NameCensus.

UK surname

Rob

A shortened form of the name Robert, derived from the Germanic roots "hrod" meaning renown or fame, and "berht" meaning bright or famous.

In the 1881 census there were 28 people recorded with the Rob surname, ranking it #29,646 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 456, ranked #10,705, up from #29,646 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tower Hamlets and Oldham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rob is 456 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1528.6%.

1881 census count

28

Ranked #29,646

Modern count

456

2016, ranked #10,705

Peak year

2016

456 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rob had 28 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,646 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 456 in 2016, ranked #10,705.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 71 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Rob surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rob surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rob 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 71 #20,875
1861 historical 9 #32,724
1881 historical 28 #29,646
1891 historical 4 #34,098
1901 historical 39 #29,799
1997 modern 182 #18,693
1998 modern 198 #18,224
1999 modern 216 #17,364
2000 modern 216 #17,340
2001 modern 219 #16,967
2002 modern 246 #15,988
2003 modern 252 #15,530
2004 modern 262 #15,233
2005 modern 279 #14,480
2006 modern 284 #14,396
2007 modern 314 #13,618
2008 modern 333 #13,175
2009 modern 357 #12,766
2010 modern 365 #12,825
2011 modern 367 #12,647
2012 modern 379 #12,192
2013 modern 401 #11,890
2014 modern 412 #11,743
2015 modern 425 #11,346
2016 modern 456 #10,705

Geography

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Where Robs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tower Hamlets and Oldham. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tower Hamlets 015 Tower Hamlets
2 Tower Hamlets 018 Tower Hamlets
3 Tower Hamlets 013 Tower Hamlets
4 Tower Hamlets 008 Tower Hamlets
5 Oldham 016 Oldham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rob

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rob

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Rob surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Rob 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Rob is most associated with areas classed as Challenged Inner London Communities, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Resident in some of Inner London’s most over-crowded communities, many families have children and marriage/civil partnership rates are above the Supergroup average. Other adults such as students live in communal establishments. Few residents have Level 4 educational qualifications, levels of unemployment are above the Supergroup average, and employment is concentrated in service occupations such as distribution, hotels and restaurants. Relative to the Supergroup average, fewer residents identify as being of mixed/multiple ethnicities, Black or Other Asian.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rob is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rob falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rob 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Rob

The surname ROB is of English origin, derived from the medieval given name Robert, which ultimately comes from the Germanic elements "hrod" meaning "fame" and "beraht" meaning "bright." The name emerged in England during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, and its earliest recorded use as a surname dates back to the late 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname ROB can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, where a William Rob was mentioned in 1195. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 also list a John Rob in Oxfordshire. These early records suggest that the surname likely originated as a patronymic, meaning "son of Robert."

In the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname ROB appeared in various spellings, including Robbe, Robbes, and Robyns, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time. Some early bearers of the name were associated with specific places, such as Robert de Luda Rob, mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Warwickshire in 1221.

Notable historical figures with the surname ROB include Sir Gervase Rob (c. 1540-1618), an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1599. Another prominent individual was Andrew Rob (1595-1672), a Scottish philosopher and academic who was a regent at the University of Aberdeen.

In the 17th century, the surname ROB was found in various parts of England, as evidenced by records such as the Hearth Tax returns of Buckinghamshire in 1662, which mentioned John Rob of Great Missenden. The Protestation Returns of 1641-1642 also listed several individuals with the surname ROB in counties like Yorkshire and Gloucestershire.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the ROB surname continued to be well-represented in England, with notable bearers including William Rob (1785-1844), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars, and John Rob (1788-1876), an English author and editor who wrote extensively on agricultural topics.

Throughout its history, the surname ROB has been associated with various occupations and social classes, from farmers and tradesmen to scholars and military personnel. Its enduring presence in England reflects the surname's long-standing roots and the diverse contributions of its bearers to British society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rob families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rob 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. Yorkshire leads with 15 Robs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.37x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 15 3.37x
Midlothian 8 13.31x
Derbyshire 6 8.54x
Lanarkshire 6 4.13x
Lancashire 3 0.56x
Angus 2 4.81x
Renfrewshire 2 5.75x
Aberdeenshire 1 2.41x
Cheshire 1 1.01x
Kent 1 0.65x
Perthshire 1 4.97x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 7 Robs recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.95x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 28.95x
Derby St Werburgh 6 147.78x
Skipton On Swale 6 30000.00x
Barony 4 10.89x
Thirsk 4 784.31x
Catton 2 10000.00x
Govan 2 5.57x
Bishopton 1 5000.00x
Brechin 1 61.35x
Clunie 1 1111.11x
Eskdaleside 1 454.55x
Everton 1 5.89x
Hilderthorpe 1 454.55x
Houston Killallan 1 294.12x
Inveresk 1 61.35x
Kirkdale 1 11.16x
Lochwinnoch 1 192.31x
Ramsgate 1 40.00x
Rathen 1 227.27x
Rusholme 1 70.42x
Strathmartine 1 555.56x
Tranmere 1 27.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Henrietta 2
Alice 1
Betty 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Grace 1
Llanchir 1
Mary 1
Rebecca 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Alexander 2
Charles 2
Henry 2
William 2
Arthur 1
Carl 1
Edwin 1
Joseph 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Rob households.

FAQ

Rob surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rob surname in 1881?

In 1881, 28 people were recorded with the Rob surname. That placed it at #29,646 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rob surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 456 in 2016. That gives Rob a modern rank of #10,705.

What does the Rob surname mean?

A shortened form of the name Robert, derived from the Germanic roots "hrod" meaning renown or fame, and "berht" meaning bright or famous.

What does the Rob map show?

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