NameCensus.

UK surname

Newcomb

A surname for a newcomer or recent arrival to a town or village.

In the 1881 census there were 712 people recorded with the Newcomb surname, ranking it #5,107 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 413, ranked #11,609, down from #5,107 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Lindsey, Bexley and Rother.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Newcomb is 848 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 42.0%.

1881 census count

712

Ranked #5,107

Modern count

413

2016, ranked #11,609

Peak year

1851

848 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Newcomb had 712 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,107 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 413 in 2016, ranked #11,609.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 848 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Newcomb surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Newcomb surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Newcomb 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 848 #3,208
1861 historical 721 #3,771
1881 historical 712 #5,107
1891 historical 706 #5,561
1901 historical 713 #6,189
1911 historical 744 #5,769
1997 modern 410 #10,800
1998 modern 438 #10,617
1999 modern 442 #10,606
2000 modern 451 #10,412
2001 modern 439 #10,447
2002 modern 432 #10,801
2003 modern 421 #10,844
2004 modern 417 #10,943
2005 modern 397 #11,250
2006 modern 393 #11,398
2007 modern 394 #11,508
2008 modern 403 #11,398
2009 modern 406 #11,586
2010 modern 409 #11,783
2011 modern 413 #11,560
2012 modern 414 #11,431
2013 modern 407 #11,766
2014 modern 425 #11,432
2015 modern 421 #11,435
2016 modern 413 #11,609

Geography

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Where Newcombs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Lindsey, Bexley, Rother and South Kesteven. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Lindsey 006 West Lindsey
2 West Lindsey 004 West Lindsey
3 Bexley 018 Bexley
4 Rother 001 Rother
5 South Kesteven 008 South Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Newcomb

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Newcomb

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

London Fringe

Within London, Newcomb is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Newcomb is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Newcomb

The surname Newcomb has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the 11th century. It is a locational name, derived from various place names such as Newcomb in Devonshire or Newcome in Lincolnshire. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "niwe" meaning new and "cumb" meaning a valley, referring to someone who lived in a newly-settled valley or hamlet.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Nivecombe" in Somerset. In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as "Neucome," "Neucumen," and "Newecombe" in various records and charters from across England.

The earliest recorded person with the surname Newcomb was William de Newecumbe, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Devonshire in 1195. Another notable early bearer of the name was Roger de Newcombe, who was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1273.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Newcomb have achieved prominence. One such person was Thomas Newcomb (1627-1681), an English nonconformist clergyman and writer who was ejected from his living during the Great Ejection of 1662. Another notable figure was Simon Newcomb (1835-1909), a Canadian-American astronomer and mathematician who made important contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the motions of the planets.

Other notable bearers of the surname include Avery Newcomb (1792-1851), an American politician who served as a U.S. Senator from New York, and Harry Newcomb (1893-1982), an American film editor who won an Academy Award for Best Film Editing for the 1949 film "Champion."

