NameCensus.

UK surname

Coumbe

An English surname derived from a place name referring to a valley or hollow.

In the 1881 census there were 111 people recorded with the Coumbe surname, ranking it #18,597 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 175, ranked #21,383, down from #18,597 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Stratton and Northill. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torridge and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Coumbe is 193 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.7%.

1881 census count

111

Ranked #18,597

Modern count

175

2016, ranked #21,383

Peak year

1998

193 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Coumbe had 111 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,597 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 175 in 2016, ranked #21,383.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 170 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Coumbe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Coumbe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Coumbe 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 95 #17,707
1861 historical 127 #17,469
1881 historical 111 #18,597
1891 historical 106 #23,105
1901 historical 159 #17,442
1911 historical 170 #16,510
1997 modern 179 #18,889
1998 modern 193 #18,511
1999 modern 189 #18,862
2000 modern 193 #18,616
2001 modern 191 #18,453
2002 modern 188 #19,012
2003 modern 190 #18,683
2004 modern 185 #19,114
2005 modern 176 #19,667
2006 modern 166 #20,534
2007 modern 180 #19,745
2008 modern 176 #20,224
2009 modern 172 #20,950
2010 modern 168 #21,733
2011 modern 162 #22,101
2012 modern 172 #21,219
2013 modern 173 #21,486
2014 modern 174 #21,561
2015 modern 177 #21,220
2016 modern 175 #21,383

Geography

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Where Coumbes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Stratton, Northill and St Austell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torridge and Cornwall. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Stratton Cornwall
4 Northill Cornwall
5 St Austell Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torridge 008 Torridge
2 Cornwall 006 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 017 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 060 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 016 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Coumbe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Coumbe

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Coumbe is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Coumbe 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

Coumbe falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Coumbe

The surname Coumbe is of English origin and is believed to have derived from the Old English word 'cumb', meaning a small valley or hollow. It is thought to have originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near or in a small valley or hollow.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Coumbe dates back to the 13th century in the county of Devon, England, where it was found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273. This suggests that the name was already established in this region by that time.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and resources in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries for place names containing the element 'cumb', such as Compton (from 'cumb-tun', meaning valley town) and Combs (from 'cumb-es', meaning hollows).

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Coumbe was Sir John Coumbe (c.1400-1476), who served as the Sheriff of Devon in 1437 and 1445. He was also the owner of the Coumbe estate in the parish of Gittisham, Devon.

Another notable figure was Thomas Coumbe (1593-1667), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament who represented the borough of Calne in the Long Parliament during the English Civil War.

In the 17th century, the surname Coumbe can also be found in various spellings such as Combe, Comb, and Coombe. One example is Sir Walter Coumbe (1619-1688), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Somerset, England.

During the 18th century, the name was also present in North America, where some bearers of the surname had emigrated. One such individual was John Coumbe (1734-1810), a loyalist from New Jersey who served as a lieutenant in the British army during the American Revolutionary War.

Another notable bearer of the surname Coumbe was William Coumbe (1801-1876), an English architect and surveyor who was responsible for designing several churches and other buildings in the county of Devon.

Throughout its history, the surname Coumbe has been associated with various place names and locations, particularly in the counties of Devon, Somerset, and Dorset, where it is believed to have originated and been most prevalent. The name continues to be found in these regions, as well as in other parts of England and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Coumbe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Coumbe 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. Cornwall leads with 79 Coumbes recorded in 1881 and an index of 63.88x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 79 63.88x
Middlesex 12 1.10x
Devon 9 3.96x
Essex 3 1.39x
Gloucestershire 3 1.40x
Kent 3 0.81x
Berkshire 1 1.22x
Hampshire 1 0.45x
Royal Navy 1 7.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Austell in Cornwall leads with 22 Coumbes recorded in 1881 and an index of 520.09x.

Place Total Index
St Austell 22 520.09x
North Hill 21 5250.00x
Linkinhorne 16 1860.47x
Southill 8 4210.53x
Chelsea London 5 15.19x
Perranarworthal 5 1219.51x
Islington London 4 3.78x
Lamerton 4 930.23x
Bristol St James St Paul 3 42.02x
Harwich St Nicholas 3 179.64x
Minster In Sheppey 3 48.62x
Callington 2 277.78x
Halwell 2 800.00x
Stoke Damerel 2 12.57x
Stratton 2 298.51x
Carisbrooke 1 32.15x
Falmouth 1 22.83x
Hurst 1 93.46x
Kensington London 1 1.65x
Luxulyan 1 243.90x
Modbury 1 172.41x
Royal Navy 1 8.98x
Scilly Islands 1 454.55x
St George Bloomsbury 1 15.95x
St Pancras London 1 1.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 11
Mary 8
Sarah 6
Jane 4
Ann 2
Annie 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Maria 2
Angelina 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Florence 1
Georgina 1
Grace 1
Helena 1
Jemima 1
Joanna 1
Kate 1
Louie 1
Margret 1
Melinda 1
Nellie 1
Rebecca 1
Susan 1
Susie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
William 7
Richard 4
Edward 3
Ernest 3
James 3
Samuel 3
Thomas 3
George 2
Adam 1
Albert 1
Charles 1
Clement 1
Daniel 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Jno. 1
Philip 1
Sidney 1
Thos.B. 1
Victor 1

FAQ

Coumbe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Coumbe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 111 people were recorded with the Coumbe surname. That placed it at #18,597 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Coumbe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 175 in 2016. That gives Coumbe a modern rank of #21,383.

What does the Coumbe surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name referring to a valley or hollow.

What does the Coumbe map show?

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