Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Cumbes 1297 LS

• le Coumbes 1339 Cust

• Nether Coumbes 1640 WillY

• le Colme 1441 SheffCh

• Mid(d)le-Colmes, Nether-Colmes 1590,1618 FF 1639 WillY

• Nether-Combes, Midle-Combes 1621,1632 SheffMan 1625 Taylor

• Far & Near Combes 1822 Langd

Etymology

Coumes, Cumbes 1297 LS (p), le Coumbes 1339 Cust, Nether Coumbes 1640 WillY, le Colme 1441 SheffCh, Mid (d )le -Colmes , Nether -Colmes 1590, 1618 FF, 1639 WillY, Nether -Combes , Midle -Combes 1621, 1632 SheffMan, 1625 Taylor, Far & Near Combes 1822 Langd. Possibly OE  cumb 'a valley', but the occasional Colme - forms suggest it is rather from l. ME  colm 'soot, coal dust, slack', as in Combs ii, 211.