NameCensus.

UK surname

Lobb

An English occupational surname for a wolf hunter or a nickname for someone with a large, rounded nose.

In the 1881 census there were 1,455 people recorded with the Lobb surname, ranking it #2,860 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,259, ranked #4,748, down from #2,860 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Columb Major, St Teath and Egloshayle. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lobb is 1,518 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 13.5%.

1881 census count

1,455

Ranked #2,860

Modern count

1,259

2016, ranked #4,748

Peak year

1911

1,518 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lobb had 1,455 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,860 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,259 in 2016, ranked #4,748.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,518 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lobb surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lobb surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lobb 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 1,007 #2,772
1861 historical 938 #2,952
1881 historical 1,455 #2,860
1891 historical 1,405 #3,099
1901 historical 1,458 #3,496
1911 historical 1,518 #3,187
1997 modern 1,344 #4,279
1998 modern 1,368 #4,354
1999 modern 1,384 #4,347
2000 modern 1,386 #4,325
2001 modern 1,355 #4,315
2002 modern 1,364 #4,386
2003 modern 1,323 #4,417
2004 modern 1,320 #4,424
2005 modern 1,298 #4,433
2006 modern 1,292 #4,469
2007 modern 1,293 #4,505
2008 modern 1,301 #4,507
2009 modern 1,313 #4,563
2010 modern 1,345 #4,555
2011 modern 1,299 #4,648
2012 modern 1,242 #4,773
2013 modern 1,288 #4,696
2014 modern 1,281 #4,741
2015 modern 1,272 #4,728
2016 modern 1,259 #4,748

Geography

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Where Lobbs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Columb Major, St Teath, Egloshayle, Portsmouth, Portsea and St Austell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall. 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 St Columb Major Cornwall
2 St Teath Cornwall
3 Egloshayle Cornwall
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 St Austell Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 041 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 019 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 039 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 011 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 043 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lobb

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lobb

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lobb, 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 Lobb surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lobb 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Lobb is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lobb is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lobb falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lobb 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 Lobb, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Lobb

The surname Lobb is of English origin, and it is believed to have first emerged in the 16th century in the county of Somerset. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "lobbe," which referred to a person who was clumsy or awkward.

This surname may also be connected to the Old English word "loppa," meaning a flea or a small insect. It's possible that the name was initially given as a nickname to someone who was perceived as being restless or constantly moving around.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lobb can be found in the parish records of St. Cuthbert's Church in Wells, Somerset, dating back to the late 16th century. In these records, a man named John Lobb was mentioned as a resident of the area.

In the 17th century, the name Lobb began to appear in various records across other parts of England, particularly in the counties of Devon and Dorset. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname may have migrated from Somerset to neighboring regions during this period.

A notable figure with the surname Lobb was John Lobb, a renowned boot-maker who established his eponymous company in London in 1866. His craftsmanship and attention to detail earned him a reputation as one of the finest shoemakers in England, and his business continues to operate to this day.

Another individual with the surname Lobb was William Lobb (1809-1864), a Cornish plant collector who explored the Americas and introduced numerous plant species to Europe, including several varieties of trees and shrubs.

In the 19th century, a family by the name of Lobb held a prominent position in the village of Westbury-on-Trym, near Bristol. One member of this family, James Lobb (1807-1876), was a notable architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the area.

Other notable individuals bearing the surname Lobb include Sir Norman Lobb (1892-1978), a British civil servant and diplomat who served as Governor of Mauritius from 1947 to 1949, and John Lobb (1927-2006), an Australian rules football player who represented the Essendon Football Club in the Victorian Football League (now known as the Australian Football League) during the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lobb families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lobb 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. Cornwall leads with 878 Lobbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.79x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 878 53.79x
Middlesex 156 1.08x
Devon 136 4.53x
Hampshire 76 2.57x
Lancashire 32 0.19x
Surrey 25 0.36x
Glamorgan 22 0.88x
Kent 18 0.37x
Cumberland 16 1.29x
Gloucestershire 16 0.57x
Channel Islands 14 3.28x
Staffordshire 14 0.29x
Hertfordshire 12 1.21x
Cheshire 11 0.35x
Yorkshire 10 0.07x
Durham 7 0.16x
Dorset 6 0.63x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.31x
Royal Navy 6 3.49x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.33x
Essex 3 0.11x
Somerset 2 0.09x
Sussex 2 0.08x
Ayrshire 1 0.09x
Berkshire 1 0.09x
Caithness 1 0.51x
Isle of Man 1 0.37x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Northumberland 1 0.05x
Wiltshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Austell in Cornwall leads with 50 Lobbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 89.62x.

