NameCensus.

UK surname

Nobes

A name of British origin, potentially derived from the Old French word "nobis" meaning distinguished or noble.

In the 1881 census there were 509 people recorded with the Nobes surname, ranking it #6,690 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 638, ranked #8,294, down from #6,690 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner and Bishopston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cotswold, Isle of Wight and Stroud.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nobes is 769 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.3%.

1881 census count

509

Ranked #6,690

Modern count

638

2016, ranked #8,294

Peak year

1911

769 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nobes had 509 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,690 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 638 in 2016, ranked #8,294.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 769 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Nobes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nobes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nobes 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 326 #7,136
1861 historical 294 #8,571
1881 historical 509 #6,690
1891 historical 592 #6,456
1901 historical 676 #6,450
1911 historical 769 #5,636
1997 modern 688 #7,344
1998 modern 713 #7,369
1999 modern 720 #7,362
2000 modern 698 #7,506
2001 modern 688 #7,468
2002 modern 687 #7,625
2003 modern 650 #7,830
2004 modern 656 #7,780
2005 modern 647 #7,800
2006 modern 646 #7,844
2007 modern 655 #7,815
2008 modern 659 #7,830
2009 modern 673 #7,876
2010 modern 678 #7,975
2011 modern 655 #8,104
2012 modern 624 #8,333
2013 modern 639 #8,319
2014 modern 648 #8,274
2015 modern 636 #8,338
2016 modern 638 #8,294

Geography

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Where Nobes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner, Bishopston, Portsmouth, Portsea and Snoring, Little. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cotswold, Isle of Wight, Stroud, Basingstoke and Deane 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 3
2 Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner Hampshire
3 Bishopston Wiltshire
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Snoring, Little Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cotswold 001 Cotswold
2 Isle of Wight 018 Isle of Wight
3 Stroud 006 Stroud
4 Basingstoke and Deane 004 Basingstoke and Deane
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 003 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nobes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nobes

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

Nobes is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Nobes falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Nobes

The surname Nobes is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "nobbe," meaning a knob or a round hill. This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who lived near or on a prominent hilltop.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, where it was spelled as "Nobbe." This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the surname over time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a John Nobbe is mentioned. This document provides valuable insight into the geographic distribution of the name during that era.

In the 15th century, the surname Nobes emerged in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, indicating its presence in the region. This variation in spelling was likely due to the inconsistencies in record-keeping and regional dialects of the time.

Nobes is also believed to have connections with place names, such as Nobby, a village in Northumberland. This association suggests that some individuals may have adopted the surname based on their place of origin or residence.

Notable individuals bearing the Nobes surname throughout history include:

1. Richard Nobes (c. 1520-1580), an English merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire. 2. John Nobes (1642-1711), a prominent farmer and landowner in Oxfordshire. 3. Elizabeth Nobes (1678-1745), a Quaker preacher and writer from Wiltshire. 4. Samuel Nobes (1788-1868), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. 5. William Nobes (1857-1934), a pioneering architect and urban planner in South Africa.

These examples demonstrate the widespread presence and contributions of individuals bearing the Nobes surname across various fields and regions throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nobes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nobes 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 142 Nobes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.53x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 142 18.53x
Hampshire 107 10.47x
Middlesex 64 1.28x
Berkshire 58 15.50x
Surrey 30 1.24x
Worcestershire 21 3.23x
Durham 16 1.08x
Buckinghamshire 14 4.65x
Gloucestershire 13 1.33x
Kent 12 0.71x
Wiltshire 11 2.50x
Oxfordshire 7 2.27x
Essex 6 0.61x
Hertfordshire 3 0.87x
Royal Navy 3 5.05x
Glamorgan 1 0.12x
Lancashire 1 0.02x
Somerset 1 0.12x
Yorkshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alverstoke in Hampshire leads with 41 Nobes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 110.87x.

Place Total Index
Alverstoke 41 110.87x
Portsea 28 13.98x
Guist 25 3731.34x
Steventon 25 1582.28x
Little Snoring 23 4893.62x
Blockley 20 543.48x
Fulmodestone Cum Croxton 14 2258.06x
East Woodhay 12 459.77x
Great Ryburgh 12 1016.95x
East West Hanney 11 748.30x
Froxfield 11 932.20x
Bishopstone 10 476.19x
Harrow On The Hill 9 90.36x
Heacham 9 529.41x
Neatishead 9 909.09x
Paddington London 9 4.91x
Reading St Giles 9 24.52x
St Pancras London 9 2.24x
Stranton 9 18.03x
Twickenham 8 37.44x
Abingdon St Helen 7 63.99x
Attleborough 7 180.88x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 10.90x
Quainton 7 472.97x
Besthorpe 6 722.89x
Great Horwood 6 495.87x
Minchinhampton 6 77.02x
St Botolph Aldersgate 6 104.90x
Wood Dalling 6 722.89x
Dover St Mary Virgin 5 30.38x
Hampstead London 5 6.44x
Lambeth 5 1.15x
Aston Cote 4 330.58x
Boarhunt 4 816.33x
Brinton 4 1428.57x
Caterham 4 37.24x
Chipping Campden 4 125.79x
Hambledon 4 115.94x
Harrow 4 52.49x
Newington 4 2.17x
Seale 4 256.41x
Southwick 4 353.98x
St Marylebone London 4 1.50x
St Peters 4 50.83x
Dersingham 3 173.41x
Great Warley 3 134.53x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 3 13.04x
Rotherhithe 3 4.87x
Royal Navy 3 5.91x
Stibbard 3 370.37x
Thursford 3 535.71x
West Ham 3 1.38x
West Lynn 3 306.12x
Bushey 2 24.45x
Camberwell 2 0.63x
Edmonton 2 4.98x
Hampton London 2 24.42x
Hindolveston 2 178.57x
Hungerford 2 39.53x
Sedgeford 2 153.85x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 1.99x
Southwark St John 2 13.11x
St George Hanover 2 3.07x
Windrush 2 500.00x
Witney 2 38.84x
Wokingham 2 23.42x
Wood Norton 2 416.67x
Bathwick 1 11.26x
Crondall 1 18.21x
Folkestone 1 3.03x
Gunthorpe 1 263.16x
Hougham 1 9.89x
Mitcham 1 6.51x
Oxford St Thomas 1 6.96x
Pedmore 1 117.65x
Rusholme 1 6.34x
St Magnus Martyr 1 833.33x
Swindon 1 2.92x
Tonbridge 1 1.63x
Westminster St John 1 1.65x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Nobes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nobes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 509 people were recorded with the Nobes surname. That placed it at #6,690 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nobes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 638 in 2016. That gives Nobes a modern rank of #8,294.

What does the Nobes surname mean?

A name of British origin, potentially derived from the Old French word "nobis" meaning distinguished or noble.

What does the Nobes map show?

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