NameCensus.

UK surname

Newcombe

A locational surname referring to a person from a newly established town or village.

In the 1881 census there were 2,096 people recorded with the Newcombe surname, ranking it #2,108 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,233, ranked #2,104, up from #2,108 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Okehampton, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Kesteven, Blaenau Gwent and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Newcombe is 3,528 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.2%.

1881 census count

2,096

Ranked #2,108

Modern count

3,233

2016, ranked #2,104

Peak year

1999

3,528 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Newcombe had 2,096 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,108 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,233 in 2016, ranked #2,104.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,141 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Newcombe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Newcombe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Newcombe 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 1,006 #2,774
1861 historical 1,201 #2,365
1881 historical 2,096 #2,108
1891 historical 2,401 #1,960
1901 historical 2,727 #2,036
1911 historical 3,141 #1,655
1997 modern 3,393 #1,909
1998 modern 3,522 #1,912
1999 modern 3,528 #1,923
2000 modern 3,480 #1,942
2001 modern 3,397 #1,945
2002 modern 3,445 #1,963
2003 modern 3,304 #2,000
2004 modern 3,300 #2,000
2005 modern 3,289 #1,981
2006 modern 3,261 #2,009
2007 modern 3,282 #2,023
2008 modern 3,271 #2,039
2009 modern 3,313 #2,058
2010 modern 3,378 #2,063
2011 modern 3,337 #2,056
2012 modern 3,232 #2,086
2013 modern 3,291 #2,082
2014 modern 3,318 #2,082
2015 modern 3,263 #2,094
2016 modern 3,233 #2,104

Geography

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Where Newcombes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Okehampton, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), London parishes and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Kesteven, Blaenau Gwent, Cornwall, Liverpool and East Devon. 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 Okehampton Devon
2 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Kesteven 004 South Kesteven
2 Blaenau Gwent 001 Blaenau Gwent
3 Cornwall 034 Cornwall
4 Liverpool 022 Liverpool
5 East Devon 017 East Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Newcombe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Newcombe

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Newcombe is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Newcombe 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

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

Meaning and origin of Newcombe

The surname Newcombe is of English origin, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "niwe" meaning new and "cumb" meaning a valley or hollow. This suggests that the name was originally given to someone who lived in a new valley or settlement.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Newcombe can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears in various spellings such as "Newecumbe" and "Newecumb." These entries indicate that individuals bearing this name were present in various counties across England, including Devon, Somerset, and Sussex.

During the 13th century, the name Newcombe began to appear in various records and manuscripts. One notable example is the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1273, which mention a "William de Newecumbe." This document suggests that the name had spread to other regions of England by this time.

In the 14th century, the surname Newcombe continued to be recorded in various historical documents. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 list a "John de Newecombe," and the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1381 mention a "John Newcombe."

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the surname Newcombe was John Newcombe, a landowner and farmer who lived in the village of Newcombe, Devon, in the late 15th century. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Newcombe (1546-1615), a prominent lawyer and member of the Parliament of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the name Newcombe was associated with several notable individuals. Thomas Newcombe (1590-1665) was a renowned English clergyman and author, known for his work "The Newes from the Bermudas." William Newcombe (1663-1737) was a prominent English antiquarian and historian who authored several works on the history of Hertfordshire.

During the 18th century, the surname Newcombe continued to be found across various regions of England. One notable figure was Thomas Pridgin Newcombe (1760-1828), a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the Order of the Bath.

In the 19th century, the name Newcombe was associated with several notable figures, including William Newcombe (1823-1895), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, and Henry Newcombe (1855-1921), a British trade unionist and politician who served as a Member of Parliament.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Newcombe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Newcombe 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. Devon leads with 655 Newcombes recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.30x.

County Total Index
Devon 655 15.30x
Middlesex 224 1.09x
Yorkshire 161 0.79x
Lancashire 130 0.53x
Gloucestershire 108 2.68x
Leicestershire 102 4.47x
Surrey 84 0.84x
Nottinghamshire 83 2.99x
Durham 62 1.01x
Essex 49 1.21x
Cornwall 48 2.06x
Warwickshire 48 0.93x
Northamptonshire 40 2.07x
Glamorgan 33 0.92x
Somerset 33 1.00x
Hampshire 30 0.71x
Monmouthshire 28 1.88x
Lincolnshire 24 0.73x
Derbyshire 22 0.68x
Kent 20 0.29x
Staffordshire 15 0.22x
Northumberland 13 0.42x
Berkshire 11 0.71x
Worcestershire 9 0.34x
Cheshire 8 0.18x
Sussex 8 0.23x
Angus 7 0.37x
Channel Islands 7 1.15x
Royal Navy 7 2.86x
Brecknockshire 6 1.46x
Wiltshire 6 0.33x
Cumberland 5 0.28x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.32x
Westmorland 4 0.89x
Hertfordshire 3 0.21x
Midlothian 3 0.11x
Suffolk 2 0.08x
Anglesey 1 0.27x
Dorset 1 0.07x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Oxfordshire 1 0.08x
Shropshire 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. Okehampton in Devon leads with 50 Newcombes recorded in 1881 and an index of 309.79x.

