NameCensus.

UK surname

Morcom

Of English origin, a locational surname derived from a place called "Morecome" in Devon.

In the 1881 census there were 443 people recorded with the Morcom surname, ranking it #7,395 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 432, ranked #11,135, down from #7,395 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Redruth, Gwennap and Llangafelach. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Morcom is 482 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.5%.

1881 census count

443

Ranked #7,395

Modern count

432

2016, ranked #11,135

Peak year

1911

482 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Morcom had 443 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,395 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 432 in 2016, ranked #11,135.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 482 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Morcom surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Morcom surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Morcom 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 369 #6,443
1861 historical 289 #8,711
1881 historical 443 #7,395
1891 historical 439 #8,224
1901 historical 472 #8,407
1911 historical 482 #8,054
1997 modern 421 #10,589
1998 modern 437 #10,637
1999 modern 448 #10,482
2000 modern 443 #10,578
2001 modern 433 #10,561
2002 modern 453 #10,391
2003 modern 436 #10,552
2004 modern 435 #10,600
2005 modern 436 #10,457
2006 modern 438 #10,469
2007 modern 435 #10,613
2008 modern 426 #10,911
2009 modern 443 #10,821
2010 modern 447 #10,966
2011 modern 439 #10,995
2012 modern 428 #11,092
2013 modern 432 #11,210
2014 modern 426 #11,408
2015 modern 422 #11,409
2016 modern 432 #11,135

Geography

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Where Morcoms are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Redruth, Gwennap, Llangafelach, St Austell and Kenwyn, Tregavethan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to 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 Redruth Cornwall
2 Gwennap Cornwall
3 Llangafelach Glamorganshire
4 St Austell Cornwall
5 Kenwyn, Tregavethan Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 030 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 032 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 024 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 019 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 036 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Morcom

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Morcom

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Morcom is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Morcom is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Morcom falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Morcom is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Morcom, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Morcom

The surname Morcom is of English origin, originating in the county of Devon in the southwestern part of England. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "mor" meaning "moor" or "marsh" and "cumb" meaning "a valley" or "a hollow." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived in a marshy valley or a hollow near a moor.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Morcom dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Morcome." This important historical record, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides valuable insights into the distribution of surnames across England during the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name was found in various forms such as "Morcombe" and "Morcomb" in Devon. The spellings "Morcombe" and "Morcumb" were also prevalent in the 16th and 17th centuries in the same region.

One notable individual bearing the surname Morcom was John Morcom (1646-1720), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Taunton in Somerset. Another was Sir George Morcom (1736-1807), a British naval officer who played a significant role in several battles during the American Revolutionary War.

In the 19th century, the name Morcom gained prominence with individuals such as James Morcom (1818-1893), a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Royal College of Music and the Royal Albert Hall. Additionally, William Morcom (1846-1929), a British civil engineer, made significant contributions to the development of transportation infrastructure in Australia.

Another notable figure was Sir Fabian Morcom (1888-1956), a British businessman and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for South Nottingham from 1945 to 1950. He was also the chairman of the National Savings Committee during World War II, playing a crucial role in promoting the government's savings campaign.

Throughout history, the surname Morcom has been predominantly concentrated in the counties of Devon and Somerset in southwestern England, although it has also been found in other parts of the country and beyond, particularly in areas where individuals with this surname migrated or established new settlements.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Morcom families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Morcom 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 299 Morcoms recorded in 1881 and an index of 60.98x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 299 60.98x
Middlesex 29 0.67x
Devon 22 2.44x
Glamorgan 19 2.52x
Lancashire 19 0.37x
Hampshire 9 1.01x
Denbighshire 6 3.67x
Gloucestershire 6 0.71x
Warwickshire 6 0.55x
Staffordshire 5 0.34x
Flintshire 4 3.44x
Midlothian 4 0.69x
Bedfordshire 3 1.34x
Leicestershire 2 0.42x
Somerset 2 0.29x
Yorkshire 2 0.05x
Anglesey 1 1.30x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.55x
Cheshire 1 0.10x
Kent 1 0.07x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.73x
Shropshire 1 0.27x
Surrey 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Stephen In Brannel in Cornwall leads with 42 Morcoms recorded in 1881 and an index of 939.60x.

