NameCensus.

UK surname

Nobbs

A surname derived from a medieval nickname meaning "snub-nosed" or "flat-nosed" person.

In the 1881 census there were 1,239 people recorded with the Nobbs surname, ranking it #3,275 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,456, ranked #4,227, down from #3,275 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Newchurch and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Norwich, County Durham and South Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nobbs is 1,798 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.5%.

1881 census count

1,239

Ranked #3,275

Modern count

1,456

2016, ranked #4,227

Peak year

1911

1,798 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nobbs had 1,239 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,275 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,456 in 2016, ranked #4,227.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,798 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Nobbs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nobbs surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nobbs 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 748 #3,541
1861 historical 753 #3,632
1881 historical 1,239 #3,275
1891 historical 1,383 #3,142
1901 historical 1,606 #3,220
1911 historical 1,798 #2,727
1997 modern 1,617 #3,663
1998 modern 1,668 #3,695
1999 modern 1,654 #3,753
2000 modern 1,646 #3,750
2001 modern 1,613 #3,745
2002 modern 1,619 #3,805
2003 modern 1,558 #3,866
2004 modern 1,553 #3,877
2005 modern 1,500 #3,964
2006 modern 1,488 #3,983
2007 modern 1,488 #4,026
2008 modern 1,492 #4,051
2009 modern 1,499 #4,123
2010 modern 1,537 #4,115
2011 modern 1,499 #4,159
2012 modern 1,459 #4,176
2013 modern 1,486 #4,180
2014 modern 1,496 #4,185
2015 modern 1,462 #4,227
2016 modern 1,456 #4,227

Geography

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Where Nobbs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Newchurch, Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Norwich, County Durham, South Norfolk and King's Lynn and West Norfolk. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Newchurch Hampshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Norwich 010 Norwich
2 County Durham 054 County Durham
3 South Norfolk 001 South Norfolk
4 Norwich 005 Norwich
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 016 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nobbs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nobbs

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

Nobbs is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Nobbs 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 Nobbs 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 Nobbs, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Nobbs

The surname Nobbs is of English origin, and it dates back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the counties of Devon and Cornwall in the southwestern part of England. The name is derived from a Middle English word, "nobbe," which means "head" or "knob." It likely referred to a person with a distinctive head shape or hairstyle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nobbs can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Devon from 1327, where a John Nobbe is mentioned. The name also appears in various other historical records from the 14th and 15th centuries, such as the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Cornwall from 1332 and the Feet of Fines for Devon from 1447.

The name Nobbs is closely linked to several place names in Devon and Cornwall, such as Nobbs Hill in the parish of Shebbear, Devon, and Nobbs Park in the parish of Buckland Monachorum, Devon. These place names suggest that the surname may have originated from a specific location or estate.

One notable individual with the surname Nobbs was Robert Nobbs (1652-1706), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Huntingdon from 1699 until his death. Another famous bearer of the name was William Nobbs (1789-1869), an English architect and civil engineer who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Corn Exchange (now demolished) and the Church of St. Martin in the Fields.

Other individuals with the surname Nobbs include John Nobbs (1805-1882), a British politician who served as the Mayor of Falmouth, Cornwall, and George Nobbs (1799-1877), an English architect and surveyor who worked on various projects in London and the surrounding areas.

Thomas Nobbs (1813-1893) was a British architect and surveyor who designed numerous buildings in London, including the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex. He also served as the Surveyor of Bridges for the City of London.

Despite its English origins, the surname Nobbs has spread to other parts of the world, particularly through British emigration and colonization. However, this report focuses solely on the historical origins and development of the surname within England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nobbs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nobbs 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. Norfolk leads with 347 Nobbs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.63x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 347 18.63x
Middlesex 185 1.53x
Hampshire 132 5.32x
Surrey 99 1.68x
Suffolk 87 5.90x
Dorset 51 6.41x
Yorkshire 49 0.41x
Kent 46 1.11x
Lancashire 29 0.20x
Cambridgeshire 24 3.13x
Essex 24 1.00x
Gloucestershire 20 0.84x
Northumberland 20 1.11x
Hertfordshire 18 2.16x
Sussex 13 0.64x
Berkshire 10 1.10x
Derbyshire 10 0.53x
Devon 8 0.32x
Staffordshire 8 0.20x
Warwickshire 8 0.26x
Wiltshire 7 0.65x
Cheshire 6 0.22x
Somerset 6 0.31x
Midlothian 5 0.31x
Oxfordshire 5 0.67x
Durham 4 0.11x
Northamptonshire 4 0.35x
Lincolnshire 3 0.15x
Royal Navy 3 2.08x
East Lothian 2 1.25x
Worcestershire 2 0.13x
Bedfordshire 1 0.16x
Channel Islands 1 0.28x
Cornwall 1 0.07x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.42x
Monmouthshire 1 0.11x
Shropshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lowestoft in Suffolk leads with 45 Nobbs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 64.55x.

