NameCensus.

UK surname

Duncombe

A habitational name from any of several places named Duncombe in Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 752 people recorded with the Duncombe surname, ranking it #4,902 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 961, ranked #5,985, down from #4,902 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and St Matthew Bethnal Green. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Walsall, Huntingdonshire and Milton Keynes.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Duncombe is 1,227 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.8%.

1881 census count

752

Ranked #4,902

Modern count

961

2016, ranked #5,985

Peak year

1911

1,227 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Duncombe had 752 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,902 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 961 in 2016, ranked #5,985.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,227 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Duncombe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Duncombe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Duncombe 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 370 #6,426
1861 historical 470 #5,522
1881 historical 752 #4,902
1891 historical 947 #4,373
1901 historical 1,110 #4,355
1911 historical 1,227 #3,850
1997 modern 1,089 #5,110
1998 modern 1,128 #5,143
1999 modern 1,128 #5,187
2000 modern 1,161 #5,042
2001 modern 1,120 #5,093
2002 modern 1,144 #5,111
2003 modern 1,078 #5,269
2004 modern 1,080 #5,275
2005 modern 1,053 #5,318
2006 modern 1,046 #5,367
2007 modern 1,035 #5,456
2008 modern 1,037 #5,479
2009 modern 1,068 #5,461
2010 modern 1,071 #5,557
2011 modern 1,059 #5,549
2012 modern 1,036 #5,572
2013 modern 1,045 #5,637
2014 modern 1,022 #5,755
2015 modern 994 #5,839
2016 modern 961 #5,985

Geography

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Where Duncombes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, St Matthew Bethnal Green and Dunstable. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Walsall, Huntingdonshire, Milton Keynes and Hinckley and Bosworth. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)
5 Dunstable Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Walsall 014 Walsall
2 Huntingdonshire 001 Huntingdonshire
3 Milton Keynes 002 Milton Keynes
4 Hinckley and Bosworth 006 Hinckley and Bosworth
5 Walsall 020 Walsall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Duncombe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Duncombe

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Duncombe is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Duncombe is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Duncombe

The surname Duncombe is of English origin, originating in the northern counties of England. It is a locational name derived from the place name Duncombe or Dunscombe, which comes from the Old English words "dun" meaning hill, and "cumb" meaning a valley or hollow.

The name Duncombe is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Duncosma" and "Dunecosma". This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the time of the Norman Conquest.

In the 12th century, a family bearing the name Duncombe is recorded as holding lands in the village of Duncombe, near Helmsley in the North Riding of Yorkshire. This is likely the place from which the surname originated.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Duncombe was Sir Walter Duncombe, who was born in 1330 and served as a knight in the retinue of Edward the Black Prince during the Hundred Years' War.

Another notable figure in the history of the Duncombe family was Sir John Duncombe (1622-1687), who was a member of Parliament and a staunch Royalist during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, the Duncombe family gained prominence with Thomas Duncombe (1697-1768), who served as a Member of Parliament and became a wealthy landowner in Yorkshire. His son, Charles Duncombe (1728-1803), was also an MP and held the position of Lord of the Treasury.

A famous bearer of the Duncombe name in the 19th century was Thomas Slingsby Duncombe (1796-1861), a radical politician and social reformer who campaigned for the abolition of slavery and the extension of voting rights.

Another notable figure was Edward Duncombe (1804-1890), a well-known architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

While the surname Duncombe is still found in various parts of England, particularly in Yorkshire and the surrounding counties, it has also spread to other parts of the English-speaking world through emigration.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Duncombe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Duncombe 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. Middlesex leads with 152 Duncombes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.07x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 152 2.07x
Bedfordshire 98 25.80x
Staffordshire 92 3.72x
Essex 91 6.28x
Surrey 53 1.48x
Hertfordshire 41 8.11x
Buckinghamshire 24 5.41x
Gloucestershire 23 1.60x
Kent 21 0.84x
Lincolnshire 21 1.79x
Northamptonshire 21 3.04x
Yorkshire 20 0.28x
Cambridgeshire 12 2.58x
Nottinghamshire 12 1.21x
Devon 10 0.65x
Warwickshire 9 0.49x
Shropshire 8 1.26x
Hampshire 7 0.47x
Denbighshire 5 1.80x
Huntingdonshire 5 3.43x
Lancashire 5 0.06x
Herefordshire 4 1.33x
Rutland 4 7.43x
Somerset 4 0.34x
Berkshire 2 0.36x
Oxfordshire 2 0.44x
Cheshire 1 0.06x
Dorset 1 0.21x
Leicestershire 1 0.12x
Norfolk 1 0.09x
Stirlingshire 1 0.37x
Sussex 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Willenhall in Staffordshire leads with 68 Duncombes recorded in 1881 and an index of 146.61x.