Place Total Index
St Stephen In Brannel 42 939.60x
Gwennap 30 324.32x
Illogan 24 184.90x
Kenwyn 22 171.61x
St Austell 21 125.30x
Crantock 20 3921.57x
Clase 19 67.76x
Luxulyan 17 1042.94x
Kea 13 356.16x
Newlyn 11 526.32x
St Ewe 10 671.14x
Cubert 9 1636.36x
St Agnes 9 131.00x
St Blazey 9 208.82x
St Marylebone London 9 3.89x
Portsea 8 4.60x
Barrow In Furness 7 10.01x
Braunton 7 228.76x
Camborne 6 29.70x
Pennington In Ulverston 6 234.38x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 8.64x
Redruth 6 43.26x
St Stithians 6 222.22x
Westminster St James 6 13.48x
Wrexham Regis 6 49.38x
Aston 5 1.66x
Huntington 5 1923.08x
Kensington London 5 2.08x
Linkinhorne 5 146.20x
St Giles Cripplegate 5 86.96x
Didsbury 4 58.65x
Hawarden 4 43.72x
Lasswade 4 30.14x
Liskeard 4 48.78x
Madron 4 101.01x
Plymouth Charles The 4 10.07x
St Just In Penwith 4 42.06x
Tywardreath 4 126.98x
Westbury On Trym 4 13.90x
Dunstable 3 43.54x
St Mewan 3 198.68x
Stoke Climsland 3 95.85x
Bowling 2 4.70x
Crowan 2 51.55x
Feock 2 65.15x
Knighton 2 73.80x
Madron Penzance 2 11.22x
North Hill 2 127.39x
St Pancras London 2 0.57x
Stoke Damerel 2 3.17x
Wells St Andrew 2 317.46x
Amlwch 1 13.85x
Breage 1 22.32x
Bristol St Paul In 1 4.42x
Cheriton 1 16.61x
Chester St John Baptist 1 5.82x
Clifton 1 2.33x
Compton Gifford 1 35.34x
Devonport 1 9.65x
Edgbaston 1 2.95x
Fowey 1 44.44x
Godalming 1 7.53x
Grinshill 1 196.08x
Hackney London 1 0.41x
Hammersmith London 1 0.94x
Osmotherley 1 142.86x
Pembrey 1 11.92x
Pembroke St Mary 1 5.64x
Phillack 1 15.80x
Portsmouth 1 4.89x
St Allen 1 114.94x
St Clement 1 19.53x
St Kew 1 61.35x
St Levan 1 112.36x
Stonehouse East 1 21.88x
Truro St Mary 1 24.27x
Veryan 1 52.63x
Widnes 1 2.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 28
Elizabeth 27
Jane 14
Ann 9
Annie 9
Ellen 8
Sarah 8
Grace 7
Edith 5
Emma 5
Susan 5
Catherine 4
Clara 4
Eliza 4
Emily 4
Kate 4
Alice 3
Anna 3
Bessie 3
Caroline 3
Frances 3
Hannah 3
Julia 3
Louisa 3
Maria 3
Alma 2
Amy 2
Fanny 2
Helen 2
Margaret 2
Selina 2
Susanna 2
Aurelia 1
Belinda 1
Bessy 1
Catharine 1
Christian 1
Dorothy 1
Elizh. 1
Elizh.Ellen 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Elizth.Corn. 1
Elizth.Jane 1
H. 1
Henrietta 1
Honor 1
Joanna 1
Johanna 1
Juanita 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 33
John 28
Thomas 19
James 11
Joseph 9
George 8
Richard 8
Henry 7
Charles 6
Elisha 5
Arthur 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Augustus 3
Francis 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Mark 2
Reginald 2
Richd. 2
Samuel 2
Tom 2
David 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Elias 1
Ernest 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
J. 1
Jeremiah 1
Johnson 1
Jonathan 1
Jos. 1
Julian 1
Louis 1
Marshal 1
Nicholas 1
Norman 1
R. 1
Saml. 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Theopholus 1
Thos.Hy. 1
W. 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Morcom surname: questions and answers

How common was the Morcom surname in 1881?

In 1881, 443 people were recorded with the Morcom surname. That placed it at #7,395 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Morcom surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 432 in 2016. That gives Morcom a modern rank of #11,135.

What does the Morcom surname mean?

Of English origin, a locational surname derived from a place called "Morecome" in Devon.

What does the Morcom map show?

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