Place Total Index
Okehampton 50 309.79x
Leicester St Margaret 40 7.19x
Leicester St Mary 30 16.29x
Mile End Old Town 30 9.24x
Islington London 27 1.35x
Nottingham St Mary 27 3.77x
Camberwell 25 1.90x
Kensington London 25 2.19x
Barnstaple 24 35.72x
Crediton 24 59.17x
Bideford 21 45.80x
St Pancras London 21 1.27x
Tawstock 21 276.32x
St Gluvias Penryn 20 107.24x
Hammersmith London 19 3.75x
Plymouth Charles The 19 10.08x
Sampford Courtenay 19 296.88x
Brightside Bierlow 18 4.50x
Cirencester 18 32.97x
Plymouth St Andrew 18 5.46x
St Marylebone London 18 1.64x
Stoke Damerel 18 6.01x
Tormoham 16 8.83x
Scarborough 15 8.10x
Wavertree 15 19.21x
Bedminster 14 4.50x
Bermondsey 14 2.29x
Exeter St Thomas The 14 32.09x
Manchester 14 1.28x
Portsea 14 1.69x
Shelford Saxondale 14 371.35x
Swansea Town 14 4.77x
Exeter St Edmund 13 140.69x
Windle 13 9.47x
Cheltenham 12 3.86x
Great Baddow 12 83.10x
Lambeth 12 0.67x
Middlesbrough 12 4.52x
Bolam 11 1341.46x
Exeter St Kerrian 11 365.45x
Northam 11 35.26x
Oldham 11 1.40x
Stoke 11 63.47x
Stroud 11 14.02x
Chelmsford 10 14.36x
Exeter St David 10 27.34x
Exeter St Paul 10 118.06x
Finchampstead 10 213.68x
Halifax 10 3.34x
Helmington Row 10 35.10x
Hornsey 10 3.85x
Liverpool 10 0.67x
Thorverton 10 153.85x
West Derby 10 1.40x
Alverstoke 9 5.90x
Braunton 9 62.03x
Chelsea London 9 1.45x
Exeter St Sidwell 9 9.18x
Fremington 9 103.57x
Hinckley 9 16.64x
Inwardleigh 9 248.62x
Kingsthorpe 9 41.86x
Llansamlet Lower 9 27.77x
Newton Tracey 9 1022.73x
Nuneaton 9 14.98x
Quinton 9 1034.48x
Sinderby 9 1111.11x
Skegby 9 53.00x
Sourton 9 248.62x
St Budeaux 9 67.57x
Torworth 9 573.25x
Winkleigh 9 104.77x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 1.50x
Bristol St Augustine 8 12.29x
Burbage 8 67.23x
Hucknall Torkard 8 11.38x
Scorton 8 278.75x
South Kirkby 8 179.37x
St Woollos 8 4.82x
Swimbridge 8 92.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 161
John 138
George 83
Thomas 71
James 47
Charles 43
Henry 35
Robert 35
Frederick 30
Joseph 23
Richard 22
Samuel 22
Arthur 20
Albert 17
Alfred 15
Walter 14
Harry 13
Edward 12
Frank 11
Thos. 9
Ernest 8
Francis 8
Wm. 7
Edwin 6
Herbert 5
Sydney 5
Ambrose 4
Christopher 4
Daniel 4
Fred 4
Isaac 4
Richd. 4
Sidney 4
Simon 4
Elijah 3
Geo. 3
Phillip 3
Willm. 3
Alexander 2
Chas. 2
Denis 2
Elias 2
Emanuel 2
F.G. 2
Hugh 2
Jno. 2
Mark 2
Percy 2
Robt. 2
Septimus 2

FAQ

Newcombe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Newcombe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,096 people were recorded with the Newcombe surname. That placed it at #2,108 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Newcombe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,233 in 2016. That gives Newcombe a modern rank of #2,104.

What does the Newcombe surname mean?

A locational surname referring to a person from a newly established town or village.

What does the Newcombe map show?

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