NameCensus.

UK surname

Witcombe

In the 1881 census there were 531 people recorded with the Witcombe surname, ranking it #6,470 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 577, ranked #8,974, down from #6,470 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and Doulting. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mendip and Torfaen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Witcombe is 648 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.7%.

1881 census count

531

Ranked #6,470

Modern count

577

2016, ranked #8,974

Peak year

1911

648 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Witcombe had 531 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,470 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 577 in 2016, ranked #8,974.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 648 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Witcombe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Witcombe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Witcombe 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 213 #9,934
1861 historical 376 #6,792
1881 historical 531 #6,470
1891 historical 530 #7,073
1901 historical 575 #7,300
1911 historical 648 #6,460
1997 modern 597 #8,177
1998 modern 619 #8,209
1999 modern 613 #8,323
2000 modern 601 #8,412
2001 modern 591 #8,377
2002 modern 598 #8,482
2003 modern 602 #8,313
2004 modern 600 #8,346
2005 modern 595 #8,323
2006 modern 604 #8,246
2007 modern 614 #8,218
2008 modern 606 #8,343
2009 modern 615 #8,440
2010 modern 611 #8,669
2011 modern 617 #8,500
2012 modern 603 #8,573
2013 modern 610 #8,628
2014 modern 597 #8,832
2015 modern 581 #8,944
2016 modern 577 #8,974

Geography

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Where Witcombes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, Doulting, Pilton, North Wootton, Shepton Mallet, Croscombe and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mendip and Torfaen. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Bedminster Somerset
3 Doulting Somerset
4 Pilton, North Wootton, Shepton Mallet, Croscombe Somerset
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mendip 009 Mendip
2 Torfaen 003 Torfaen
3 Mendip 002 Mendip
4 Mendip 006 Mendip
5 Torfaen 002 Torfaen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Witcombe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Witcombe

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Witcombe is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Witcombe 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

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

1881 census detail

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Witcombe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Witcombe 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 312 Witcombes recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.42x.

County Total Index
Somerset 312 37.42x
Gloucestershire 69 6.79x
Middlesex 28 0.54x
Surrey 20 0.79x
Wiltshire 19 4.15x
Warwickshire 16 1.22x
Worcestershire 12 1.77x
Herefordshire 10 4.71x
Oxfordshire 10 3.13x
Kent 7 0.40x
Glamorgan 6 0.67x
Monmouthshire 6 1.60x
Hampshire 5 0.47x
Cornwall 4 0.68x
Sussex 3 0.34x
Devon 2 0.19x
Brecknockshire 1 0.97x
Durham 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. Kilmersdon in Somerset leads with 69 Witcombes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1674.76x.

Place Total Index
Kilmersdon 69 1674.76x
Compton Dundon 38 3725.49x
Bedminster 24 30.63x
Bristol St George 21 44.70x
Doulting 19 1775.70x
Street 18 399.11x
Shepton Mallet 15 160.43x
Babington 12 3529.41x
Frome 12 60.18x
Birmingham 11 2.53x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 10 10.46x
Lambeth 10 2.21x
Burnham 9 141.51x
Forthampton 9 1232.88x
Bethnal Green London 7 3.11x
Castlemorton 7 530.30x
Maidstone 7 13.30x
Shapwick 7 886.08x
Taunton St Mary 7 45.75x
Weston 7 109.20x
Winford 7 416.67x
Bristol St Michael 6 68.89x
Llanfabon 6 127.12x
Pilton 6 301.51x
Stoke Lane 6 504.20x
Battersea 5 2.62x
Bromley London 5 4.39x
Hereford St Owen 5 71.33x
Hilperton 5 342.47x
Mells 5 290.70x
Portsea 5 2.40x
Salisbury St Thomas 5 137.74x
Warwick St Mary 5 44.09x
Wedmore 5 92.08x
West Pennard 5 373.13x
Cirencester 4 29.09x
Falmouth 4 19.27x
Hailes 4 4000.00x
Lyncombe Widcombe 4 18.32x
St Marylebone London 4 1.45x
Wotton St Mary 4 75.90x
Aberystruth 3 9.09x
Bermondsey 3 1.95x
Binsey 3 2727.27x
Camerton 3 123.46x
Clifton 3 5.84x
Hereford St John 3 123.97x
Kingston Deverill 3 612.24x
Oxford St Clement 3 37.17x
St Pancras London 3 0.72x
Timsbury 3 118.58x
Abergavenny 2 14.27x
Bath St James 2 22.99x
Bradford On Avon 2 13.64x
Bristol St Paul In 2 7.39x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.64x
Cowley 2 20.04x
Elklstone 2 476.19x
Evercreech 2 99.50x
Fivehead 2 270.27x
Fladbury 2 250.00x
Hereford St Peter 2 35.27x
Islington London 2 0.40x
Kingsbury Episcopi 2 74.07x
Meare 2 80.00x
Oxford St Giles 2 13.11x
Salisbury St Edmund 2 27.21x
South Cadbury 2 606.06x
St George Hanover 2 2.96x
Stapleton 2 10.38x
Westbury On Trym 2 5.81x
Bedwellty 1 1.51x
High Ham 1 50.25x
Llanigon 1 156.25x
Midsomer Norton 1 12.74x
Newington 1 0.52x
Wells St Cuthbert 1 17.57x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 1 14.90x
Whatley 1 129.87x
Wincanton 1 23.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 27
Mary 27
Sarah 23
Emma 12
Eliza 9
Ellen 9
Alice 8
Emily 8
Annie 6
Hannah 6
Jane 6
Susan 6
Ann 5
Catherine 5
Louisa 5
Agnes 4
Harriett 4
Julia 4
Maria 4
Rosa 4
Rose 4
Caroline 3
Elizth. 3
Kate 3
Lucy 3
Anne 2
Celia 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Ethel 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Hellen 2
Lily 2
Minnie 2
Rhoda 2
Sophia 2
Amy 1
Augusta 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Birty 1
Dora 1
Elizh. 1
Hilda 1
Jessie 1
Katherine 1
Keturah 1
Lilly 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 25
George 22
James 20
Henry 18
Charles 17
John 17
Thomas 12
Albert 10
Edwin 10
Frederick 9
Frank 8
Arthur 7
Francis 7
Joseph 7
Walter 7
Alfred 5
Edward 5
Samuel 5
Herbert 3
Levi 3
Sidney 3
Theophilus 3
Ernest 2
Harry 2
Job 2
Robert 2
Aurthur 1
Austin 1
Clarence 1
Clement 1
David 1
Dudley 1
Earle 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Gilbert 1
Harold 1
Hubert 1
Lionel 1
Mark 1
Marona 1
Nathaniel 1
Nimrod 1
Osborn 1
Osborne 1
Osbourn 1
Oscar 1
Peter 1
Seaward 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Witcombe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Witcombe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 531 people were recorded with the Witcombe surname. That placed it at #6,470 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Witcombe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 577 in 2016. That gives Witcombe a modern rank of #8,974.

What does the Witcombe map show?

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