Place Total Index
St Austell 50 89.62x
St Teath 49 498.47x
St Neot 40 622.08x
Stoke Damerel 39 18.57x
Bodmin 35 129.58x
Padstow 31 285.71x
Portsea 28 4.83x
St Pinnock 27 1088.71x
St Breock 25 283.45x
St Issey 23 688.62x
Feock 22 215.26x
St Columb Major 22 162.36x
St Endellion 22 388.69x
Kenwyn 21 49.20x
Plymouth St Andrew 21 9.08x
Gerrans 20 454.55x
Islington London 19 1.36x
Mawgan In Pyder 19 544.41x
Gwennap 18 58.46x
St Ewe 18 363.64x
St Winnow 18 322.00x
Tintagel 18 405.41x
St Erth 16 161.78x
Lanivet 15 295.28x
Hackney London 14 1.73x
Lymington 14 64.46x
Millbrook 14 18.81x
Plymouth Charles The 14 10.59x
Redruth 14 30.32x
Roche 14 168.88x
St Wenn 14 524.34x
Burton Upon Trent 13 11.42x
St Ervan 13 673.58x
St Mabyn 13 517.93x
St Merryn 13 483.27x
Falmouth 12 20.77x
Kensington London 12 1.50x
Warleggan 12 1061.95x
Enfield 11 11.63x
Illogan 11 25.45x
Mevagissey 11 101.38x
Westminster St James 11 7.42x
Cheshunt 10 28.79x
Lamplugh 10 160.51x
Mylor 10 91.41x
Paddington London 10 1.89x
St Keverne 10 111.23x
St Peter Port 10 12.65x
Bromley London 9 2.84x
Colan 9 750.00x
St George Bloomsbury 9 10.88x
Westbury On Trym 9 9.39x
Bethnal Green London 8 1.28x
Bootle Cum Linacre 8 5.89x
Egloshayle 8 104.58x
Little Petherick 8 747.66x
St Marylebone London 8 1.04x
Withiel 8 398.01x
Broadoak 7 489.51x
Clifton 7 4.90x
Lanteglos 7 92.72x
Lewannick 7 220.13x
Liskeard 7 25.63x
Llantrisant 7 11.06x
Madron 7 53.07x
Northlew 7 186.17x
St Cleer 7 49.47x
St Enoder 7 126.13x
Toxteth Park 7 1.21x
Tranmere 7 5.99x
Budock 6 48.86x
Cleator 6 11.61x
Dibden 6 240.96x
Edmonton 6 5.17x
Lanreath 6 215.83x
Lawhitton 6 281.69x
Pinner 6 47.51x
Royal Navy 6 4.09x
St Pancras London 6 0.52x
Westoe 6 2.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 111
Elizabeth 81
Jane 43
Annie 31
Ann 23
Eliza 20
Ellen 20
Emma 16
Sarah 16
Emily 15
Louisa 15
Grace 14
Alice 13
Bessie 13
Catherine 13
Edith 13
Fanny 11
Beatrice 10
Hannah 10
Kate 10
Harriet 9
Laura 8
Caroline 7
Martha 7
Susan 7
Charlotte 6
Margaret 6
Clara 5
Ethel 5
Florence 5
Harriett 5
Lucy 5
Maria 5
Amelia 4
Elizth. 4
Helen 4
Jessie 4
Lydia 4
Matilda 4
Rosa 4
Alma 3
Anne 3
Isabel 3
Isabella 3
Minnie 3
Phillipa 3
Rose 3
Selina 3
Sophia 3
Christian 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 110
John 92
Thomas 64
Henry 38
James 38
Charles 36
Richard 27
George 24
Joseph 22
Samuel 22
Alfred 17
Arthur 17
Frederick 14
Nicholas 11
Francis 9
Harry 9
Edwin 5
Frank 5
Herbert 5
Robert 5
Thos. 5
Albert 4
Andrew 4
Edward 4
Ernest 4
Peter 4
Benjamin 3
Charley 3
Nathaniel 3
Philip 3
Silvester 3
Tom 3
Walter 3
Willm. 3
Chas. 2
Fredrick 2
Hedley 2
Jas. 2
Jno. 2
Jonathan 2
Josiah 2
Martin 2
Uriah 2
W. 2
Chris. 1
Edwd. 1
Ephraim 1
Erwin 1
Fred 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Lobb surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lobb surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,455 people were recorded with the Lobb surname. That placed it at #2,860 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lobb surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,259 in 2016. That gives Lobb a modern rank of #4,748.

What does the Lobb surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a wolf hunter or a nickname for someone with a large, rounded nose.

What does the Lobb map show?

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