NameCensus.

UK surname

Corbitt

Derived from a Middle English nickname for someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion, from Old French "corb" meaning "raven".

In the 1881 census there were 259 people recorded with the Corbitt surname, ranking it #10,808 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 168, ranked #21,984, down from #10,808 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forfar Central, Liverpool and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Corbitt is 339 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 35.1%.

1881 census count

259

Ranked #10,808

Modern count

168

2016, ranked #21,984

Peak year

1891

339 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Corbitt had 259 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,808 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 168 in 2016, ranked #21,984.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 339 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Corbitt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Corbitt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Corbitt 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 287 #7,909
1861 historical 248 #9,947
1881 historical 259 #10,808
1891 historical 339 #10,089
1901 historical 314 #11,285
1911 historical 252 #12,834
1997 modern 154 #20,780
1998 modern 159 #20,916
1999 modern 156 #21,290
2000 modern 156 #21,235
2001 modern 158 #20,788
2002 modern 164 #20,687
2003 modern 160 #20,789
2004 modern 156 #21,261
2005 modern 158 #21,052
2006 modern 161 #20,972
2007 modern 164 #20,973
2008 modern 165 #21,056
2009 modern 173 #20,869
2010 modern 176 #21,101
2011 modern 164 #21,900
2012 modern 167 #21,598
2013 modern 166 #22,075
2014 modern 178 #21,259
2015 modern 175 #21,372
2016 modern 168 #21,984

Geography

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Where Corbitts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, London parishes, Gateshead, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) and Tynemouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forfar Central, Liverpool, Northumberland, Forfar West and East Lindsey. 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 Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors Shropshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
5 Tynemouth Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forfar Central Angus
2 Liverpool 032 Liverpool
3 Northumberland 004 Northumberland
4 Forfar West Angus
5 East Lindsey 018 East Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Corbitt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Corbitt

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Corbitt, 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 Corbitt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Corbitt 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Corbitt is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Corbitt 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

Corbitt falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Corbitt

The surname Corbitt has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have emerged as a variant of the old English name "Corbet," which derived from the Norman French word "corb" or "corp," meaning "raven" or "crow." This connection to birds suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone with a dark complexion or dark hair.

In the 11th century, following the Norman Conquest of England, several individuals bearing the name Corbet or Corbett are recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landholdings across the country. The earliest known reference is to Roger Corbet, a Norman knight who held lands in Shropshire.

The spelling "Corbitt" is thought to have arisen as a localized variation in certain regions of England, such as Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. Historical records from the 13th century onwards show various spellings like Corbett, Corbyt, and Corbitt.

One notable figure bearing this name was Sir Robert Corbitt (1570-1636), an English MP who represented Worcestershire in the House of Commons during the reign of King James I. Another was John Corbitt (1667-1751), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire who founded a grammar school in his hometown.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Corbitt was also associated with several places in England, including Corbitt's Green in Worcestershire and Corbitt's Cross in Gloucestershire. These place names likely derived from individuals or families with the surname who held land or property in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the Corbitt surname include:

1. Thomas Corbitt (1795-1867), an English-born settler and landowner in Virginia, United States. 2. William Corbitt (1833-1903), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Oregon. 3. Mary Corbitt (1892-1972), a British writer and novelist known for her works set in rural England. 4. Joseph Corbitt (1910-1997), an Australian cricketer who played for the national team in the 1930s. 5. James Corbitt (1933-2001), an American artist and sculptor known for his abstract metal sculptures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Corbitt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Corbitt 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. Lancashire leads with 49 Corbitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.63x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 49 1.63x
Northumberland 32 8.51x
Shropshire 28 12.83x
Durham 23 3.06x
Nottinghamshire 16 4.70x
Yorkshire 16 0.64x
Herefordshire 15 14.48x
Leicestershire 12 4.28x
Worcestershire 10 3.03x
Middlesex 9 0.36x
Surrey 9 0.73x
Angus 6 2.56x
Fife 6 4.01x
Norfolk 6 1.54x
Somerset 6 1.48x
Monmouthshire 5 2.74x
Warwickshire 3 0.47x
Bedfordshire 2 1.53x
Kent 2 0.23x
Lanarkshire 2 0.24x
Cheshire 1 0.18x
Derbyshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wellington in Shropshire leads with 28 Corbitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 228.20x.

Place Total Index
Wellington 28 228.20x
Oldham 23 23.77x
Gateshead 20 35.54x
Tynemouth 11 54.64x
Newcastle On Tyne St 10 51.33x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 18.90x
Pendleton In Salford 8 22.40x
Bedlington 7 55.78x
Fladbury 7 1794.87x
Hinckley 7 105.42x
Rotherham 7 49.61x
Stoke Lacy 7 2800.00x
Aberlemno 6 697.67x
Bedminster 6 15.70x
Cradley 6 394.74x
Kilconquhar 6 337.08x
Edwinstowe 5 617.28x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 5 42.88x
Worsbrough 5 68.12x
Basford 4 25.48x
Broughton In Salford 4 14.59x
Darlton 4 3076.92x
Hackney London 4 2.82x
Leicester St Mary 4 17.68x
Ashtead 3 375.00x
Bermondsey 3 3.99x
Bulwell 3 40.54x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 5.89x
Newport 3 34.44x
Wardleworth 3 17.51x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 8.40x
Claines 2 22.10x
Deptford St Nicholas 2 29.24x
Melchbourne 2 1052.63x
Monkseaton 2 476.19x
Nuneaton 2 27.10x
Poplar London 2 4.19x
Risca 2 58.14x
Westhide 2 1428.57x
Battersea 1 1.08x
Bollin Fee 1 40.49x
Bramley 1 92.59x
Codnor Loscoe 1 31.95x
Darlington 1 3.45x
Govan 1 0.49x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 3.07x
Hexham 1 17.18x
Kidderminster Foreign 1 21.46x
Leamington Priors 1 6.38x
Leeds 1 0.71x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.46x
Morpeth 1 22.62x
Newington 1 1.07x
Old Monkland 1 3.08x
Paddington London 1 1.08x
Washington 1 31.75x
Watton 1 81.97x
Westminster St John 1 3.25x
Westminster St Margaret 1 8.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Jane 13
Elizabeth 12
Sarah 9
Alice 7
Emily 5
Ann 4
Eliza 4
Catherine 3
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Florence 3
Maria 3
Agnes 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Isabella 2
Margaret 2
Ada 1
Adeline 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Birtha 1
Elener 1
Fanny 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Isa 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lilian 1
Lizze 1
Lucy 1
M.E. 1
M.P. 1
Margarett 1
Marie 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Melvina 1
Metilda 1
Minnie 1
Phoebe 1
Sophia 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
James 16
William 15
George 10
Edward 6
Joseph 5
Thomas 5
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Charles 2
Herbert 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Arthur 1
Bertram 1
C. 1
Chas. 1
Collin 1
Cornilius 1
Enock 1
Frank 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Henry 1
Herbitt 1
J.R. 1
Jas.T. 1
Job 1
Jonathan 1
Martin 1
Richard 1
Rigby 1
Sampson 1
W.R. 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Corbitt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Corbitt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 259 people were recorded with the Corbitt surname. That placed it at #10,808 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Corbitt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 168 in 2016. That gives Corbitt a modern rank of #21,984.

What does the Corbitt surname mean?

Derived from a Middle English nickname for someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion, from Old French "corb" meaning "raven".

What does the Corbitt map show?

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