The Comer surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 16,893 people carried this name — #2,148 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 17,500 people counted. That is up 2% from 16,619 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Comer surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as an occupational name: ‘the comber’.

An early record he cites: Richard le Cumbere, Cambridgeshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Comber, Comer and Cumber.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 198 · public domain.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 33 people named Comer.

3 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 9 départements, most often Nord.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 3
Nord 8
Mayenne 7
Paris 4
Guadeloupe 4
Drôme 3
Oise 1
Seine-et-Marne 1
Somme 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Comer was found among the farmers of Somerset: 11 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Somerset 11

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

31 families named Comer, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 175 people lived in those households, 5.6 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 2 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Virginia 17
South Carolina 5
North Carolina 4
Maryland 3
Pennsylvania 2

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 234 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Comer in American newspapers,
1914.

Newspaper page from The Poplar Standard carrying the name Comer
The Poplar Standard 1914-01-22

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Comer in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

12,991 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Comer. The most, 2,445, date from the 1900s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Victoria, at 1.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 4,600
New South Wales 3,253
Queensland 2,422
South Australia 1,591
Tasmania 551
Western Australia 530
ACT (Canberra) 20
Northern Territory 1

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Comer.

Who carried it

People named Comer,
with a public archive behind them.

  • B. B. Comer
    B. B. Comer 1848–1927 · politician
  • George Comer
    George Comer 1858–1937 · politician
  • Cornelia Atwood Pratt Comer
    Cornelia Atwood Pratt Comer 1865–1929 · writer
  • John Fletcher Comer 1811–1858
  • John Fletcher Comer 1854–1927
  • Sallie Bailey Comer 1873–1951

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Comer,
in the records of 9 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,224 records

1,224 records of the Comer name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 658
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 187
  • Other U.S. records 379
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Robert G. Comer

    Born 1918 in Michigan. Enlisted 1944 at Fort Sheridan, Illinois; floorman from St Joseph County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1945, buried at New Albany National Cemetery, Indiana.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Margaret Comer

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Chester from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 27; servant. From Galway, Ireland; bound for Philadelphia.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record William Marvin Comer

    Born 1942; from Larned, Kansas. U.S. Navy, boatswain's mate; killed in action 1968 in Dinh Tuong, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,224 records for Comer in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia211 records

211 records of the Comer name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 97
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 67
  • Other Australian records 47
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Anne Comer

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Midlothian, sailing from Kingston in 1852. Native of Leitrim. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1857. Married 1857 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 35.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Robert Comer

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850. Married 1850 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 38.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Michael Comer

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Hibernia, aged 37; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 211 records for Comer in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Ireland81 records

81 records of the Comer name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Winifred Comer

    Died 1958, aged 93; buried at Dunmore, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas Comer

    Died 1955, aged 70; buried at Boyounagh, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Patrick F. Comer

    Died 1943, aged 33; buried at Clonburn, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 81 records for Comer in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand26 records

26 records of the Comer name in New Zealand
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 20
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 6
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Leonard Daniel Comer

    Buried in 1974 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 65.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edmund John Comer

    Died 1885, aged 44; buried at Addington Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Witheridge Comer

    Buried in 1926 at Tararu Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 73.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 26 records for Comer in New Zealand.

Counts: Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Canada22 records

22 records of the Comer name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 11
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 3
  • Other Canadian records 8
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Mary Ellen Comer

    Buried in 1959 at Mount Hermon Cemetery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, aged 77.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Dorothy Comer

    Buried in 1903 at Union Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Mary Ellen Comer

    Died 1959 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 22 records for Comer in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France16 records

16 records of the Comer name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Odette Henriette Comer

    Born 1922 in Roubaix; died 1998 in Roubaix (Nord).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Jean Rene Marcel Comer

    Born 1902 in Paris; died 1977 in Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Paula Ida Comer

    Born 1897 in Livron-sur-Drôme; died 1976 in Crest (Drôme).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 16 records for Comer in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Belgium7 records

7 records of the Comer name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Leon Hyacinthe Comer

    Died 1937 in Aarschot; born 1872 in Brussel.

    Open Archives, Stedelijk Archief en Documentatiecentrum Aarschot (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Edouard Comer

    Died 1859 in Kortijk.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Kortrijk (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Clémence Comer

    Died 1860 in Kortijk.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Kortrijk (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Comer in Belgium.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom5 records

5 records of the Comer name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record E. Comer

    Royal Irish Fusiliers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Comer

    Lincolnshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Comer in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands2 records

2 records of the Comer name in the Netherlands Dutch church registers before 1811
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Johan Comer

    Married in 1692 in Breda.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Hoeberta Comer

    Buried in 1756 in Breda.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Breda (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Comer.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Comer is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Comer volume
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