NameCensus.

UK surname

Seccombe

A habitational surname derived from a place name referring to a dry valley.

In the 1881 census there were 249 people recorded with the Seccombe surname, ranking it #11,103 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 384, ranked #12,251, down from #11,103 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bodmin, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Stratford-on-Avon and Redcar and Cleveland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Seccombe is 416 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.2%.

1881 census count

249

Ranked #11,103

Modern count

384

2016, ranked #12,251

Peak year

2010

416 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Seccombe had 249 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,103 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 384 in 2016, ranked #12,251.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 321 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Seccombe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Seccombe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Seccombe 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 211 #9,997
1861 historical 132 #16,957
1881 historical 249 #11,103
1891 historical 263 #12,261
1901 historical 252 #13,068
1911 historical 321 #10,902
1997 modern 402 #10,974
1998 modern 408 #11,187
1999 modern 405 #11,344
2000 modern 404 #11,306
2001 modern 396 #11,307
2002 modern 408 #11,272
2003 modern 402 #11,228
2004 modern 389 #11,516
2005 modern 384 #11,538
2006 modern 372 #11,878
2007 modern 382 #11,775
2008 modern 395 #11,598
2009 modern 404 #11,636
2010 modern 416 #11,627
2011 modern 411 #11,617
2012 modern 399 #11,740
2013 modern 391 #12,123
2014 modern 393 #12,168
2015 modern 394 #12,038
2016 modern 384 #12,251

Geography

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Where Seccombes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bodmin, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea and Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Stratford-on-Avon, Redcar and Cleveland and County Durham. 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 Bodmin Cornwall
2 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
3 London parishes London 3
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 021 Northumberland
2 Stratford-on-Avon 013 Stratford-on-Avon
3 Northumberland 020 Northumberland
4 Redcar and Cleveland 010 Redcar and Cleveland
5 County Durham 010 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Seccombe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Seccombe

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Seccombe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Seccombe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Seccombe 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

Seccombe is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Seccombe

The surname Seccombe is of English origin, derived from a place name in the county of Worcestershire. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "secce" meaning "dry ground" and "cumb" meaning "a valley or hollow." This suggests that the name likely referred to a dry valley or hollow area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Seccombe can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Sececamp." This entry suggests that the name was already in use during the 11th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of England.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records as "Secchcumbe" and "Sechcumbe," reflecting the evolution of the spelling over time. During this period, the name was primarily concentrated in the Worcestershire area, where the original place name was located.

Notable individuals with the surname Seccombe include Thomas Seccombe (1866-1923), a British writer and literary critic who served as the editor of the "Dictionary of National Biography." Another notable figure was Sir John Seccombe (1896-1972), a British civil servant who served as the Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Home Office from 1956 to 1961.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Seccombe can be found in the late 17th century. John Seccombe (1672-1725) was a Puritan minister and author who emigrated from England to Boston, Massachusetts, where he served as a pastor.

Another significant figure with the Seccombe surname was Sir Thomas Seccombe (1829-1901), a British lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Straits Settlements (now Singapore and Malaysia) from 1885 to 1892.

In the field of literature, Basil Seccombe (1901-1978) was a British author and editor who contributed to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and served as the editor of the journal "The London Mercury" from 1946 to 1952.

These examples illustrate the long history and diverse backgrounds of individuals bearing the surname Seccombe, spanning various professions and regions over several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Seccombe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Seccombe 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 94 Seccombes recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.91x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 94 33.91x
Devon 72 14.13x
Hampshire 18 3.59x
Middlesex 15 0.61x
Durham 12 1.65x
Surrey 12 1.01x
Pembrokeshire 7 9.00x
Monmouthshire 5 2.82x
Lancashire 3 0.10x
Derbyshire 2 0.52x
Sussex 2 0.48x
Warwickshire 2 0.32x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.64x
Gloucestershire 1 0.21x
Huntingdonshire 1 2.06x
Isle of Man 1 2.20x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 2.82x
Royal Navy 1 3.43x
Suffolk 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tavistock in Devon leads with 20 Seccombes recorded in 1881 and an index of 344.23x.

Place Total Index
Tavistock 20 344.23x
Portsea 18 18.30x
Linkinhorne 14 725.39x
Iveston 12 357.14x
Plymouth St Andrew 11 28.02x
Madron Penzance 10 99.21x
Plymouth Charles The 9 40.09x
Calstock 8 147.06x
Bodmin 7 152.51x
Chiswick 7 52.32x
Ludgvan 7 316.74x
Pembroke St Mary 7 69.86x
Michaelstow 6 3157.89x
Germansweek 5 2272.73x
Lifton 5 406.50x
Paignton 5 128.87x
Poughill 5 1470.59x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 10.15x
St Winnow 5 526.32x
St Woollos 5 25.32x
Ashprington 4 1052.63x
Camberwell 4 2.56x
Lanteglos 4 312.50x
Plympton St Mary 4 135.59x
St Hilary Marazion 4 533.33x
St Teath 4 239.52x
Liverpool 3 1.70x
St Anne Soho London 3 21.46x
St Ewe 3 357.14x
Stratton 3 200.00x
Birmingham 2 0.97x
Brighton 2 2.40x
Constantine 2 124.22x
Egg Buckland 2 229.89x
Longeaton 2 1250.00x
Menheniot 2 173.91x
St Agnes 2 51.55x
St George Hanover 2 6.26x
Ashburton 1 40.98x
Bermondsey 1 1.37x
Camborne 1 8.76x
Caterham 1 18.98x
Compton Gifford 1 62.50x
Ilfracombe 1 19.05x
Isleworth 1 9.18x
Kelsale 1 120.48x
Kenwyn 1 13.79x
Kirkmabreck 1 64.52x
Lambeth 1 0.47x
Liskeard 1 21.55x
Luxulyan 1 108.70x
Madron 1 44.64x
Malew 1 25.19x
Mevagissey 1 54.35x
Poplar London 1 2.16x
Royal Navy 1 4.01x
St Andrewthe Great 1 50.00x
St Austell 1 10.56x
St Mabyn 1 232.56x
St Marylebone London 1 0.77x
St Neots 1 37.88x
Topsham 1 41.49x
Totnes 1 33.56x
Westbury On Trym 1 6.15x
Whitchurch 1 111.11x
Wolborough 1 15.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Elizabeth 14
Ellen 7
Alice 6
Ann 6
Annie 4
Grace 4
Jane 4
Louisa 4
Caroline 3
Eliza 3
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Ada 2
Bessie 2
Catherine 2
Emily 2
Frances 2
Henrietta 2
Jessie 2
Letitia 2
Nanny 2
Nelly 2
Sarah 2
Susan 2
Beatrice 1
Drusilla 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Joanna 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Leanora 1
Lilie 1
Lillian 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Madge 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
May 1
Sybil 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 18
William 12
Samuel 9
Richard 6
Charles 5
Thomas 5
George 4
Henry 4
Joseph 4
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Edward 2
James 2
Nicholas 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Alfred 1
Benjamin 1
Clovis 1
Ed. 1
Edgar 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Gregory 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Henrey 1
Jno. 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Morris 1
Nicolas 1
Roger 1
Stewart 1
Willm. 1
Wm.H. 1
Wm.R. 1

FAQ

Seccombe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Seccombe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 249 people were recorded with the Seccombe surname. That placed it at #11,103 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Seccombe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 384 in 2016. That gives Seccombe a modern rank of #12,251.

What does the Seccombe surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name referring to a dry valley.

What does the Seccombe map show?

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