Combe Surname

35,409th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 14,924 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
France
Highest density in:
Andorra

Combe Surname Definition:

This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'at the comb,' i.e. the cell or hollow in the hillside. An enormous number of local compounds are based on this word, probably because, being sheltered, habitations were made there. Celtic, cwm, a hollow.

Read More About This Surname

Combe Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
France9,9671:6,664561
United States1,0341:350,54131,413
Australia7511:35,9464,729
Scotland6581:8,1361,198
England4531:122,99812,370
Uganda3401:114,82111,098
Philippines2641:383,47849,926
Panama2051:19,0841,311
Canada1671:220,63221,263
Brazil1431:1,497,02350,066
Peru1371:232,0019,949
Switzerland1081:76,0468,868
Germany1021:789,26958,234
Argentina901:474,92735,376
New Zealand631:71,87810,704
South Africa551:985,04961,274
Uruguay511:67,2897,157
Benin491:210,93119,709
Netherlands451:375,27140,838
Northern Ireland251:73,8015,249
Mexico231:5,396,79230,197
Thailand231:3,071,232294,953
New Caledonia211:13,1533,514
Andorra181:4,658913
Wales181:171,91811,581
Spain171:2,750,12061,567
Italy131:4,704,361107,811
Zimbabwe101:1,543,82478,460
Austria71:1,216,49180,919
Ivory Coast61:3,845,20548,272
Belgium61:1,916,107103,447
India51:153,413,076951,030
Singapore41:1,376,92628,409
Suriname41:138,1547,029
Angola41:6,747,3046,999
Israel31:2,852,545113,505
Norway31:1,714,09579,528
Ecuador21:7,952,92334,269
Saint Lucia21:89,3902,918
Ireland21:2,354,47019,715
Czechia21:5,316,734169,646
Denmark21:2,822,35876,882
Bulgaria11:6,978,90586,260
Estonia11:1,321,80440,178
French Polynesia11:280,8057,211
DR Congo11:73,879,570260,543
Hong Kong11:7,335,48316,643
Japan11:127,844,29373,547
Kenya11:46,179,900103,372
Luxembourg11:580,54215,155
Wallis and Futuna11:13,610185
Mauritania11:4,094,86338,869
Morocco11:34,476,099111,471
Belize11:355,4743,977
Costa Rica11:4,780,06913,345
Tunisia11:610,62630,336
Togo11:7,247,76812,049
Mozambique11:27,261,5697,432
Cambodia11:15,487,14614,824
Dominican Republic11:10,432,93236,508
Cameroon11:20,769,068227,406
Chile11:17,616,47493,597
Papua New Guinea11:8,153,717181,784
Colombia11:47,774,07244,230
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland271:164,0698,499
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Scotland3781:9,9031,260
England2881:84,6378,940
Wales81:196,0527,186
Guernsey51:6,5311,136
Jersey11:51,8823,898
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States1021:492,34034,768

The alternate forms: Combé (20) are calculated separately.

Combe (1,292) may also be a first name.

Combe Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'at the comb,' i.e. the cell or hollow in the hillside. An enormous number of local compounds are based on this word, probably because, being sheltered, habitations were made there. Celtic, cwm, a hollow. Probably, however, the instances below refer to the Anglo-Saxon, camb, the crest of a hill. Combs and Combes have taken s as a suffix, as with many other one-syllabled local surnames; compare Styles, Brooks, Briggs, Holmes, &c.

John in le Coumbe, Somerset, l Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

Gilbert ate Cumbe, Oxfordshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

John ate Cumbe, Oxfordshire , ibid.

Roger de la Cumbe, Oxfordshire, ibid.

Henry de la Cumbe, Somerset, ibid.

John de la Coumbe. Gloucestershire, 1280: Household Exp.

Robertas Combe, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Radulphus de Combe, 1379: ibid.

Edmund de la Comb, Norfolk, 16 Edward I: History of Norfolk.

1522. William Combes and Elizabeth Walsyngham: Marriage Lic. (London).

1573. John Combe and Sicily Palfreman: ibid.

A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (1896) by Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley

Most probably shortened from (Mac)comb, which see. A payment was made to Robert Comb, wright in Edinburgh, 1728 (Guildry, p. 168). George Combe (1788—1858), the phrenologist, and his brother Andrew (1797—1847), physician, were two of the most eminent of the name.

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

(Anglo-Celt.) Dweller at a Hollow, Valley, or Hill-Recess [Old English cumb, from the Celtic: Welsh cwm = Cornish cum = Irish cúm, a hollow] Henry de la Cumbe.—Hundred Rolls (English) (occasionally) Dweller at a Ridge or Hill-Crest [Dialectal English comb, a ridge) Old English camb]

Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

(English) Dweller at the deep hollow or valley.