Place Total Index
Willenhall 68 146.61x
Bethnal Green London 26 8.16x
Braintree 24 184.62x
Dunstable 22 188.52x
Berkhampstead 20 175.90x
Houghton Regis 18 297.03x
West Ham 18 5.63x
Islington London 17 2.39x
Kensington London 17 4.17x
Heath Reach 16 592.59x
St George Hanover Square 16 12.38x
Hackney London 15 3.65x
Stisted 15 802.14x
Northchurch 14 259.26x
Paddington London 14 5.19x
Almondsbury 13 236.79x
Marston Moretaine 13 439.19x
Ivinghoe 12 345.82x
Mount Bures 12 1714.29x
Navenby 11 456.43x
Walsall Foreign 10 7.82x
St Andrewthe Less 9 16.96x
Wimbledon 9 22.43x
Battersea 8 2.96x
Poplar London 8 5.78x
St Marylebone London 8 2.04x
Birmingham 7 1.14x
Charlton Next Woolwich 7 26.82x
Isleworth 7 21.47x
Luton 7 10.65x
Oundle 7 90.79x
Peterborough 7 14.01x
Southwick 7 1060.61x
Barnes 6 39.68x
Camberwell 6 1.28x
Eaton Bray 6 156.66x
Lambeth 6 0.94x
Oswestry Town 6 29.57x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 5 18.94x
Bedford St Paul 5 19.19x
Bermondsey 5 2.29x
Christchurch 5 15.34x
Darlaston 5 14.61x
Great Brickhill 5 357.14x
Middlesbrough 5 5.28x
St George St George 5 625.00x
St Nicholas Lincoln 5 44.60x
Wakes Colne 5 393.70x
Waresley 5 862.07x
Whitechapel London 5 6.91x
Woolaston 5 230.41x
Exeter St Sidwell 4 11.44x
Folkestone 4 8.24x
Hereford St John 4 116.62x
Queenborough 4 161.29x
Renhold 4 305.34x
Shenley 4 120.12x
Sidbury 4 122.32x
St Pancras London 4 0.68x
Warsop 4 152.67x
Cheslyn Hay 3 66.37x
Edlesborough 3 74.26x
Egham 3 13.67x
Great Barford 3 151.52x
Halton 3 612.24x
Hammersmith London 3 1.66x
Liverpool 3 0.57x
Pebmarsh 3 230.77x
Romford 3 13.11x
Sedgley 3 3.26x
St Marythe Less 3 106.38x
Stoke 3 17.78x
White Colne 3 319.15x
Worksop 3 10.23x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 2 2.95x
Calwich 2 645.16x
Newington 2 0.74x
Pilton 2 71.17x
Shoreditch London 2 0.63x
Thornbury 2 20.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 39
Sarah 36
Elizabeth 24
Alice 17
Ann 14
Emily 13
Emma 13
Ada 12
Eliza 12
Ellen 12
Florence 11
Fanny 10
Jane 10
Anne 7
Caroline 7
Edith 7
Harriet 7
Louisa 7
Maria 7
Catherine 6
Esther 6
Lucy 6
Charlotte 5
Eleanor 5
Hannah 5
Martha 5
Frances 4
Phoebe 4
Ruth 4
Susan 4
Isabella 3
Katherine 3
Margaret 3
Matilda 3
Merab 3
Sophia 3
Susannah 3
Agnes 2
Arabella 2
Bertha 2
Clara 2
Evelyn 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Lizzie 2
Muriel 2
Rachel 2
Rose 2
Beetha 1
Constina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 40
William 38
Charles 29
John 23
James 19
Edward 15
Frederick 13
Henry 10
Joseph 10
Alfred 9
Arthur 9
Thomas 9
Walter 8
Albert 6
Benjamin 6
Harry 5
Robert 5
David 4
Ernest 4
Fred 4
Richard 4
Daniel 3
Sidney 3
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Josiah 2
Leonard 2
Morris 2
Philip 2
Reuben 2
Samuel 2
Wilfred 2
Alexander 1
Amos 1
Basil 1
Beaumont 1
Benjn. 1
Cecil 1
E. 1
Earnest 1
Edwd. 1
Eleader 1
Elijah 1
Herman 1
Hubert 1
Isaac 1
Issaac 1
Jabez 1
Jonah 1
Kingsley 1

FAQ

Duncombe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Duncombe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 752 people were recorded with the Duncombe surname. That placed it at #4,902 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Duncombe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 961 in 2016. That gives Duncombe a modern rank of #5,985.

What does the Duncombe surname mean?

A habitational name from any of several places named Duncombe in Yorkshire, England.

What does the Duncombe map show?

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