NameCensus.

UK surname

Bobb

An English surname derived from a nickname for a person with a short, stocky build or large head.

In the 1881 census there were 12 people recorded with the Bobb surname, ranking it #31,914 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 217, ranked #18,535, up from #31,914 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wycombe, South Ribble and Hambleton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bobb is 227 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1708.3%.

1881 census count

12

Ranked #31,914

Modern count

217

2016, ranked #18,535

Peak year

2010

227 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bobb had 12 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,914 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 217 in 2016, ranked #18,535.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 96 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Bobb surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bobb surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bobb 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 22 #29,378
1861 historical 96 #21,648
1881 historical 12 #31,914
1891 historical 30 #31,889
1901 historical 13 #32,633
1911 historical 20 #31,288
1997 modern 143 #21,761
1998 modern 153 #21,387
1999 modern 155 #21,375
2000 modern 142 #22,544
2001 modern 139 #22,541
2002 modern 162 #20,839
2003 modern 170 #20,023
2004 modern 168 #20,300
2005 modern 182 #19,259
2006 modern 195 #18,564
2007 modern 195 #18,799
2008 modern 202 #18,528
2009 modern 208 #18,551
2010 modern 227 #17,895
2011 modern 206 #18,907
2012 modern 207 #18,777
2013 modern 214 #18,671
2014 modern 215 #18,764
2015 modern 215 #18,659
2016 modern 217 #18,535

Geography

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Where Bobbs 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 Wycombe, South Ribble, Hambleton, Queensferry East and Croydon. 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 Wycombe 011 Wycombe
2 South Ribble 011 South Ribble
3 Hambleton 010 Hambleton
4 Queensferry East City of Edinburgh
5 Croydon 022 Croydon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bobb

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bobb

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bobb, 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 Bobb 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 Bobb 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Bobb is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bobb 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

Bobb falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bobb 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
Black - African

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

Meaning and origin of Bobb

The surname Bobb is of English origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bob," which means "to strike or beat." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who was perceived as a combative or aggressive individual.

The earliest known record of the surname Bobb appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1191, where a person named Robert Bobb is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already in use by the late 12th century.

Throughout the medieval period, the surname Bobb was primarily concentrated in the West Midlands region of England, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. The name can also be found in various historical records from these areas, including parish registers and tax rolls.

One notable individual with the surname Bobb was John Bobb, a merchant and landowner who lived in the town of Evesham, Worcestershire, in the 15th century. Records show that he was a prominent figure in the local community and served as a bailiff (a local official) in 1458.

In the 16th century, the surname Bobb spread to other parts of England, including London and the surrounding areas. During this period, variations in spelling became more common, with forms such as Bobe, Bobbe, and Boob appearing in historical documents.

Another notable figure with the surname Bobb was William Bobb, a playwright and actor who lived in London in the late 16th century. He is known to have written several plays, although only one, titled "The Tragedies of Sir John van Olden Barnavelt," has survived to this day.

In the 17th century, the surname Bobb continued to be present throughout England, with individuals bearing this name appearing in various records. One such person was Robert Bobb, a merchant who was born in Bristol in 1635 and later settled in the American colonies, where he became a prominent figure in the colonial trade.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the surname Bobb remained relatively uncommon but could still be found in various parts of England and Wales. One notable individual from this period was John Bobb, a Welsh poet and writer who was born in Pembrokeshire in 1774.

Overall, the surname Bobb has a long and rich history, tracing its origins back to medieval England. While not a particularly common name, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, landowners, writers, and actors, throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bobb families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bobb 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. Gloucestershire leads with 7 Bobbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.54x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 7 30.54x
Middlesex 3 2.57x
Aberdeenshire 1 9.24x
Surrey 1 1.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bitton Oldland in Gloucestershire leads with 7 Bobbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3043.48x.

Place Total Index
Bitton Oldland 7 3043.48x
Islington London 3 26.48x
Fraserburgh 1 333.33x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 42.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Alice 1
Elizabeth 1
Hannah 1
Minnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
David 1
George 1
John 1
Phillip 1
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 Bobb households.

FAQ

Bobb surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bobb surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12 people were recorded with the Bobb surname. That placed it at #31,914 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bobb surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 217 in 2016. That gives Bobb a modern rank of #18,535.

What does the Bobb surname mean?

An English surname derived from a nickname for a person with a short, stocky build or large head.

What does the Bobb map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bobb 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.