Comby last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Comby is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Comby.

Meaning of Comby

A French surname derived from a place name or regional location.

Comby, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Comby surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Comby in America

Comby is the 126018th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Comby surname appeared 136 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Comby.

We can also compare 2010 data for Comby to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 126018 127948 -1.52%
Count 136 123 10.04%
Proportion per 100k 0.05 0.05 0.00%

The history of the last name Comby

The surname Comby is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the northern region of Normandy, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "combe," which referred to a small valley or hollow in the landscape. This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near or in such a geographical feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Comby can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. In this document, the name appears as "Combe," which further supports the theory of its Norman roots.

During the 12th century, variations of the name, such as "Cumbey" and "Combeye," began to emerge in various historical records, reflecting the regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time. These variations likely contributed to the eventual spelling of "Comby."

In the 14th century, a prominent figure named Jean Comby was recorded as a member of the French nobility, serving as a knight in the court of King Philip VI. His name is mentioned in several chronicles and manuscripts from that era, providing evidence of the name's continued presence in French society.

Another notable individual bearing the surname Comby was Étienne Comby, a French lawyer and legal scholar who lived in the 16th century. Born in 1535 and died in 1604, Comby was recognized for his contributions to the field of jurisprudence and his expertise in civil law.

The name Comby also appears in connection with several place names in France, such as Combey, a small village in the department of Eure-et-Loir, and Comblesy, a commune in the department of Marne. These place names may have influenced the spelling and usage of the surname over time.

In the 18th century, a French explorer named François Comby gained recognition for his travels and discoveries in the Pacific region. Born in 1721 and died in 1791, Comby's expeditions and writings contributed to the expansion of geographical knowledge during that period.

Another notable figure was Marie Comby, a French painter and artist who lived in the late 19th century. Born in 1856 and died in 1923, Comby was known for her landscape paintings and her involvement in the Impressionist movement in France.

While the surname Comby has its roots in France, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchanges. However, its origins can be traced back to the northern regions of France, where it originated as a name associated with geographical features and the Norman heritage of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Comby

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Comby.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Comby was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 36.03% 49
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 54.41% 74
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 5.15% 7
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Comby has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 36.03% 42.28% -15.96%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.00% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 54.41% 47.15% 14.30%
Two or More Races 5.15% 4.88% 5.38%
Hispanic (S)% 4.88% (S)%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Comby was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Comby, please contact us.

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"Comby last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 4, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/comby-surname-popularity/.

"Comby last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/comby-surname-popularity/. Accessed 4 December, 2024

Comby last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/comby-surname-popularity/.

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