NameCensus.

UK surname

Corby

A locational surname referring to someone from any of various places named Corby in England, likely meaning "raven farm."

In the 1881 census there were 1,054 people recorded with the Corby surname, ranking it #3,738 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,302, ranked #4,599, down from #3,738 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Newcastle All Saints and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newcastle upon Tyne, Doncaster and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Corby is 1,462 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.5%.

1881 census count

1,054

Ranked #3,738

Modern count

1,302

2016, ranked #4,599

Peak year

1999

1,462 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Corby had 1,054 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,738 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,302 in 2016, ranked #4,599.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,414 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Corby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Corby surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Corby 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 723 #3,624
1861 historical 762 #3,591
1881 historical 1,054 #3,738
1891 historical 1,121 #3,790
1901 historical 1,414 #3,576
1911 historical 1,322 #3,608
1997 modern 1,408 #4,123
1998 modern 1,426 #4,213
1999 modern 1,462 #4,167
2000 modern 1,428 #4,224
2001 modern 1,377 #4,266
2002 modern 1,410 #4,274
2003 modern 1,335 #4,384
2004 modern 1,323 #4,419
2005 modern 1,323 #4,375
2006 modern 1,342 #4,340
2007 modern 1,335 #4,391
2008 modern 1,310 #4,484
2009 modern 1,352 #4,452
2010 modern 1,407 #4,385
2011 modern 1,380 #4,410
2012 modern 1,314 #4,523
2013 modern 1,342 #4,519
2014 modern 1,353 #4,519
2015 modern 1,321 #4,569
2016 modern 1,302 #4,599

Geography

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Where Corbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Newcastle All Saints, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Wicken Bonant and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newcastle upon Tyne, Doncaster, Bradford, South Kesteven and Melton. 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 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
3 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
4 Wicken Bonant Essex
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newcastle upon Tyne 021 Newcastle upon Tyne
2 Doncaster 005 Doncaster
3 Bradford 010 Bradford
4 South Kesteven 015 South Kesteven
5 Melton 004 Melton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Corby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Corby

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

Corby 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

Corby falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Corby

The surname Corby has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period around the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word 'corf,' meaning a small woven basket or hamper. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1196, where it appeared as "William de Corfby."

Corby is also thought to be a locational surname, referring to individuals who hailed from the town of Corby in Northamptonshire. The town's name itself is believed to have been derived from the Old English words "croh" and "by," meaning a crooked settlement or village.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Corby surname was William de Corby, who was mentioned in the Feet of Fines records for Northamptonshire in 1279. These records were legal documents that recorded the transfer of land ownership and property transactions.

In the 14th century, the Corby surname appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire in 1332, where a John de Corby was listed as a taxpayer. The Subsidy Rolls were tax records compiled by the English government to collect revenue for military campaigns and other expenses.

Another notable bearer of the Corby name was Sir John Corby, who lived during the reign of King Henry VIII in the 16th century. Sir John was a prominent landowner and Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire in 1542.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Captain Thomas Corby fought on the Parliamentarian side and was mentioned in several historical accounts of the conflict.

In the 18th century, the Corby surname was associated with the mining industry in Northamptonshire. Thomas Corby, born in 1745, was a prominent mine owner and operator in the region.

As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, the town of Corby became a hub of steel production and manufacturing. William Corby, born in 1820, was a notable figure in the town's steel industry and instrumental in its growth and development.

Throughout its history, the Corby surname has maintained strong ties to its English origins, particularly in the county of Northamptonshire and the town that bears its name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Corby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Corby 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. Northamptonshire leads with 194 Corbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.18x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 194 20.18x
Middlesex 140 1.37x
Essex 65 3.22x
Surrey 64 1.28x
Lincolnshire 63 3.85x
Northumberland 56 3.68x
Cambridgeshire 48 7.41x
Buckinghamshire 41 6.63x
Leicestershire 41 3.62x
Bedfordshire 39 7.37x
Kent 39 1.12x
Yorkshire 35 0.35x
Durham 32 1.05x
Rutland 32 42.63x
Warwickshire 29 1.12x
Lancashire 24 0.20x
Oxfordshire 20 3.17x
Suffolk 18 1.45x
Nottinghamshire 13 0.94x
Berkshire 8 1.04x
Hertfordshire 8 1.14x
Derbyshire 7 0.44x
Huntingdonshire 6 2.96x
Perthshire 6 1.31x
Staffordshire 6 0.17x
Sussex 6 0.35x
Cornwall 2 0.17x
Hampshire 2 0.10x
Angus 1 0.11x
Lanarkshire 1 0.03x
Midlothian 1 0.07x
Royal Navy 1 0.82x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newcastle On Tyne All Sts in Northumberland leads with 36 Corbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.63x.

