NameCensus.

UK surname

Dobbin

An English surname referring to a small or old horse.

In the 1881 census there were 472 people recorded with the Dobbin surname, ranking it #7,076 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,049, ranked #5,555, up from #7,076 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Shotts. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Largs Central and Cumbrae, Holytown and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dobbin is 1,066 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 122.2%.

1881 census count

472

Ranked #7,076

Modern count

1,049

2016, ranked #5,555

Peak year

2014

1,066 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dobbin had 472 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,076 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,049 in 2016, ranked #5,555.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 599 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Dobbin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dobbin surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Dobbin 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 219 #9,712
1861 historical 270 #9,216
1881 historical 472 #7,076
1891 historical 484 #7,621
1901 historical 599 #7,081
1911 historical 446 #8,566
1997 modern 923 #5,853
1998 modern 971 #5,815
1999 modern 984 #5,787
2000 modern 964 #5,859
2001 modern 966 #5,747
2002 modern 980 #5,794
2003 modern 980 #5,683
2004 modern 975 #5,710
2005 modern 950 #5,778
2006 modern 973 #5,673
2007 modern 991 #5,647
2008 modern 1,008 #5,618
2009 modern 1,014 #5,700
2010 modern 1,047 #5,661
2011 modern 1,044 #5,611
2012 modern 1,033 #5,588
2013 modern 1,053 #5,587
2014 modern 1,066 #5,561
2015 modern 1,050 #5,575
2016 modern 1,049 #5,555

Geography

Back to top

Where Dobbins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, London parishes, Shotts, All Saints Poplar and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Largs Central and Cumbrae, Holytown, Rhondda Cynon Taf, County Durham and IZ13. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 London parishes London 3
3 Shotts Lanark
4 All Saints Poplar London (East Districts)
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Largs Central and Cumbrae North Ayrshire
2 Holytown North Lanarkshire
3 Rhondda Cynon Taf 030 Rhondda Cynon Taf
4 County Durham 049 County Durham
5 IZ13 West Dunbartonshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Dobbin

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Dobbin

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Dobbin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Dobbin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dobbin 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

Dobbin is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dobbin falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dobbin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dobbin

The surname DOBBIN has its origins in England, dating back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "dobyn," which referred to a small, sturdy work horse or pony. This word was likely a diminutive form of the Old English term "dob," meaning a "dull or sluggish creature."

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name DOBBIN emerged as a descriptive surname, likely given to individuals who exhibited the qualities associated with a strong, reliable work horse. It is possible that the name was initially used as a nickname before becoming an inherited surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name DOBBIN can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301, where a John Dobyn is mentioned. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279 list a Robert Dobyn.

In the 15th century, variations of the name began to appear, such as Dobbyn and Dobbing. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and scribal errors in record-keeping.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname DOBBIN include:

1. Henry Dobbin (1619-1676), an English Puritan minister and religious writer. 2. James Dobbin (1785-1857), an Irish-born American politician who served as the 9th United States Secretary of the Navy under President Franklin Pierce. 3. Archibald Dobbin (1842-1934), a Scottish-born Australian businessman and politician who served as the 22nd Premier of Tasmania. 4. Frank Dobbin (1886-1963), an English cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club. 5. Susanna Dobbin (1609-1695), an English Quaker minister and author known for her religious writings.

The name DOBBIN has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Dobbin Hill in Yorkshire and Dobbin Farm in Northumberland. These place names may have contributed to the spread and adoption of the surname in certain regions.

While the surname DOBBIN is not among the most common surnames today, it continues to hold historical significance as a reflection of the strong, hardworking spirit associated with its origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Dobbin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dobbin 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. Lanarkshire leads with 80 Dobbins recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.38x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 80 5.38x
Lancashire 63 1.16x
Middlesex 58 1.26x
Durham 49 3.58x
Yorkshire 44 0.97x
Cheshire 22 2.17x
Renfrewshire 21 5.90x
Kent 20 1.28x
Glamorgan 18 2.25x
Essex 16 1.76x
Surrey 16 0.71x
Fife 9 3.31x
Cumberland 8 2.02x
Perthshire 6 2.91x
Dunbartonshire 5 4.05x
Dorset 4 1.33x
Gloucestershire 4 0.44x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.48x
Staffordshire 3 0.19x
Westmorland 3 2.97x
Angus 2 0.47x
Flintshire 2 1.62x
Hampshire 2 0.21x
Herefordshire 2 1.06x
Midlothian 2 0.32x
Worcestershire 2 0.33x
Argyllshire 1 0.78x
Cornwall 1 0.19x
Leicestershire 1 0.20x
Northumberland 1 0.15x
Stirlingshire 1 0.59x
Suffolk 1 0.18x
Sussex 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blantyre in Lanarkshire leads with 17 Dobbins recorded in 1881 and an index of 109.89x.

