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

Holcombe, 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 Holcombe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Holcombe in America

Holcombe is the 4390th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Holcombe surname appeared 8,103 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Holcombe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Holcombe 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.

The history of the last name Holcombe

The Holcombe surname originates from England, deriving its roots from the Old English words 'hol' meaning hollow or hole, and 'cumb' meaning a small valley. It is believed to have first emerged as a locational name, referring to individuals who resided in or near a small valley or hollow area.

The earliest recorded instance of the Holcombe surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as 'Holecumbe' in Somerset and Devon. This suggests that the name was already established in these regions during the 11th century.

Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling variations, including Holcomb, Holcombe, Holcumb, and Holcumbe. These variations reflect the regional dialects and phonetic changes that occurred in different parts of England.

One notable bearer of the Holcombe name was Sir John Holcombe (c. 1435-1505), a prominent English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reigns of Edward IV and Henry VII.

Another renowned figure with this surname was Gervase Holcombe (1572-1647), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Bristol from 1618 to 1647. He played a significant role in the religious and political affairs of his time.

In the literary realm, Thomas Holcombe (1627-1658) was an English poet and playwright who gained recognition for his works, including the tragedy "The Vindictive Man" and several poems published posthumously.

Moving to the American colonies, Thomas Holcombe (1624-1657) was one of the earliest settlers of the Holcombe name in New England. He arrived in Massachusetts in 1630 and later settled in Windsor, Connecticut, where he became a prominent member of the community.

Another notable figure was Amasa Holcombe (1787-1875), an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Senator from Connecticut from 1827 to 1835. He was also a prominent abolitionist and advocated for the abolition of slavery.

These examples illustrate the rich history and diverse backgrounds of individuals bearing the Holcombe surname, which has been present in various regions of England and later in the American colonies, contributing to the cultural and historical fabric of these societies.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Holcombe

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

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 Holcombe was:

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 Holcombe has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Holcombe was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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