NameCensus.

UK surname

Robarts

A habitational surname derived from a place name in England.

In the 1881 census there were 295 people recorded with the Robarts surname, ranking it #9,842 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 148, ranked #23,958, down from #9,842 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Biggleswade, London parishes and Wendron. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stafford, Aylesbury Vale and Uttlesford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Robarts is 563 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 49.8%.

1881 census count

295

Ranked #9,842

Modern count

148

2016, ranked #23,958

Peak year

1851

563 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Robarts had 295 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,842 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 148 in 2016, ranked #23,958.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 563 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Robarts surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Robarts surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Robarts 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 563 #4,504
1861 historical 275 #9,082
1881 historical 295 #9,842
1891 historical 185 #15,803
1901 historical 177 #16,342
1911 historical 175 #16,246
1997 modern 149 #21,214
1998 modern 172 #19,883
1999 modern 158 #21,102
2000 modern 166 #20,426
2001 modern 162 #20,460
2002 modern 171 #20,177
2003 modern 152 #21,486
2004 modern 148 #22,000
2005 modern 149 #21,866
2006 modern 139 #23,044
2007 modern 140 #23,231
2008 modern 144 #23,037
2009 modern 156 #22,351
2010 modern 157 #22,800
2011 modern 159 #22,382
2012 modern 152 #23,069
2013 modern 149 #23,765
2014 modern 146 #24,274
2015 modern 144 #24,369
2016 modern 148 #23,958

Geography

Back to top

Where Robarts' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Biggleswade, London parishes, Wendron, Gamlingay and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stafford, Aylesbury Vale, Uttlesford, Dacorum and Wellingborough. 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 Biggleswade Bedfordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Wendron Cornwall
4 Gamlingay Cambridgeshire
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stafford 011 Stafford
2 Aylesbury Vale 001 Aylesbury Vale
3 Uttlesford 009 Uttlesford
4 Dacorum 020 Dacorum
5 Wellingborough 009 Wellingborough

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Robarts

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Robarts

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Robarts is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Robarts 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

Robarts falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Robarts

The surname ROBARTS is of English origin, with its roots traceable back to the medieval period. Its earliest recorded instances can be found in the county of Norfolk, located in the east of England. The name is believed to derive from the Old English words 'hropra' and 'beorht,' which collectively translate to 'bright fame' or 'brilliant renown.'

During the 13th century, various spellings of the name, such as Robardes and Robardis, appeared in historical documents within the Norfolk region. These early records suggest that the name may have originated as a nickname or descriptive appellation, possibly referring to an individual with a renowned or celebrated reputation.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William Robarts, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Norfolk in 1334. Another notable figure was John Robarts, a landowner in the village of Hethersett, Norfolk, whose name appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Hethersett in 1428.

In the 16th century, the surname ROBARTS spread beyond Norfolk to other parts of England. During this period, the name was also associated with several prominent individuals, including Sir John Robarts, a High Sheriff of Norfolk in 1561, and William Robarts, a merchant and alderman in the city of London, who lived from 1540 to 1618.

The ROBARTS surname has a long history in various parts of England, with some families tracing their roots back to the medieval era. One such notable family was the Robarts of Truro, Cornwall, whose ancestry can be traced back to the 15th century. Sir John Robarts, born in 1553, was a distinguished member of this family and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1638.

Another prominent bearer of the ROBARTS name was John Robarts, born in 1695, who was a renowned English clergyman and author. He served as the Bishop of Bath and Wells from 1744 until his death in 1770.

Throughout the centuries, the ROBARTS surname has been associated with various notable figures across different fields, including politics, religion, and literature. Despite its English origins, the name has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Robarts families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Robarts 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. Bedfordshire leads with 56 Robarts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.46x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 56 37.46x
Middlesex 44 1.52x
Hertfordshire 21 10.55x
Surrey 17 1.21x
Cornwall 15 4.59x
Lancashire 15 0.44x
Kent 14 1.42x
Oxfordshire 14 7.85x
Buckinghamshire 11 6.30x
Devon 10 1.66x
Lincolnshire 10 2.17x
Essex 8 1.40x
Radnorshire 8 34.35x
Cambridgeshire 6 3.28x
Hampshire 6 1.01x
Shropshire 6 2.41x
Rutland 5 23.58x
Somerset 5 1.08x
Staffordshire 5 0.51x
Sussex 5 1.03x
Gloucestershire 4 0.71x
Merionethshire 3 5.68x
Berkshire 2 0.92x
Ayrshire 1 0.46x
Isle of Man 1 1.87x
Northamptonshire 1 0.37x
Warwickshire 1 0.14x
Worcestershire 1 0.27x
Yorkshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Biggleswade in Bedfordshire leads with 37 Robarts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 755.10x.

