NameCensus.

UK surname

Bobbett

An English surname derived from the medieval personal name Robert.

In the 1881 census there were 171 people recorded with the Bobbett surname, ranking it #14,212 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 247, ranked #16,955, down from #14,212 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wookey, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Monkton, West. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mendip, The Vale of Glamorgan and Sedgemoor.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bobbett is 280 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.4%.

1881 census count

171

Ranked #14,212

Modern count

247

2016, ranked #16,955

Peak year

1911

280 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bobbett had 171 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,212 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 247 in 2016, ranked #16,955.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 280 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bobbett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bobbett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bobbett 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 135 #13,964
1861 historical 131 #17,052
1881 historical 171 #14,212
1891 historical 241 #13,089
1901 historical 236 #13,616
1911 historical 280 #11,982
1997 modern 240 #15,678
1998 modern 235 #16,358
1999 modern 246 #15,974
2000 modern 237 #16,331
2001 modern 231 #16,365
2002 modern 223 #17,099
2003 modern 213 #17,395
2004 modern 219 #17,180
2005 modern 224 #16,876
2006 modern 214 #17,507
2007 modern 224 #17,193
2008 modern 221 #17,495
2009 modern 234 #17,194
2010 modern 244 #17,056
2011 modern 245 #16,874
2012 modern 241 #16,925
2013 modern 259 #16,392
2014 modern 265 #16,247
2015 modern 256 #16,524
2016 modern 247 #16,955

Geography

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Where Bobbetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wookey, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Monkton, West, Stoke St Gregory and St Philip and Jacob. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mendip, The Vale of Glamorgan and Sedgemoor. 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 Wookey Somerset
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Monkton, West Somerset
4 Stoke St Gregory Somerset
5 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mendip 012 Mendip
2 Mendip 005 Mendip
3 The Vale of Glamorgan 013 Vale of Glamorgan
4 Mendip 011 Mendip
5 Sedgemoor 003 Sedgemoor

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bobbett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bobbett

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Bobbett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bobbett 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bobbett is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bobbett is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bobbett falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bobbett is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bobbett

The surname Bobbett is of English origin, with roots dating back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bob," meaning a tuft or cluster, referring to a person's physical appearance or possibly their occupation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bobbett surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the 13th century, where a Robert Bobbett was mentioned. This suggests that the name may have originated in the Yorkshire region of England.

During the 14th century, the Bobbett surname appeared in various historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire, where a John Bobbett was documented in 1327. The Bobbett family also had a presence in the county of Derbyshire, as evidenced by the mention of a William Bobbett in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332.

In the 16th century, the Bobbett surname was associated with the village of Bobbet, located in the county of Norfolk. This place name likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in that region. Additionally, a variant spelling, "Bobbitt," was used in some parts of England during this period.

Notable individuals bearing the Bobbett surname throughout history include:

1. Richard Bobbett (c. 1510-1580), an English landowner and member of the gentry in Warwickshire. 2. Thomas Bobbett (1620-1688), a Puritan settler who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 17th century. 3. Elizabeth Bobbett (1745-1819), a British author known for her works on domestic economy and household management. 4. John Bobbett (1801-1867), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London during the Victorian era. 5. William Bobbett (1876-1942), a British politician and Member of Parliament for the constituency of West Derbyshire from 1922 to 1935.

While the Bobbett surname may not be as widespread as some others, it has maintained a presence throughout English history, with roots dating back to the medieval period and a connection to various regions and notable individuals over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bobbett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bobbett 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. Somerset leads with 83 Bobbetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.92x.

County Total Index
Somerset 83 30.92x
Gloucestershire 32 9.78x
Monmouthshire 10 8.29x
Sussex 8 2.85x
Dorset 7 6.40x
Middlesex 7 0.42x
Norfolk 5 1.95x
Surrey 5 0.62x
Glamorgan 4 1.38x
Lancashire 4 0.20x
Yorkshire 3 0.18x
Hampshire 1 0.29x
Kent 1 0.18x
Warwickshire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wookey in Somerset leads with 20 Bobbetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 3389.83x.

Place Total Index
Wookey 20 3389.83x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 14 45.45x
West Monkton 12 2033.90x
Stoke St Gregory 11 1341.46x
Aberystruth 10 94.07x
Bristol St James St Paul 8 73.33x
Frant 8 402.01x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 8 370.37x
Ashcott 7 1707.32x
Chideock 7 1794.87x
Meare 7 864.20x
Bristol St George 5 33.05x
Grimston 5 769.23x
Cardiff St Mary 4 25.00x
Shepton Mallet 4 132.89x
St Pancras London 4 2.98x
Taunton St Mary 4 81.14x
Wandsworth 4 24.92x
West Derby 4 6.91x
North Curry 3 329.67x
Rotherham 3 32.19x
Westbury On Trym 3 27.08x
Churchill 2 465.12x
Walton 2 645.16x
Aston 1 0.86x
Bridgewater 1 13.72x
Bristol St Michael 1 35.71x
Croydon 1 2.22x
Glastonbury 1 45.66x
Hillingdon 1 18.80x
Islington London 1 0.62x
Kensington London 1 1.08x
Minster In Thanet 1 84.75x
Painswick 1 43.29x
Portsea 1 1.49x
Winscombe 1 136.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Sarah 8
Ann 4
Alice 3
Anna 3
Emily 3
Louisa 3
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Honour 2
Jessie 2
Josephine 2
Kate 2
Rosa 2
Allen 1
Anney 1
Bessy 1
Caroline 1
Dorcas 1
Elbina 1
Eliza 1
Fannie 1
Fanny 1
Francis 1
Hannah 1
Henrietta 1
Julia 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Phebe 1
Rebecca 1
Rechabina 1
Rhoda 1
Rosena 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 11
George 9
William 9
James 8
Joseph 6
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Joe 3
Richard 3
Charles 2
Henry 2
Samuel 2
Thomas 2
Tom 2
Abel 1
Albert 1
Alexr. 1
Eugene 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Jeffery 1
Jno 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Nurton 1
Oliver 1
Robbert 1
Stephen 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Bobbett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bobbett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 171 people were recorded with the Bobbett surname. That placed it at #14,212 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bobbett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 247 in 2016. That gives Bobbett a modern rank of #16,955.

What does the Bobbett surname mean?

An English surname derived from the medieval personal name Robert.

What does the Bobbett map show?

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