Place Total Index
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 36 39.63x
Northampton St Sepulchre 35 71.55x
Bozeat 30 719.42x
Great Marlow 26 155.88x
Wicken Bonant 21 3684.21x
Whittlesey St Mary St 18 79.58x
St Pancras London 17 2.07x
Bow London 15 11.53x
Leeds 15 2.62x
Scaldwell 15 1250.00x
March 14 64.58x
Bedford St Paul 13 35.80x
Northampton Priory St 13 22.53x
Northampton St Giles 13 35.49x
Barrow Upon Soar 12 128.21x
Bedford St Peter 12 87.27x
Camberwell 12 1.84x
Empingham 12 416.67x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 12 9.11x
Lambeth 12 1.35x
Shoreditch London 12 2.71x
St George In East London 12 12.48x
Stamford All Sts 12 131.15x
Wellingborough 12 24.82x
Coventry Holy Trinity 11 14.29x
Nottingham St Mary 11 3.09x
Quarrington 11 866.14x
Wycombe 11 23.88x
Edmonton 10 12.14x
Headington 10 102.04x
Southwark St Saviour 10 19.03x
Stansted Mountfitchet 10 196.08x
Newington 9 2.38x
Oxford St Thomas 9 30.55x
Rochester St Margaret 9 24.47x
Rushden 9 69.98x
St Giles In Fields London 9 17.95x
Kingsthorpe 8 74.84x
Leyton 8 23.02x
Pickworth 8 1355.93x
St George Hanover Square 8 4.44x
Stotfold 8 78.97x
Weston Favell 8 414.51x
Belton 7 530.30x
Bromley London 7 3.11x
Gillingham 7 9.73x
Great Abington 7 714.29x
Mile End Old Town London 7 3.22x
Milton In Gravesend 7 13.38x
Tattershall 7 414.20x
Westgate 7 7.43x
Westoe 7 4.06x
Bermondsey 6 1.97x
Chatham 6 6.25x
Chrishall 6 298.51x
Hackney London 6 1.05x
Ipswich St Mathew 6 17.19x
Islington London 6 0.61x
Leicester All Sts 6 26.95x
Moulton 6 112.15x
Perth West Church 6 27.56x
Raunds 6 61.29x
Shotley 6 273.97x
St Luke London 6 3.66x
Syston 6 56.55x
Walsall Foreign 6 3.37x
Alfreton 5 10.28x
Berkhampstead 5 31.57x
Boston 5 10.08x
Chelsea London 5 1.62x
Clewer 5 15.90x
Coventry St Michael 5 6.04x
Draughton 5 877.19x
Easton Maudit 5 819.67x
Ickleton 5 215.52x
Leicester St Mary 5 5.46x
Levenshulme 5 40.03x
Linthorpe 5 8.27x
Liverpool 5 0.68x
Uxbridge 5 42.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 62
Elizabeth 39
Sarah 35
Ann 24
Annie 20
Alice 18
Ellen 18
Emily 17
Emma 17
Jane 16
Hannah 15
Eliza 12
Charlotte 11
Harriett 10
Kate 10
Lucy 10
Margaret 10
Martha 9
Caroline 8
Florence 7
Agnes 6
Edith 6
Rose 6
Ada 5
Anne 5
Catherine 5
Louisa 5
Clara 4
Harriet 4
Lizzie 4
Matilda 4
Sophia 4
Susan 4
Amelia 3
Betsy 3
Ethel 3
Frances 3
Maria 3
Maud 3
Naomi 3
Avis 2
Bridget 2
Dorothy 2
Elizth. 2
Ester 2
Gertrude 2
Helen 2
Laura 2
Rachel 2
Rosa 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 60
John 51
Thomas 48
Charles 36
George 32
James 32
Henry 23
Joseph 20
Edward 17
Frederick 12
Alfred 9
Arthur 9
Harry 8
Walter 8
Samuel 7
Ernest 6
Thos. 5
Albert 4
Frank 4
Fred 4
Richard 4
Robert 4
Benjamin 3
Chas. 3
Daniel 3
Francis 3
Percy 3
Augustus 2
Christopher 2
Chs. 2
Cornelius 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Herbert 2
Josiah 2
Marshall 2
Sidney 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Anderson 1
Andrew 1
Charley 1
Charlie 1
Ebenzer 1
Edmund 1
Eli 1
Elijah 1
Enoch 1
Jessie 1
Jno.H. 1

FAQ

Corby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Corby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,054 people were recorded with the Corby surname. That placed it at #3,738 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Corby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,302 in 2016. That gives Corby a modern rank of #4,599.

What does the Corby surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of various places named Corby in England, likely meaning "raven farm."

What does the Corby map show?

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