In the 16th and 17th centuries, several variations of the name emerged, such as Newcombe, Newcomen, and Newcombe, reflecting the different regional pronunciations and spellings of the name across England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Newcomb families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Newcomb 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 119 Newcombs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.73x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 119 1.73x
Surrey 99 2.95x
Lincolnshire 59 5.36x
Northamptonshire 50 7.72x
Yorkshire 45 0.66x
Nottinghamshire 34 3.66x
Essex 33 2.43x
Durham 31 1.51x
Lancashire 31 0.38x
Leicestershire 31 4.06x
Warwickshire 29 1.67x
Gloucestershire 25 1.85x
Kent 22 0.94x
Devon 21 1.46x
Hampshire 12 0.85x
Northumberland 10 0.98x
Lanarkshire 9 0.40x
Derbyshire 6 0.56x
Midlothian 5 0.54x
Worcestershire 5 0.56x
Dumfriesshire 4 2.63x
Hertfordshire 4 0.84x
Staffordshire 4 0.17x
Monmouthshire 3 0.60x
Oxfordshire 3 0.71x
Cheshire 2 0.13x
Radnorshire 2 3.60x
Rutland 2 3.95x
Angus 1 0.16x
Argyllshire 1 0.52x
Bedfordshire 1 0.28x
Shropshire 1 0.17x
Suffolk 1 0.12x
Wiltshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 31 Newcombs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.64x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 31 4.64x
Lambeth 30 5.00x
Clipston 22 1341.46x
Camberwell 20 4.55x
Middlesbrough 20 22.50x
Hackney London 17 4.40x
Bethnal Green London 14 4.68x
Hucknall Torkard 14 59.47x
Leicester St Mary 12 19.45x
Tetbury 12 156.66x
Kirkby Underwood 11 2200.00x
Chirton 10 43.12x
Courteenhall 10 2380.95x
Epsom 10 61.16x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 7.22x
St Osyth 10 302.11x
St Pancras London 10 1.80x
Windle 10 21.75x
Bermondsey 9 4.39x
Govan 9 1.63x
Nuneaton 9 44.73x
St Marylebone London 9 2.45x
Bromley London 8 5.28x
Chatham 8 12.38x
Hinckley 8 44.17x
Kelmarsh 8 1600.00x
St Giles In Fields 8 33.68x
Bleasby 7 1000.00x
Bourn 7 78.74x
Bradbury 7 1521.74x
Byfield 7 374.33x
Everton 7 2.69x
Millbrook 7 19.69x
Rochester St Margaret 7 28.25x
Shildon 7 42.53x
Battersea 6 2.37x
Boston 6 17.96x
Brandon And Bretford 6 582.52x
Bristol St Augustine 6 27.52x
Chiswick 6 15.94x
Halstead 6 37.83x
South Shoebury 6 109.89x
Donington 5 126.58x
Exeter St George The 5 316.46x
Kibworth Beauchamp 5 188.68x
Kirkdale 5 3.64x
Newington 5 1.97x
Roxholme 5 1785.71x
South Normanton 5 66.05x
Spittlegate 5 32.83x
Streatham 5 9.78x
Torworth 5 943.40x
Annan 4 30.60x
Aston Cum Aughton 4 71.68x
Christchurch 4 13.07x
Clapham 4 4.65x
Heckington 4 95.47x
Kidderminster Borough 4 7.60x
Mile End Old Town 4 3.68x
Paracombe 4 439.56x
Seighford 4 216.22x
York St Mary 4 14.15x
Bishopwearmouth 3 1.71x
Gainsborough 3 11.56x
Leeds 3 0.78x
Navestock 3 152.28x
North Leith 3 7.03x
Ormesby 3 16.36x
Oxford St Giles 3 14.79x
Plymouth Charles The 3 4.75x
Pyworthy 3 252.10x
Ratcliffe London 3 7.89x
Sheffield 3 1.38x
Shenley 3 95.85x
South Elmshall 3 241.94x
Summerhouse 3 1071.43x
Sutton St Mary 3 28.82x
Wellingborough 3 9.21x
West Ham 3 1.00x
Willington 3 25.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 48
William 38
Thomas 23
George 22
Henry 22
Joseph 16
James 14
Alfred 13
Charles 13
Robert 11
Arthur 8
Edward 7
Samuel 6
Frank 5
Richard 5
Albert 4
Frederick 4
Patrick 4
Thos. 4
Francis 3
Fredrick 3
Michael 3
Christopher 2
Daniel 2
Ernest 2
Frederic 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Jacob 2
Levi 2
Percy 2
R. 2
Willie 2
Willm. 2
Alexander 1
Archibald 1
Arhibald 1
Clement 1
Clive 1
Eugene 1
Fitzroy 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Freddy 1
Isaac 1
J.A. 1
Jim 1
Jn. 1
Joel 1
Wm.H.N. 1

FAQ

Newcomb surname: questions and answers

How common was the Newcomb surname in 1881?

In 1881, 712 people were recorded with the Newcomb surname. That placed it at #5,107 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Newcomb surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 413 in 2016. That gives Newcomb a modern rank of #11,609.

What does the Newcomb surname mean?

A surname for a newcomer or recent arrival to a town or village.

What does the Newcomb map show?

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