NameCensus.

UK surname

Corbet

An English surname derived from the Norman French "corbet", meaning a raven or small crow.

In the 1881 census there were 718 people recorded with the Corbet surname, ranking it #5,071 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 214, ranked #18,740, down from #5,071 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tarbat, New Deer and Blantyre. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carlisle, Wolverhampton and Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Corbet is 966 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 70.2%.

1881 census count

718

Ranked #5,071

Modern count

214

2016, ranked #18,740

Peak year

1851

966 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Corbet had 718 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,071 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 214 in 2016, ranked #18,740.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 966 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Corbet surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Corbet surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Corbet 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 966 #2,885
1861 historical 837 #3,296
1881 historical 718 #5,071
1891 historical 591 #6,465
1901 historical 435 #8,922
1911 historical 253 #12,776
1997 modern 225 #16,352
1998 modern 222 #16,969
1999 modern 210 #17,712
2000 modern 214 #17,457
2001 modern 206 #17,624
2002 modern 222 #17,147
2003 modern 216 #17,229
2004 modern 205 #17,935
2005 modern 202 #18,016
2006 modern 194 #18,627
2007 modern 191 #19,031
2008 modern 193 #19,077
2009 modern 187 #19,868
2010 modern 198 #19,577
2011 modern 196 #19,538
2012 modern 206 #18,837
2013 modern 213 #18,743
2014 modern 212 #18,945
2015 modern 209 #19,018
2016 modern 214 #18,740

Geography

Back to top

Where Corbets are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tarbat, New Deer, Blantyre, Govan Combination and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carlisle, Wolverhampton, Bolton, Stratford-on-Avon and East Dorset. 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 Tarbat Ross And Cromarty
2 New Deer Aberdeen
3 Blantyre Lanark
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carlisle 002 Carlisle
2 Wolverhampton 021 Wolverhampton
3 Bolton 027 Bolton
4 Stratford-on-Avon 002 Stratford-on-Avon
5 East Dorset 010 East Dorset

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Corbet

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Corbet

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Corbet surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Corbet household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Corbet 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

Corbet 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

Corbet falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Corbet is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Corbet

The surname Corbet originates from the northern regions of France and is believed to have derived from the Old French word 'corbeau', meaning 'raven'. It is thought that the name was initially given as a nickname to someone with dark hair or complexion resembling a raven.

The earliest recorded instances of the Corbet surname can be traced back to the 11th century in Normandy, France. It is believed that the name was introduced to England during the Norman Conquest in 1066, as many Norman families accompanied William the Conqueror and settled in various parts of the country.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries for individuals with the surname Corbet or variations such as Corbett, Corbyn, and Corbin. These entries indicate that the name was well-established in England by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest and most prominent figures bearing the Corbet name was Roger Corbet, a Norman knight who accompanied William the Conqueror to England. Roger Corbet was granted lands in Shropshire and became the founder of the influential Corbet family, which played a significant role in the history of the Welsh Marches.

Another notable individual with the surname Corbet was Sir Robert Corbet (1548-1583), a Member of Parliament and Sheriff of Shropshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Sir Robert Corbet was known for his involvement in the suppression of Catholic uprisings in the region.

In the 13th century, a branch of the Corbet family settled in Caux, Normandy, where they acquired the estate of Corbet-Essert. This estate's name is thought to be the origin of the alternative spelling 'Corbett', which became more prevalent in some branches of the family.

During the 14th century, the Corbet surname was also found in Scotland, where it is believed to have been introduced by Norman settlers. One notable Scottish Corbet was Sir John Corbet (c. 1330-1389), a military commander who served under King David II of Scotland.

In the 15th century, a member of the Corbet family, Sir Roger Corbet (c. 1420-1493), was appointed as the Comptroller of the Royal Household under King Henry VII of England. This appointment highlights the family's continued influence and status during the Tudor period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Corbet families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Corbet 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. Channel Islands leads with 115 Corbets recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.28x.

County Total Index
Channel Islands 115 48.28x
Lanarkshire 114 4.39x
Lancashire 57 0.60x
Ross-shire 51 23.11x
Middlesex 36 0.45x
Shropshire 36 5.18x
Staffordshire 36 1.33x
Aberdeenshire 34 4.57x
Warwickshire 31 1.53x
Midlothian 23 2.14x
Northumberland 20 1.67x
Worcestershire 20 1.91x
Ayrshire 19 3.16x
Surrey 17 0.43x
Yorkshire 17 0.21x
Hampshire 15 0.91x
Inverness-shire 12 5.00x
Angus 11 1.48x
Cheshire 11 0.62x
Durham 11 0.46x
Kent 11 0.40x
Renfrewshire 11 1.77x
Glamorgan 10 0.71x
Morayshire 10 8.01x
Perthshire 9 2.49x
Gloucestershire 8 0.51x
Dunbartonshire 7 3.24x
Argyllshire 6 2.68x
Derbyshire 6 0.48x
Dumfriesshire 6 3.38x
Nairnshire 6 24.46x
Banffshire 5 3.00x
Cumberland 5 0.72x
Peeblesshire 5 13.22x
Dorset 4 0.76x
Essex 3 0.19x
Leicestershire 3 0.34x
Montgomeryshire 3 1.63x
Northamptonshire 2 0.26x
Stirlingshire 2 0.67x
Sussex 2 0.15x
Wiltshire 2 0.28x
Anglesey 1 0.70x
Bedfordshire 1 0.24x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.21x
Devon 1 0.06x
Flintshire 1 0.46x
Herefordshire 1 0.30x
Kincardineshire 1 1.02x
Monmouthshire 1 0.17x
Radnorshire 1 1.54x
Selkirkshire 1 1.38x
Sutherland 1 1.62x
West Lothian 1 0.83x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Michaelinthe Vale in Channel Islands leads with 57 Corbets recorded in 1881 and an index of 670.59x.

