 16 115.19x
St Helens 16 34.38x
Culmstock 15 162.69x
Kensington London 15 0.86x
Lyncombe Widcombe 15 11.39x
St George In East London 15 5.11x
St Luke London 15 2.99x
Taunton St Mary 15 16.25x
Weston Super Mare 15 11.81x
Willesden 15 5.09x
Gillingham 14 39.74x
Tottenham 14 2.81x
Widnes 14 5.24x
Hampton Wick London 13 56.82x
Mile End Old Town London 13 1.96x
Poltimore 13 420.71x
Trusham 13 698.92x
Bedwellty 12 3.01x
Catcott 12 204.08x
Combe 12 207.61x
Hackney London 12 0.69x
Northen Etchells 12 148.51x
Shoreditch London 12 0.89x
Silverton 12 88.63x
St Gluvias Penryn 12 42.36x
Stranton 12 3.84x
Stratford Toney 12 1061.95x
Swanscombe 12 25.06x
Westminster St Margaret 12 7.96x
Ystradyfodwg 12 2.52x
Altrincham 11 9.13x
East Budleigh 11 35.91x
Exeter St Mary Steps 11 74.98x
Halifax 11 2.42x
Kentisbeare 11 122.77x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 11 13.87x
Roath 11 4.45x
St Austell 11 9.10x
St George Hanover Square 11 2.00x
St Peter Port 11 6.42x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 236
Elizabeth 121
Sarah 96
Alice 62
Annie 59
Jane 59
Ann 58
Ellen 56
Eliza 54
Emily 52
Emma 46
Louisa 30
Florence 29
Fanny 25
Harriet 25
Martha 25
Charlotte 24
Edith 24
Ada 22
Hannah 21
Caroline 19
Lucy 19
Maria 18
Harriett 17
Kate 16
Clara 14
Margaret 14
Agnes 13
Laura 13
Frances 12
Minnie 12
Bessie 11
Matilda 11
Rose 11
Susannah 11
Helen 9
Jessie 9
Amelia 8
Amy 8
Anne 8
Catherine 8
Elizth. 8
Maud 8
Susan 8
Anna 7
Ethel 7
Beatrice 6
Mabel 6
Sophia 6
Lily 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 200
John 140
George 127
James 98
Thomas 83
Henry 78
Charles 75
Alfred 41
Joseph 38
Robert 32
Edward 31
Arthur 30
Frederick 30
Walter 30
Albert 29
Samuel 29
Richard 28
Edwin 27
Frank 22
Harry 18
Ernest 15
Herbert 15
Sidney 11
Stephen 11
Fred 8
Fredrick 8
Percy 8
Philip 8
Benjamin 7
Sydney 7
Wm. 7
Frederic 6
Gilbert 6
Chas. 5
Daniel 5
David 5
Francis 5
Thos. 5
Edmund 4
Geo. 4
Isaac 4
Oliver 4
Reginald 4
Robt. 4
Simon 4
Fredk. 3
Job 3
Josiah 3
Mark 3
Moses 3

FAQ

Coombes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coombes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,173 people were recorded with the Coombes surname. That placed it at #1,419 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coombes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,089 in 2016. That gives Coombes a modern rank of #945.

What does the Coombes surname mean?

A locational surname originating from places named with the Old English word "cumb" meaning a valley or hollow.

What does the Coombes map show?

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