NameCensus.

UK surname

Bob

A diminutive of the name Robert, derived from the Germanic elements "hrod" (fame) and "berht" (bright).

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Bob surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 305, ranked #14,576, up from #34,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lambeth, Manchester and Ealing.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bob is 305 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30400.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

305

2016, ranked #14,576

Peak year

2016

305 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bob had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 305 in 2016, ranked #14,576.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Bob surname distribution map

The map shows where the Bob surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Bob surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bob over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 1 #33,412
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1901 historical 2 #34,263
1997 modern 4 #38,094
1998 modern 4 #38,082
1999 modern 4 #38,100
2000 modern 6 #37,624
2001 modern 6 #37,456
2002 modern 8 #37,206
2003 modern 8 #37,248
2004 modern 10 #37,096
2005 modern 19 #36,247
2006 modern 24 #35,981
2007 modern 29 #35,725
2008 modern 43 #34,931
2009 modern 31 #35,794
2010 modern 69 #33,560
2011 modern 48 #34,926
2012 modern 114 #27,868
2013 modern 138 #25,020
2014 modern 176 #21,413
2015 modern 213 #18,769
2016 modern 305 #14,576

Geography

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Where Bobs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lambeth, Manchester, Ealing, Greenwich and Swansea. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lambeth 015 Lambeth
2 Manchester 015 Manchester
3 Ealing 031 Ealing
4 Greenwich 038 Greenwich
5 Swansea 025 Swansea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bob

These lists show first names that appear often with the Bob surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bob

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bob, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Bob surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Bob household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Bob is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bob is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bob falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bob is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bob, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bob

The surname BOB is of English origin, specifically from the northern counties of England such as Yorkshire and Lancashire. It first emerged in the late 12th century as a nickname for someone with a bobbed or cropped haircut. The name is derived from the Middle English word "bob", meaning short or cropped.

The earliest recorded bearer of the surname BOB is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1196, where a Robert le Bobbe is listed. This early spelling variation highlights the nickname origins of the name. Other early spellings include Bobbe, Bobb, and Bobe.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records across northern England. For instance, a William Bobbe is mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1246. The Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273 also reference a Henry Bobbe.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname BOB was John Bobe, a 14th-century cleric who served as the Abbot of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk between 1335 and 1346. Another early bearer was Sir Robert Bob, a knight from Northumberland who fought in the Battle of Neville's Cross in 1346 during the Scottish Wars of Independence.

In the 16th century, the surname BOB began to appear in various place names, such as Bobbing in Kent and Bobbers Mill in Sussex. These places likely derived their names from individuals with the surname BOB who lived or owned land there.

Later notable figures with the surname BOB include Sir John Bob (1558-1636), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Gatton in Surrey, and Christopher Bob (1572-1628), a clergyman who served as the Dean of Windsor from 1616 until his death.

Over time, the surname BOB has also seen various spelling variations, including Bobb, Bobbe, Bobe, and Bobbs. Despite its humble beginnings as a nickname for a cropped hairstyle, the name BOB has a rich history spanning several centuries in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bob families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bob surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 1 Bobs recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1 10.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St George In East London in Middlesex leads with 1 Bobs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1111.11x.

Place Total Index
St George In East London 1 1111.11x

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Bob surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Bob households.

Occupation Count
Able Seaman 1

FAQ

Bob surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bob surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Bob surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bob surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 305 in 2016. That gives Bob a modern rank of #14,576.

What does the Bob surname mean?

A diminutive of the name Robert, derived from the Germanic elements "hrod" (fame) and "berht" (bright).

What does the Bob map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bob bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.