NameCensus.

UK surname

Handscomb

In the 1881 census there were 162 people recorded with the Handscomb surname, ranking it #14,746 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 233, ranked #17,625, down from #14,746 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ampthill and Potsgrove. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bournemouth, Taunton Deane and East Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Handscomb is 286 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.8%.

1881 census count

162

Ranked #14,746

Modern count

233

2016, ranked #17,625

Peak year

1911

286 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Handscomb had 162 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,746 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 233 in 2016, ranked #17,625.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 286 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Handscomb surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Handscomb surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Handscomb 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 124 #14,792
1861 historical 105 #20,298
1881 historical 162 #14,746
1891 historical 232 #13,429
1901 historical 203 #14,969
1911 historical 286 #11,810
1997 modern 241 #15,638
1998 modern 257 #15,401
1999 modern 263 #15,267
2000 modern 269 #14,983
2001 modern 264 #14,958
2002 modern 271 #14,966
2003 modern 244 #15,861
2004 modern 247 #15,821
2005 modern 229 #16,631
2006 modern 231 #16,636
2007 modern 240 #16,392
2008 modern 239 #16,583
2009 modern 234 #17,194
2010 modern 239 #17,280
2011 modern 252 #16,543
2012 modern 244 #16,793
2013 modern 248 #16,877
2014 modern 240 #17,387
2015 modern 235 #17,530
2016 modern 233 #17,625

Geography

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Where Handscombs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ampthill, Potsgrove, Reigate and Melbourn, Meldreth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bournemouth, Taunton Deane, East Cambridgeshire and East Hertfordshire. 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 Ampthill Bedfordshire
3 Potsgrove Bedfordshire
4 Reigate Surrey
5 Melbourn, Meldreth Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bournemouth 012 Bournemouth
2 Taunton Deane 010 Taunton Deane
3 East Cambridgeshire 003 East Cambridgeshire
4 East Hertfordshire 003 East Hertfordshire
5 East Hertfordshire 007 East Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Handscomb

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Handscomb

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Handscomb surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Handscomb household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Handscomb is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Handscomb is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Handscomb falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Handscomb families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Handscomb 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. Bedfordshire leads with 73 Handscombs recorded in 1881 and an index of 89.22x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 73 89.22x
Hertfordshire 23 21.12x
Middlesex 16 1.01x
Cambridgeshire 13 12.99x
Surrey 11 1.43x
Kent 7 1.30x
Staffordshire 7 1.31x
Lincolnshire 6 2.37x
Essex 2 0.64x
Hampshire 2 0.62x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.05x
Yorkshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Southill in Bedfordshire leads with 33 Handscombs recorded in 1881 and an index of 5000.00x.

Place Total Index
Southill 33 5000.00x
Bishop Stortford 18 494.51x
Potsgrove 12 10909.09x
Langford 10 1492.54x
Meldreth 10 2564.10x
Ampthill 9 737.70x
Reigate Foreign 8 95.92x
Handsworth 7 53.23x
Lewisham 7 24.35x
Aspley Guise 6 769.23x
Branston 6 779.22x
Poplar London 4 13.41x
St Marylebone London 4 4.74x
Melbourn 3 306.12x
St Albans 3 134.53x
Camberwell 2 1.98x
Edmonton 2 15.71x
Enfield 2 19.29x
Kensington London 2 2.28x
Leyton Low 2 31.55x
St Albans St Michael 2 163.93x
Aldershot 1 9.22x
Bedford St Paul 1 17.83x
Bedford St Peter 1 46.95x
Clifton 1 126.58x
Hampstead London 1 4.06x
Hursley 1 133.33x
St George In East London 1 6.73x
Walton In Wakefield 1 294.12x
Weston Underwood 1 526.32x
Wimbledon 1 11.57x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 8
George 7
William 6
Thomas 5
Alfred 4
John 4
Samuel 4
Charles 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
Geo. 3
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Wm. 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Philip 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Chas. 1
Ebenezer 1
Herbert 1
Herbt. 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Job 1
Jonah 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Montague 1
Noah 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Seamford 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Handscomb surname: questions and answers

How common was the Handscomb surname in 1881?

In 1881, 162 people were recorded with the Handscomb surname. That placed it at #14,746 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Handscomb surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 233 in 2016. That gives Handscomb a modern rank of #17,625.

What does the Handscomb map show?

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