UK surname
An English surname derived from a nickname for a person with a prominent or hobbly gait.
In the 1881 census there were 185 people recorded with the Hobb surname, ranking it #13,506 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 33, ranked #35,829, down from #13,506 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and Pillaton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hobb is 527 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 82.2%.
1881 census count
185
Ranked #13,506
Modern count
33
2016, ranked #35,829
Peak year
1861
527 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Hobb surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Hobb surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 238 | #9,120 |
| 1861 | historical | 527 | #4,979 |
| 1881 | historical | 185 | #13,506 |
| 1891 | historical | 434 | #8,290 |
| 1901 | historical | 142 | #18,633 |
| 1911 | historical | 158 | #17,277 |
| 1997 | modern | 63 | #31,335 |
| 1998 | modern | 64 | #31,562 |
| 1999 | modern | 56 | #32,461 |
| 2000 | modern | 54 | #32,710 |
| 2001 | modern | 39 | #33,923 |
| 2002 | modern | 38 | #34,307 |
| 2003 | modern | 32 | #34,862 |
| 2004 | modern | 32 | #35,019 |
| 2005 | modern | 30 | #35,347 |
| 2006 | modern | 36 | #35,131 |
| 2007 | modern | 34 | #35,410 |
| 2008 | modern | 34 | #35,502 |
| 2009 | modern | 34 | #35,608 |
| 2010 | modern | 31 | #35,906 |
| 2011 | modern | 29 | #36,004 |
| 2012 | modern | 27 | #36,102 |
| 2013 | modern | 32 | #35,862 |
| 2014 | modern | 34 | #35,784 |
| 2015 | modern | 34 | #35,756 |
| 2016 | modern | 33 | #35,829 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, Pillaton, Brechin and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Pillaton | Cornwall |
| 4 | Brechin | Forfar |
| 5 | St Matthew Bethnal Green | London (East Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Hobb surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hobb, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Hobb surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Hobb household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Hobb is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hobb is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Hobb, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname HOBB originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is derived from the Old English word "hob," which means a projecting shelf or ledge. This name was likely given to someone who lived near a distinctive geographical feature, such as a cliff or hill with a flat top.
Early records of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hobb" and "Hobbe." The name was prevalent in the counties of Devon, Dorset, and Somerset in southwestern England.
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was William Hobb, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1190. Another early reference is John Hobb, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275.
The name HOBB is also found in various place names, such as Hobbacott in Devon, which means "the cottage or dwelling of Hobb." Similarly, Hobberton in Gloucestershire likely means "the town or settlement of Hobb."
Notable individuals with the surname HOBB include:
1. Sir Thomas Hobb (1550-1629), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament. 2. William Hobb (1609-1654), a British military officer who fought in the English Civil War. 3. John Hobb (1720-1804), an English clergyman and author. 4. Mary Hobb (1762-1849), a British writer and poet. 5. Samuel Hobb (1801-1875), an English inventor and manufacturer of agricultural machinery.
Over time, the surname HOBB evolved into various spellings, such as Hobbs, Hobbes, and Hobbis. These variations were likely influenced by regional accents and dialects, as well as scribal errors in record-keeping.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hobb surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cornwall leads with 31 Hobbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.93x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Cornwall | 31 | 14.93x |
| Devon | 31 | 8.12x |
| Middlesex | 19 | 1.04x |
| Somerset | 14 | 4.74x |
| Hampshire | 12 | 3.19x |
| Angus | 10 | 5.89x |
| Argyllshire | 8 | 15.67x |
| Warwickshire | 7 | 1.51x |
| Aberdeenshire | 6 | 3.53x |
| Buckinghamshire | 6 | 5.41x |
| Sussex | 5 | 1.62x |
| Durham | 4 | 0.73x |
| Kent | 4 | 0.64x |
| Surrey | 4 | 0.45x |
| Wiltshire | 4 | 2.47x |
| Channel Islands | 3 | 5.52x |
| Staffordshire | 3 | 0.48x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.09x |
| Morayshire | 2 | 7.02x |
| Northamptonshire | 2 | 1.16x |
| Northumberland | 2 | 0.73x |
| Yorkshire | 2 | 0.11x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 0.28x |
| Inverness-shire | 1 | 1.83x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 0.17x |
| Leicestershire | 1 | 0.49x |
| Midlothian | 1 | 0.41x |
| Monmouthshire | 1 | 0.75x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 4.58x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Damerel in Devon leads with 13 Hobbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.67x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hobb surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 11 |
| Emma | 6 |
| Eliza | 5 |
| Annie | 4 |
| Ellen | 4 |
| Emily | 4 |
| Sarah | 4 |
| Jessie | 3 |
| Ann | 2 |
| Beatrice | 2 |
| Edith | 2 |
| Jane | 2 |
| Margaret | 2 |
| Susan | 2 |
| A. | 1 |
| Ada | 1 |
| Alice | 1 |
| Amelia | 1 |
| Betsy | 1 |
| Caroline | 1 |
| Catherine | 1 |
| Clara | 1 |
| Deborah | 1 |
| Eleanor | 1 |
| Elizab. | 1 |
| Elizabeth | 1 |
| Emm | 1 |
| Ethel | 1 |
| F. | 1 |
| Fanny | 1 |
| Kate | 1 |
| Lilly | 1 |
| Lizzie | 1 |
| Louisa | 1 |
| Martha | 1 |
| Maud | 1 |
| May | 1 |
| P. | 1 |
| Rebecca | 1 |
| S. | 1 |
| Sophia | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Hobb surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 185 people were recorded with the Hobb surname. That placed it at #13,506 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 33 in 2016. That gives Hobb a modern rank of #35,829.
An English surname derived from a nickname for a person with a prominent or hobbly gait.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hobb bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.