Special Index to Combs &c. Entries Extracted from the PRO Catalogue, London

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Introduction

The Public Records Office, UK's National Archives, now maintains an online catalogue from which selected Combs &c. entries have been extracted. Surname spellings checked thus far include (as of 21 Jan 2001):

The National Archives | the Catalogue (formerly PROCAT - “Public Records Office Catalogue”)

COMB (106 returns), COMBE (1227 returns), COMBES (374 returns), COMBS (122 returns), COMBA (returns zero (after locations removed), COM (not executed, returns 1000s of PRO code "COM Series"), CUM (not yet executed, returns 6000+ Latin "cum"), CUMB (1500 returns including abbrev. for Cumberland so not extracted), CUMBE (returns less than 10 after locations deleted), CUMBA (returns 9 less locations and duplicates), COOM (returns 3), COOMB (returns 25), COOMBE (returns 464), COOMBES (returns 231), COOMBYS (returns zero), COOMBS (returns 159), COOME (returns 7), COOMES (returns 30), COMES returns 273 (mainly verbs), COME (returns 1000s, mainly verbs, extracted a few non-verbs, but only the first few pages were checked: through the C class plus E 115), COUMBE (returns 25), COUMBES (returns 3), COMBEZ (returns 1), COUMBIS (returns zero), COUMES (returns 3), COWMBE (returns 1), COMME (returns 36), COMBYS (returns 4), COMBIS (returns 3).

Hundreds of the search returns were for place names rather than surnames, in which case, to the extent that they could be identified (and if they were probably not significant in terms of manorial records, etc.), these entries have not been included herein. Likewise, records with no possible genealogical or historical value at this time (such as those of the Atomic Energy Authority, for example) have also not been included. Numerous later records have also been excluded in accordance with Combs &c. policy to protect the Right to Privacy of the Living.* A limited number of Combs-associated surname entries have also been extracted, but may not be complete. Of the remaining entries, in some instances the catalogue entry is quite detailed, and in others, no details are provided (including dates and locations, and sometimes even given names). Also note that the electronic edition of this catalogue limits the number of characters of text. As a result, searches of this edition will result in fewer returns than searches at the PRO's facilities.

Our purpose in extracting these entries is to try and determine which may be of sufficient interest to warrant ordering the records. As records are collected, a notation will be added to the applicable index entries. In some instances (but still a work in progress), entries have been highlighted, footnoted or linked to other Combs &c. sites in order to indicate they may be of particular interest to currently active Combs &c. researchers. In a few instances, multiple record groups have been combined (for research purposes), but for the most part (unless otherwise noted), records have been organized in the same categories as used by the PRO.

* Due to the magnitude of this extraction it is possible that some later records may have been inadvertantly included herein. Please advise the Combs &c. Webmaster should you discover errors of this type or any other.

Index by Records Category (Letter Code)
(See Also Search the Combs &c. PRO)

• ASSI Series: Records of Justices of Assize, Gaol Delivery, Oyer and Terminer, and Nisi Prius (also includes CRIM and PRIS as noted below)
• B Series: Records of the Office of the Commissioners of Bankrupts, the successor bankruptcy courts, and the Court for the Relief of Insolvent Debtors
• BT Series: Records of the Board of Trade and of successor and related bodies (extracted, but not yet organized)
• C Series: Records created, acquired, and inherited by Chancery, and also of the Wardrobe, Royal Household, Exchequer and various commissions
• CAB Series: Records of the Cabinet Office
• CO Series: Records of the Colonial Office, Commonwealth and Foreign and Commonwealth Offices, Empire Marketing Board, and related bodies
• CRES Series: Crown Estate Records
• CRIM:   Records of the Central Criminal Court. See ASSI
• DEL Series: Records of the High Court of Delegates
• DL Series: Records of the Duchy of Lancaster
• E Series: Records of the Exchequer, and its related bodies, with those of the Office of First Fruits and Tenths, and the Court of Augmentations (excluding E 115)
• E 115 Series: Records of the Exchequer, and its related bodies, with those of the Office of First Fruits and Tenths, and the Court of Augmentations Exchequer: King's Remembrancer: Certificates of Residence
• ED Series = Records created or inherited by the Department of Education and Science, and of related bodies (extracted, but not yet organized)
• FO Series: Records created and inherited by the Foreign Office
• HCA Series: Records of the High Court of Admiralty and colonial Vice-Admiralty courts
• HO Series: Records created or inherited by the Home Office, Ministry of Home Security, and related bodies
• J Series: Records of the Supreme Court of Judicature and related courts
• KB Series: Records of the Court of King's Bench and other courts
• LR Series: Records of the Court of King's Bench and other courts
• MAF Series: Records created or inherited by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Departments, and of related bodies
• MINT Series: Records of the Royal Mint
• PC Series: Records of the Privy Council and other records collected by the Privy Council Office
• PIN Series: Records created or inherited by the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance, and of related and successor bodies
• PL Series: Records of the Palatinate of Lancaster
• PRIS: Records of the King's Bench, Fleet, and Marshalsea prisons. See ASSI.
• PRO Series: Domestic Records of the Public Record Office, Gifts, Deposits, Notes and Transcripts
• PROB Series: Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury
• RAIL Series: Records of the pre-nationalisation railway companies, pre-nationalisation canal and related companies, the London Passenger Transport Board, and successors
• RGO Series: Records of the Royal Greenwich Observatory
• SC Series:   Records of various departments, arranged artificially according to type, and formerly entitled Special Collections
• SP Series:   Records assembled by the State Paper Office, including papers of the Secretaries of State up to 1782
• STAC Series:   Records of the Star Chamber
• T Series:   Records created and inherited by HM Treasury
• TS Series:   Records created or inherited by the Treasury Solicitor and HM Procurator General's Department
• WARD Series:   Court of Wards and Liveries (includes inquisitions post mortem)
• WO Series:   Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies (primarily WWI)

Some Added Notes

Ancient Deeds are found in C Series (146-8), E Series and LR Series as follows:

E 40 = Exchequer: Treasury of Receipt: Ancient Deeds, Series A
E 41 = Exchequer: Treasury of Receipt: Ancient Deeds, Series AA
E 210 = Exchequer: King's Remembrancer: Ancient Deeds, Series D
E 326 = Exchequer: Augmentation Office: Ancient Deeds, Series B
E 328 = Exchequer: Augmentation Office: Ancient Deeds, Series BB
E 329 = Exchequer: Augmentation Office: Ancient Deeds, Series BS
C 146 = Chancery: Ancient Deeds, Series C
C 147 = Chancery: Ancient Deeds, Series CC
C 148 = Chancery: Ancient Deeds, Series CS
LR 14 = Office of the Auditors of Land Revenue: Ancient Deeds, Series E

Post Mortem Inquisitions (and others) are found in C Series and E Series