Dictionary of American Family Names (1956) by Elsdon Coles Smith

From Anglo-Saxon comb, Celt, cwm, a hollow in a hill, a valley. In medieval writings, At-Comb, At-Cumb, &c. There are places called Comb or Combe in Sussex, Devon, Somerset, &c.-Combs in Suffolk-Coombe in Wilts, Dorset, and Hants,-and Coombs in Sussex, Derby, and Dorset. Several of these have conferred their names on families.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

The family bear three combs argent in their arms, whence probably the name.

The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames (1862) by Clifford Stanley Sims (1839-1896)

(Cornish British) A place between hills, a valley; in the Welsh, Cwm.

An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names (1857) by William Arthur

(English), Valley, Sharp ridge; Mass of water. Compton, Valley town.

Surnames (1857) by Bernard Homer Dixon

A location name in Gloucestershire.

British Family Names: Their Origin and Meaning (1903) by Henry Barber

Combe: (Celtic cwm), a lateral valley; very general in the West of England, Sussex, and Cumberland. A poet of the latter county says: “There’s Cumwitten, Cumwhinton, Cumranton, Cumranger, Cumrew, Cumcatch, And many mair Cums in the County, But nin wi’ Gumdurock can match.”

Coombe is a surname, also Westcoombe, Sutcombe, etc.

Family Names And Their Story (1913) by Sabine Baring-Gould

Combe Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Combe Come From? nationality or country of origin

The last name Combe (Arabic: كومب, Hassaniya-Arabic: ﻛﻤﺐ) occurs most in France. It can appear as: Combé. For other potential spellings of this name click here.

How Common Is The Last Name Combe? popularity and diffusion

Combe is the 35,409th most widespread surname on a global scale, held by approximately 1 in 488,311 people. Combe occurs mostly in Europe, where 76 percent of Combe reside; 68 percent reside in Western Europe and 67 percent reside in Gallo-Europe. It is also the 219,079th most common first name in the world It is held by 1,292 people.

The last name is most frequent in France, where it is carried by 9,967 people, or 1 in 6,664. In France Combe is mostly found in: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, where 40 percent reside, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, where 15 percent reside and Île-de-France, where 12 percent reside. Barring France Combe occurs in 63 countries. It also occurs in The United States, where 7 percent reside and Australia, where 5 percent reside.

Combe Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The occurrence of Combe has changed over time. In The United States the number of people who held the Combe last name increased 1,014 percent between 1880 and 2014; in Scotland it increased 174 percent between 1881 and 2014; in England it increased 157 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Wales it increased 225 percent between 1881 and 2014 and in Ireland it declined 93 percent between 1901 and 2014.

Combe Last Name Statistics demography

The religious adherence of those bearing the surname is principally Anglican (56%) in Ireland.

In The United States those holding the Combe last name are 29.66% more likely to be registered with the Republican Party than the national average, with 76.43% being registered to vote for the political party.