Place Total Index
Biggleswade 37 755.10x
Langford 11 894.31x
Newington 11 3055.56x
Welwyn 11 639.53x
Parr 10 81.57x
St George Hanover 10 26.53x
Hackney London 9 5.56x
Abbey Cwm Hir 8 1666.67x
Lillingstone Dayrell 7 2592.59x
Gamlingay 6 315.79x
Willingham 6 1333.33x
Ilfracombe 5 80.78x
Stoke Newington London 5 22.23x
Tottenham 5 10.87x
Uppingham 5 197.63x
Brighton 4 4.07x
Horncastle 4 84.03x
Islington London 4 1.43x
Lambeth 4 1.59x
North Mimms 4 320.00x
Potton 4 202.02x
Strood 4 71.17x
Wheathampstead 4 173.91x
Wooburn 4 165.98x
Ardleigh 3 189.87x
Campton 3 545.45x
Crowan 3 115.83x
Kingswinford 3 8.48x
Mallwyd 3 232.56x
Mitcham 3 33.75x
Mortlake 3 47.85x
Norton 3 697.67x
Oxford St Thomas 3 36.06x
Plymouth Charles The 3 11.33x
Ramsgate 3 18.66x
Ruan Minor 3 1034.48x
Selattyn 3 265.49x
Woodford 3 46.51x
Woolwich 3 8.24x
Egham 2 23.15x
Gwinear 2 129.03x
Habergham Eaves 2 6.39x
Herne 2 45.87x
Isleworth 2 15.58x
Kensington London 2 1.25x
Kenwyn 2 23.39x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 4.32x
Portsea 2 1.72x
Probus 2 149.25x
Richmond 2 10.15x
Shifnal 2 29.54x
St Anthony In Meneage 2 952.38x
St Stephen Coleman 2 259.74x
Willesden 2 7.35x
Wincanton 2 83.68x
Ayr 1 9.80x
Bath St Michael 1 42.55x
Battersea 1 0.94x
Birmingham 1 0.41x
Castle Church 1 17.06x
Chelmsford 1 10.22x
Chelsea London 1 1.15x
Cheltenham 1 2.29x
Chetwynd 1 123.46x
Everton 1 0.92x
Fareham 1 14.06x
Freshford 1 250.00x
Hastings St Mary 1 8.26x
High Ongar 1 95.24x
Hoath 1 303.03x
Kimpton 1 107.53x
Lanteglos By Fowey 1 75.19x
Liverpool 1 0.48x
Norbury 1 476.19x
Northampton All Sts 1 10.86x
Odiham 1 38.46x
Sandy 1 37.88x
Scarborough 1 3.85x
Southwark Christchurch 1 7.39x
Whitechapel London 1 3.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Eliza 8
Elizabeth 7
Jane 7
Annie 6
Edith 6
Alice 5
Ann 5
Charlotte 5
Sarah 5
Emma 4
Fanny 4
Lucy 4
Agnes 3
Amelia 3
Caroline 3
Catherine 3
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Florence 3
Kate 3
Margaret 3
Anne 2
Betsy 2
Clara 2
Harriet 2
Lizzie 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Rebecca 2
Sophia 2
Cira 1
Eleanor 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Etty 1
Flora 1
Gladies 1
Gottie 1
Hannah 1
Lavinia 1
Lily 1
Luticia 1
Maria 1
Marienne 1
Marion 1
Miriam 1
Nelly 1
Norma 1
Tryphena 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 18
John 15
Henry 11
David 6
George 6
James 6
Walter 6
Arthur 5
Thomas 5
Edwin 4
Joseph 4
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Herbert 3
Abraham 2
Albert 2
Nathaniel 2
Archibald 1
Daniel 1
Dolphin 1
Ernest 1
Evan 1
Ezra 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk.William 1
Gerald 1
Harry 1
Harvey 1
Hercourt 1
Isaac 1
Leonard 1
Moris 1
Noah 1
Noel 1
Owen 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Stanley 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Vincent 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Robarts surname: questions and answers

How common was the Robarts surname in 1881?

In 1881, 295 people were recorded with the Robarts surname. That placed it at #9,842 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Robarts surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 148 in 2016. That gives Robarts a modern rank of #23,958.

What does the Robarts surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name in England.

What does the Robarts map show?

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