Place Total Index
Blantyre 17 109.89x
Poplar London 17 19.61x
Barony 16 4.25x
West Ham 15 7.49x
Glasgow 14 5.31x
Shotts 13 73.12x
Toxteth Park 12 6.50x
West Greenock 12 18.78x
Bromley London 10 9.89x
Govan 10 2.72x
North Meols 10 18.74x
Llantwit Vairdre 9 100.11x
Sedgefield 9 184.80x
Stranton 9 19.56x
Low Worsall 8 2580.65x
Deptford St Paul 7 5.79x
Dunfermline 7 16.74x
Ealing 7 17.05x
Islington London 7 1.57x
Middlestone 7 255.47x
Paisley Middle Church 7 33.77x
Warrington 7 10.83x
Birkenhead 6 7.42x
Lambeth 6 1.50x
Leftwich 6 133.33x
Lower Bebington 6 99.50x
Perth East Church 6 30.86x
Southwark St Saviour 6 25.41x
Wakefield 6 17.17x
Willesden 6 13.85x
Bootle Cum Linacre 5 11.55x
Cardiff St Mary 5 11.35x
Esh 5 50.25x
Horton In Bradford 5 7.03x
Hunslet 5 7.04x
Manchester 5 2.04x
Tonbridge 5 8.84x
Cornforth 4 99.50x
Egremont 4 42.42x
Greencroft 4 159.36x
Halifax 4 5.98x
Hulme 4 3.51x
Row 4 25.05x
West Derby 4 2.51x
Wyke Regis 4 92.38x
Aldbrough In Richmond 3 476.19x
Bristol St James St Paul 3 9.98x
Cropwell Bishop 3 300.00x
Everton 3 1.73x
Hampstead London 3 4.19x
Lanark 3 25.08x
Leeds 3 1.17x
Milton In Gravesend 3 12.76x
Morland 3 517.24x
Rushall 3 32.86x
Scaleby 3 410.96x
Abbey 2 3.68x
Barton Upon Irwell 2 4.87x
Battersea 2 1.18x
Bothwell 2 4.96x
Cardiff St John 2 7.65x
Darlington 2 3.79x
Dover St James 2 29.11x
Dundee 2 1.26x
Eldersfield 2 212.77x
Gillingham 2 6.19x
Hackney London 2 0.78x
Haswell 2 20.41x
Hereford St John 2 93.02x
Melsonby 2 238.10x
Mold 2 17.86x
Oldham 2 1.14x
Pendleton In Salford 2 3.08x
Rutherglen 2 9.17x
Scoonie 2 33.96x
Shettleston 2 15.04x
Spital Boughton 2 909.09x
Camberwell 1 0.34x
Heworth 1 3.71x
Kilfinan 1 29.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 34
Elizabeth 15
Margaret 9
Eliza 8
Jane 8
Sarah 8
Annie 7
Ann 6
Hannah 4
Louisa 4
Alice 3
Catherine 3
Emma 3
Florence 3
Harriet 3
Martha 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Anna 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Elisabeth 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Gertrude 2
Isabel 2
Isabella 2
Maria 2
Cissia 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth.Jane 1
Ellen 1
Ethel 1
Eunci 1
Florida 1
Frances 1
Hanore 1
Isabell 1
Johanna 1
Julia 1
Katherine 1
Lillian 1
Lousia 1
Lucy 1
M.A. 1
Mabel 1
Marg.Josephine 1
Virginia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 25
William 20
Thomas 19
James 14
Joseph 9
Robert 9
Charles 5
Henry 5
Samuel 5
George 4
Walter 4
Edward 3
Alexander 2
Andrew 2
Arthur 2
Bus 2
Harry 2
Leonard 2
Abraham 1
Adam 1
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Anthony 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fred.W. 1
Hugh 1
M. 1
Michael 1
Nathan 1
Nathaniel 1
Orslando 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Reubin 1
Richard 1
Sydney 1
Tommy 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Dobbin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dobbin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 472 people were recorded with the Dobbin surname. That placed it at #7,076 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dobbin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,049 in 2016. That gives Dobbin a modern rank of #5,555.

What does the Dobbin surname mean?

An English surname referring to a small or old horse.

What does the Dobbin map show?

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