The amount Combe earn in different countries varies greatly. In Peru they earn 89.59% more than the national average, earning S/. 36,752 per year; in South Africa they earn 6.01% more than the national average, earning R 251,916 per year; in United States they earn 16.72% more than the national average, earning $50,364 USD per year and in Canada they earn 1.17% less than the national average, earning $49,102 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Combé9320/
Combes9115,768/
Coombe916,761/
Chombe916,600/
Comber913,397/
Combet912,690/
Combey911,783/
Combee91931/
Coumbe91600/
Combei91293/
Combie91146/
Combez915/
Combed913/
Combea911/
Scombe911/
Combeh911/
Tcombe911/
Ciombe911/
Commbe911/
Coombes8316,972/
Coomber8314,055/
Tchombe832,696/
Choombe831,678/
Combest831,361/
Chombey83110/
Ciomber8399/
Combess8387/
Coumbes8358/
Combeer8357/
Chombhe8331/
Coumber8321/
Coombey8315/
Czomber8314/
Choumbe8312/
Coombie8312/
Commber832/
Coombee832/
Cuomber831/
Coymbes831/
Combees831/
Coombea831/
Coombei831/
Coombed831/
Cumbe80107,736/
Kombe8072,895/
Comba8012,619/
Cambe809,803/
Sombe806,512/
Zombe803,690/
Combi802,063/
Comby801,611/
Jombe801,490/
Qombe8031/
Conbe8023/
Comue802/
Comwe802/
Comve801/
Tchoumbe7790/
Combahee7728/
Chhombey7715/
Tschombe778/
Cochimbe771/
Tchombea771/
Chuombeh771/
Scoombee771/
Chambe7316,670/
Chumbe737,086/
Sombie735,654/
Khombe733,872/
Cumbie732,777/
Dzombe731,807/
Combis731,774/
Cumbee731,484/
Cumber731,292/
Comboy73997/
Tjombe73885/
Camber73798/
Cambie73594/
Djombe73530/
Coumba73527/
Czomba73458/
Cambet73244/
Koumbe73217/
Kombea73209/
Kombie73209/
Tsombe73206/
Cambey73181/
Cambei73169/
Cumbey73155/
Zomber73131/
Combay73130/
Soombe73106/
Combii7399/
Zoumbe7386/
Zombie7384/
Cumbes7379/
Chombi7379/
Combaj7372/
Zombea7370/
Kombey7364/
Cumbea7352/
Cambed7351/
Kombei7350/
Cambes7344/
Cambez7339/
Coomby7335/
Kombee7335/
Sombea7328/
Conber7326/
Coomba7326/
Ciomba7324/
Combit7321/
Sombey7320/
Kombeh7319/
Commue7319/
Czombi7318/
Combyh7317/
Sombee7317/
Coimba7316/
Koimbe7315/
Cambee7312/
Combiz7312/
Coumbi7312/
Kotmbe7311/
Kombhe7311/
Sombei7311/
Cambeu739/
Kkombe737/
Zhombe736/
Zombey735/
Caembe735/
Koombe734/
Kombeu734/
Counbe733/
Conbee733/
Combih733/
Comboa733/
Jombed733/
Cumbet733/
Caumbe733/
Conbey732/
Zombez732/
Jombhe732/
Combio732/
Combui732/
Ziombe732/
Zombet732/
Commby732/
Sombeh732/
Tcomba732/
Comboi732/
Chonbe732/
Gcombi732/
Commpe731/
Coonbe731/
Coimbi731/
Comboj731/
Comves731/
Conbie731/
Sombhe731/
Conbez731/
Koembe731/
Tzombe731/
Zombei731/
Giombe731/
Chombé731/
Conbes731/
Combiy731/
Comoue731/
Cummbe731/
Gcumbe731/
Combai731/
Coumby730/
Comvie730/
Conmpe730/
Cambge730/
Comvey730/
Tchoumbet716/
Coumbeitt711/
Tshombe671,645/
Tchombi671,376/
Zoumbey67877/
Cumbest67304/
Cumbess67302/
Cambeis67241/
Chaumbe67206/
Djoumbe67203/
Coumoue67157/
Tchambe67156/
Dzhombe67134/
Ziomber6794/
Conbeer6789/
Cambest6773/
Chumbei6766/
Coumbis6745/
Ciumber6744/
Tchumbe6727/
Chombay6726/
Chambey6720/
D'Zombe6716/
Chumbee6715/
Kombeiz6714/
Chambea6710/
Tcoumba6710/
Chumbey679/
Zoumbie679/
Coombay678/
Zomberh678/
Koumbey677/
Coonber676/
Coonbes675/
Choombi675/
Chuimbe675/
Ciamber674/
Chambee674/
Tchomby674/
Tchonbe674/
Conbest673/
Chombai673/
Csombai673/
Kombech673/
Comvest672/
Conbett672/
Cheumbe672/
Koombes672/
Sounmbe672/
Soumbeu672/
Zoumbei672/
Casimbe672/
Choumbi672/
Djombey672/
Djonmbe672/
Khombet672/
Joumbey672/
Koumbeu672/
Komberh672/
Kacembe671/
Kosembe671/
Kombieh671/
Koumber671/
Cambess671/
Chambge671/
Chambhe671/
Chhumbe671/
Cumbees671/
Cunmbee671/
Coomues671/
Comuetp671/
Czumber671/
Zombeah671/
Commuer671/
Combohy671/
Khombeh671/
Kombetd671/
Kombetz671/
Koumbet671/
Tchombé671/
Tsombea671/
Djombei671/
Cambeat671/
Chuombi671/
Chambeh671/
Coomves671/
Comenpe671/
Combais671/
Chomboi671/
Dzoumbe671/
Comboit670/
Combich670/
Cambeer670/
Cammber670/
Combois670/

Combe Name Transliterations

TransliterationICU LatinPercentage of Incidence
Combe in the Hassaniya-Arabic language
ﻛﻤﺐkmb-
Combe in the Arabic language
كومبkwmb-

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Combe Reference & Research

Combs FamilyTree DNA Group - A group collating DNA test results for those who bear the surname, includes results of DNA tests and discussions.

Combs FamilyTree DNA Project - A description of a group researching the paternal lines of men who bear the surname with the help of DNA analysis.

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Combe
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis