NameCensus.

UK surname

Harcombe

In the 1881 census there were 145 people recorded with the Harcombe surname, ranking it #15,838 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 356, ranked #12,978, up from #15,838 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Bedminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Taunton Deane, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Lichfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harcombe is 406 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 145.5%.

1881 census count

145

Ranked #15,838

Modern count

356

2016, ranked #12,978

Peak year

2002

406 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harcombe had 145 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,838 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 356 in 2016, ranked #12,978.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 257 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Harcombe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Harcombe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harcombe 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 82 #19,317
1861 historical 140 #16,169
1881 historical 145 #15,838
1891 historical 226 #13,668
1901 historical 241 #13,417
1911 historical 257 #12,658
1997 modern 395 #11,106
1998 modern 397 #11,400
1999 modern 395 #11,555
2000 modern 403 #11,333
2001 modern 394 #11,344
2002 modern 406 #11,315
2003 modern 383 #11,614
2004 modern 384 #11,625
2005 modern 387 #11,463
2006 modern 367 #12,016
2007 modern 361 #12,303
2008 modern 359 #12,459
2009 modern 368 #12,476
2010 modern 379 #12,483
2011 modern 365 #12,694
2012 modern 349 #12,993
2013 modern 366 #12,733
2014 modern 366 #12,823
2015 modern 366 #12,717
2016 modern 356 #12,978

Geography

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Where Harcombes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, Michaelstone-super-Avon and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Taunton Deane, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Lichfield and Mole Valley. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Bedminster Somerset
4 Michaelstone-super-Avon Glamorganshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Taunton Deane 013 Taunton Deane
2 Rhondda Cynon Taf 018 Rhondda Cynon Taf
3 Lichfield 004 Lichfield
4 Mole Valley 011 Mole Valley
5 Taunton Deane 012 Taunton Deane

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harcombe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harcombe

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Harcombe is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Harcombe is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Harcombe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harcombe 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. Somerset leads with 28 Harcombes recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.30x.

County Total Index
Somerset 28 12.30x
Lancashire 26 1.55x
Gloucestershire 20 7.21x
Surrey 16 2.32x
Glamorgan 15 6.09x
Middlesex 11 0.78x
Worcestershire 10 5.41x
Monmouthshire 4 3.91x
Inverness-shire 3 7.10x
Nottinghamshire 3 1.57x
Wiltshire 3 2.40x
Cheshire 2 0.64x
Durham 2 0.48x
Staffordshire 1 0.21x
Warwickshire 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bedminster in Somerset leads with 12 Harcombes recorded in 1881 and an index of 56.10x.

Place Total Index
Bedminster 12 56.10x
Michaelstone Super Avon 12 449.44x
Wellington 10 323.62x
Bootle Cum Linacre 9 67.52x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 26.81x
Fivehead 6 3000.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 21.08x
Bristol St Paul In 5 67.66x
Claines 5 98.62x
Heaton Norris 5 52.36x
Ribbesford 5 324.68x
Spotland 5 26.80x
Acton 4 48.25x
Bedwellty 4 22.16x
Hindley 4 55.94x
Rotherhithe 4 22.90x
Cardiff St Mary 3 22.12x
Inverness 3 28.25x
Langley Burrell 3 576.92x
Snenton 3 40.05x
Southwark Christchurch 3 45.25x
St George Bloomsbury 3 36.99x
Almondsbury 2 188.68x
Clifton 2 14.27x
Everton 2 3.74x
Hammersmith London 2 5.74x
Kensington London 2 2.54x
Lambeth 2 1.62x
Monks Coppenhall 2 16.98x
Stockton On Tees 2 9.86x
Winterbourne 2 130.72x
Alcester 1 84.75x
Bristol St James In 1 24.51x
Camberwell 1 1.11x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 3.75x
Gloucester St John Baptist 1 55.87x
Walsall Foreign 1 4.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 7
Emma 7
Sarah 5
Caroline 4
Ann 3
Annie 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Amelia 1
Anna 1
Barbara 1
Birtha 1
Charles 1
Constance 1
Ferby 1
Florence 1
Harriet 1
Jemima 1
Lily 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Rachel 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 9
George 7
James 7
John 6
Charles 4
Robert 4
Edward 3
Henry 3
Mark 3
Samuel 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Joshua 2
Thomas 2
Alfred 1
David 1
Elijah 1
Elizth. 1
Fred 1
Jehoiada 1
Joseph 1
Paul 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Harcombe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harcombe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 145 people were recorded with the Harcombe surname. That placed it at #15,838 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harcombe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 356 in 2016. That gives Harcombe a modern rank of #12,978.

What does the Harcombe map show?

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