NameCensus.

UK surname

Willicombe

In the 1881 census there were 133 people recorded with the Willicombe surname, ranking it #16,676 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 190, ranked #20,262, down from #16,676 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bedminster and St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Somerset, Bridgend and Caerphilly.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Willicombe is 195 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.9%.

1881 census count

133

Ranked #16,676

Modern count

190

2016, ranked #20,262

Peak year

2000

195 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Willicombe had 133 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,676 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 190 in 2016, ranked #20,262.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 173 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Willicombe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Willicombe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Willicombe 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 45 #25,168
1861 historical 86 #22,810
1881 historical 133 #16,676
1891 historical 161 #17,473
1901 historical 162 #17,271
1911 historical 173 #16,361
1997 modern 188 #18,324
1998 modern 187 #18,857
1999 modern 191 #18,744
2000 modern 195 #18,494
2001 modern 185 #18,840
2002 modern 189 #18,950
2003 modern 186 #18,928
2004 modern 189 #18,855
2005 modern 181 #19,334
2006 modern 183 #19,326
2007 modern 185 #19,402
2008 modern 185 #19,589
2009 modern 189 #19,727
2010 modern 193 #19,880
2011 modern 188 #20,067
2012 modern 187 #20,086
2013 modern 182 #20,795
2014 modern 186 #20,664
2015 modern 185 #20,641
2016 modern 190 #20,262

Geography

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Where Willicombes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bedminster, St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford, St Marylebone and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Somerset, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Broxbourne and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Bedminster Somerset
3 St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford Somerset
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Somerset 003 West Somerset
2 Bridgend 006 Bridgend
3 Caerphilly 021 Caerphilly
4 Broxbourne 013 Broxbourne
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 017 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Willicombe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Willicombe

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Willicombe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Willicombe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Willicombe is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Willicombe is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Willicombe falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Willicombe 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 Willicombe, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Willicombe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Willicombe 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 64 Willicombes recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.65x.

County Total Index
Somerset 64 30.65x
Middlesex 31 2.39x
Glamorgan 12 5.31x
Yorkshire 7 0.54x
Surrey 6 0.95x
Monmouthshire 5 5.33x
Wiltshire 3 2.61x
Gloucestershire 2 0.79x
Kent 2 0.45x
Berkshire 1 1.03x

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 13 Willicombes recorded in 1881 and an index of 66.26x.

Place Total Index
Bedminster 13 66.26x
Islington London 12 9.54x
Dunster 9 1800.00x
St Marylebone London 9 12.99x
Middlesbrough 7 41.82x
Wiveliscombe 7 603.45x
Lambeth 6 5.30x
Roath 6 58.48x
St Decumans Watchet 6 1132.08x
Monmouth 5 200.80x
Shepton Mallet 5 213.68x
St Giles In Fields 5 111.86x
Wellington 5 176.68x
Cardiff St Mary 4 32.15x
Nettlecombe 4 3076.92x
Ratcliffe London 4 55.87x
Milford 3 491.80x
Williton 3 428.57x
Dunkerton 2 444.44x
North Curry 2 281.69x
Pitminster 2 327.87x
Tonbridge 2 12.52x
Ystradyfodwg 2 10.09x
Broadway 1 500.00x
Chipstable 1 666.67x
Clifton 1 7.78x
Ilminster 1 68.49x
Newland 1 46.73x
Old Cleeve 1 133.33x
Paddington London 1 2.10x
Speen 1 62.89x
Wellow 1 163.93x
Wells St Cuthbert 1 69.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 9
Sarah 7
Caroline 5
Alice 3
Emily 3
Martha 3
Ann 2
Ellen 2
Fanny 2
Jane 2
Maria 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Catharine 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Elizth.J. 1
Elizth.L. 1
Ella 1
Emma 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Harriet 1
Lilly 1
Rebecca 1
Rhoda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
Charles 9
Alfred 4
Albert 3
Francis 3
Henry 3
Aaron 2
Frederick 2
Ithama 2
Samuel 2
Worthington 2
Arthur 1
Chas. 1
Florence 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
George 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
John 1
Lawrence 1
Lewis 1
Neville 1
Raymond 1
Robert 1
Sydney 1
Thomas 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Willicombe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Willicombe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 133 people were recorded with the Willicombe surname. That placed it at #16,676 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Willicombe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 190 in 2016. That gives Willicombe a modern rank of #20,262.

What does the Willicombe map show?

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