Place Total Index
St Michaelinthe Vale 57 670.59x
Barony 35 5.32x
Tipton 21 25.28x
Glasgow 18 3.90x
Tarbat 16 306.51x
St Sampson 15 139.80x
Chorlton On Medlock 14 9.24x
Fearn 12 204.08x
Dundee 11 3.96x
Stranton 11 13.66x
Govan 10 1.56x
Shawbury 10 374.53x
Tyrie 10 107.07x
Walton Le Dale 10 39.02x
Cambusnethan 9 15.59x
Edinburgh High Church 9 133.14x
Hornsey 9 8.85x
New Monkland 9 11.71x
Aston 8 1.43x
Birmingham 8 1.18x
Chorlton Cum Hardy 8 126.38x
Cromarty 8 135.36x
Dalserf 8 30.84x
Drainie 8 72.33x
Mexborough 8 50.60x
Mile End Old Town London 8 4.68x
Old Monkland 8 7.75x
St Martin 8 54.83x
St Mary Extra 8 60.33x
Tain 8 95.69x
Adderley 7 588.24x
Alyth 7 72.09x
Colmonell 7 115.70x
Inverness 7 11.59x
Plumstead 7 7.66x
St Maryde Castro 7 119.66x
Alveley 6 218.18x
Ardnamurchan 6 52.86x
Forest 6 363.64x
Hamilton 6 8.28x
Kidderminster Borough 6 9.77x
Lambeth 6 0.86x
Nairn 6 40.30x
New Deer 6 44.51x
Newcastle On Tyne St 6 9.68x
Peterhead 6 15.24x
St Helier 6 7.74x
St Peter Port 6 13.62x
Stourbridge 6 22.21x
Tynemouth 6 9.37x
Warrington 6 5.31x
Westgate 6 8.10x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 5 3.59x
Cathcart 5 14.84x
Eccleston In Prescot 5 10.44x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 1.15x
Fodderty 5 89.61x
Fordyce 5 41.67x
Glencairn 5 104.82x
Peebles 5 44.76x
Swansea Higher 5 34.29x
Wortley In Bramley 5 7.93x
Acton In Nantwich 4 571.43x
Battersea 4 1.35x
Chilvers Coton 4 47.96x
Edinburgh Old 4 61.26x
Glassford 4 99.75x
Milverton 4 67.34x
Row 4 14.32x
Waterhead 4 465.12x
Wellington 4 10.25x
Wimborne Minster 4 46.89x
Yoxall 4 111.73x
Ayr 3 10.57x
Darley 3 59.06x
Dumbarton 3 9.98x
Holdenhurst 3 6.94x
Kilbarchan 3 15.86x
St Andrew 3 95.24x
St Saviour 3 22.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 43
Elizabeth 21
Ann 12
Eliza 11
Hannah 10
Jane 8
Sarah 8
Susan 7
Alice 6
Catherine 6
Emily 6
Louisa 6
Agnes 5
Julia 5
Susannah 5
Ada 4
Emma 4
Margaret 4
Ellen 3
Rachel 3
Anna 2
Anne 2
Bertha 2
Betsey 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Harriet 2
Helen 2
Isabella 2
Lavinia 2
Lydia 2
Maggie 2
Maria 2
Polly 2
Betsy 1
Birtha 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Constance 1
E.A. 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizabth. 1
Emilia 1
Henrietta 1
Hylda 1
Isabela 1
Janie 1
Judith 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 33
William 23
James 18
Thomas 16
Charles 15
George 12
Alfred 9
Edward 8
Henry 6
Robert 6
Daniel 5
Joseph 5
Abraham 4
Patrick 4
Peter 4
Arthur 3
Frederick 3
Nicholas 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Vincent 3
Walter 3
Alex. 2
Louis 2
Luke 2
Philip 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Bertram 1
David 1
De 1
Denys 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Hilary 1
Hillary 1
Isaac 1
Jabez 1
Jean 1
Mathew 1
Matthew 1
Miller 1
Morris 1
Nathan 1
Owen 1
Pierre 1
R.St.John 1
Rea 1

FAQ

Corbet surname: questions and answers

How common was the Corbet surname in 1881?

In 1881, 718 people were recorded with the Corbet surname. That placed it at #5,071 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Corbet surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 214 in 2016. That gives Corbet a modern rank of #18,740.

What does the Corbet surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Norman French "corbet", meaning a raven or small crow.

What does the Corbet map show?

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