Place Total Index
Lowestoft 45 64.55x
Great Yarmouth 34 22.03x
Kensington London 32 4.75x
Islington London 31 2.64x
Lambeth 28 2.65x
Portsea 24 4.93x
Heigham 21 21.00x
Battersea 18 4.04x
Foulsham 18 456.85x
Cattistock 17 772.73x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 16 141.22x
Surlingham 15 742.57x
Bramerton 13 1262.14x
Rickmansworth 13 56.55x
St Pancras London 13 1.33x
West Ham 13 2.46x
Bermondsey 12 3.33x
Brighton 12 2.91x
Northwood 12 33.94x
Carisbrooke 11 31.90x
Paddington London 11 2.47x
Yelverton 11 3142.86x
Chelsea London 10 2.74x
Newton In Makerfield 10 22.72x
Norwich St Michael At 10 92.51x
Tottenham 10 5.18x
Wotton St Mary 10 81.10x
Ashmanhaugh 9 1343.28x
Bedingham 9 720.00x
Camberwell 9 1.16x
Hipperholme Cum 9 17.06x
Kirkley 9 72.87x
Lakenham 9 34.00x
Norwich St Peter Southgate 9 384.62x
Redenhall 9 124.31x
Rotherhithe 9 6.01x
Wakefield 9 9.76x
Westminster St John 9 6.10x
Alverstoke 8 8.90x
Burnley 8 6.61x
Great Massingham 8 217.98x
Greenwich 8 4.15x
Norwich St Stephen 8 46.78x
Sculcoates 8 4.20x
Shoreditch London 8 1.52x
St Andrewthe Less 8 9.13x
Sunninghill 8 63.39x
Thorpe Next Norwich 8 40.53x
Walpole St Peter 8 169.49x
Bethnal Green London 7 1.33x
Bingley 7 9.16x
Birmingham 7 0.69x
Bow London 7 4.54x
Bromley London 7 2.63x
Caundle Purse 7 875.00x
Cheriton 7 41.54x
Christchurch 7 13.00x
Elswick 7 4.87x
Godshill 7 122.16x
Melcombe Regis 7 21.24x
Norwich St George Colegate 7 103.24x
Ripon 7 25.13x
Southampton All Sts 7 16.43x
Trunch 7 374.33x
Walsoken 7 62.50x
Arreton 6 75.38x
Chatham 6 5.28x
Exeter St Mary Major 6 39.47x
Horstead With Stanninghall 6 256.41x
Loddon 6 125.26x
Newbold Dunston 6 33.28x
Poole St James 6 20.08x
Smallburgh 6 272.73x
Southampton St Lawrence 6 461.54x
Tynemouth 6 6.22x
Wanstead 6 14.33x
Fordington 5 29.19x
Grantchester 5 104.82x
Seaton Delaval 5 31.59x
Walcot 5 4.81x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 78
John 48
George 42
Charles 41
James 38
Henry 28
Thomas 28
Robert 25
Alfred 22
Edward 22
Arthur 20
Frederick 16
Walter 16
Joseph 15
Albert 12
Harry 10
Herbert 10
Samuel 9
Stephen 8
Francis 6
Horace 5
Wm. 5
Benjamin 4
Cornelius 4
Edmund 4
Ernest 4
Richard 4
Daniel 3
Isaac 3
Leonard 3
Chas. 2
Edgar 2
Frank 2
Jack 2
Percy 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2
Will. 2
Aurthur 1
Bertrand 1
C. 1
Edwin 1
Edwrd. 1
Eli 1
Elijah 1
Enoch 1
F.G. 1
Horatio 1
Hy.Gilbert 1
Wm.Horace 1

FAQ

Nobbs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nobbs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,239 people were recorded with the Nobbs surname. That placed it at #3,275 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nobbs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,456 in 2016. That gives Nobbs a modern rank of #4,227.

What does the Nobbs surname mean?

A surname derived from a medieval nickname meaning "snub-nosed" or "flat-nosed" person.

What does the Nobbs map show?

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