NameCensus.

UK surname

Robbie

A diminutive form of the given name Robert, meaning "bright fame."

In the 1881 census there were 690 people recorded with the Robbie surname, ranking it #5,246 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 716, ranked #7,588, down from #5,246 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirriemuir, Letham and Glamis and Lincoln.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Robbie is 787 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.8%.

1881 census count

690

Ranked #5,246

Modern count

716

2016, ranked #7,588

Peak year

1901

787 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Robbie had 690 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,246 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 716 in 2016, ranked #7,588.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 787 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Robbie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Robbie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Robbie 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 413 #5,872
1861 historical 494 #5,287
1881 historical 690 #5,246
1891 historical 685 #5,716
1901 historical 787 #5,723
1911 historical 156 #17,421
1997 modern 666 #7,533
1998 modern 715 #7,356
1999 modern 717 #7,385
2000 modern 705 #7,449
2001 modern 680 #7,524
2002 modern 698 #7,530
2003 modern 705 #7,345
2004 modern 697 #7,426
2005 modern 680 #7,516
2006 modern 696 #7,386
2007 modern 691 #7,497
2008 modern 703 #7,457
2009 modern 703 #7,617
2010 modern 725 #7,579
2011 modern 709 #7,627
2012 modern 692 #7,670
2013 modern 702 #7,705
2014 modern 699 #7,777
2015 modern 708 #7,652
2016 modern 716 #7,588

Geography

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Where Robbies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Peterculter and Tannadice. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirriemuir, Letham and Glamis, Lincoln, Deer and Mormond and Longside and Rattray. 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 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Peterculter Aberdeen
5 Tannadice Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirriemuir Angus
2 Letham and Glamis Angus
3 Lincoln 004 Lincoln
4 Deer and Mormond Aberdeenshire
5 Longside and Rattray Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Robbie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Robbie

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Robbie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Robbie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Robbie 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

Robbie is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Robbie falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Robbie

The surname Robbie has its origins in medieval Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French personal name "Robert," which itself comes from the Germanic elements "hrod" (meaning "fame" or "renown") and "berht" (meaning "bright" or "famous"). The name Robert was introduced to Scotland by Norman settlers and eventually evolved into various Scottish surnames, including Robbie, Robie, Roby, and Robson.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Robbie surname can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical record of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The entry "William Roby de Dunfermelyn" suggests that the name was present in the Scottish town of Dunfermline during that period.

In the 14th and 15th centuries, the Robbie surname appeared in various forms in Scottish historical records, such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland. For example, in 1405, a "Robertus Roby" is mentioned as a tenant in the lands of Cragmyll (modern-day Craigmillar, near Edinburgh).

The Robbie surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir John Robbie (c. 1450-1518), a Scottish clergyman who served as the Bishop of Dunkeld and was a prominent figure in the Scottish Renaissance. Another notable bearer of the name was George Robbie (1788-1833), a Scottish poet and songwriter known for his works in the Scots dialect.

In the 19th century, the Robbie surname gained further prominence with the birth of Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894), the renowned Scottish novelist, essayist, and travel writer best known for his works "Treasure Island," "Kidnapped," and "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

Other notable figures with the Robbie surname include James Robbie (1859-1934), a Scottish engineer and inventor who played a significant role in the development of the modern bicycle; and Sir Michael Robbie (1930-2018), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Kwik Fit automotive repair chain.

While the Robbie surname is most commonly associated with Scotland, it has also been found in various parts of England, particularly in the northwest region, where it may have been introduced by Scottish migrants or settlers. The name has also spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, due to Scottish emigration in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Robbie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Robbie 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. Angus leads with 250 Robbies recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.09x.

County Total Index
Angus 250 40.09x
Aberdeenshire 219 35.13x
Midlothian 50 5.55x
Lanarkshire 34 1.56x
Kincardineshire 32 39.04x
Middlesex 23 0.34x
Perthshire 22 7.28x
Fife 19 4.77x
Yorkshire 10 0.15x
Surrey 6 0.18x
Lancashire 5 0.06x
East Lothian 4 4.49x
Northumberland 4 0.40x
Banffshire 2 1.43x
Durham 2 0.10x
Hampshire 2 0.15x
Kent 2 0.09x
Ayrshire 1 0.20x
Renfrewshire 1 0.19x
Royal Navy 1 1.25x
West Lothian 1 0.99x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 80 Robbies recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.47x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 80 61.47x
Dundee 47 20.19x
Kirriemuir 31 201.43x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 30 25.72x
Forfar 28 82.91x
Tannadice 24 827.59x
St Vigeans 22 65.36x
Banchory Ternan 21 296.19x
Liff Benvie 18 19.02x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 16 4.41x
Newhills 16 125.39x
Arbroath 15 72.60x
Glasgow 15 3.88x
Old Deer 15 127.01x
Peterculter 15 340.91x
Clova 14 14000.00x
Birse 12 474.31x
Coull 12 655.74x
Dunfermline 12 19.59x
Cortachy 11 1410.26x
Edinburgh Greenside 11 92.36x
Govan 10 1.86x
Limehouse London 10 13.53x
Perth St Pauls 10 143.06x
Warter 9 647.48x
Foveran 8 169.49x
Hamilton 8 13.18x
Duddingston 7 38.67x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 7 112.00x
Ardoch 6 236.22x
Leuchars 6 119.05x
Peterhead 6 18.20x
Mains 5 94.34x
Mile End Old Town 5 4.71x
Aberdour 4 81.47x
Aberlady 4 173.16x
Belhelvie 4 93.90x
Brechin 4 16.32x
Caputh 4 5714.29x
Guthrie 4 392.16x
Inverarity 4 200.00x
Slains 4 137.46x
Alyth 3 36.90x
Croydon 3 1.65x
Edinburgh New North 3 38.22x
Elswick 3 3.75x
Kensington London 3 0.80x
Marykirk 3 88.76x
Monifieth 3 13.62x
Montrose 3 7.94x
Banchory Devenick 2 26.11x
Crossgate 2 22.83x
Fetteresso 2 15.58x
Glenisla 2 109.89x
Islington London 2 0.31x
Liverpool 2 0.41x
Logie Coldstone 2 95.69x
Nigg 2 29.50x
Perth East Church 2 7.02x
South Leith 2 1.97x
St George Hanover 2 2.28x
Strachan 2 125.00x
Tealing 2 114.29x
Ayr 1 4.21x
Boness 1 7.16x
Cluny 1 33.33x
Corstorphine 1 20.12x
Cullercoates 1 31.75x
Cupar 1 5.77x
Edinburgh Newington 1 62.11x
Fraserburgh 1 5.70x
Garston 1 4.24x
Glamis 1 26.60x
Kinnettles 1 112.36x
Lasswade 1 4.85x
Milton In Gravesend 1 2.90x
Northfleet 1 4.94x
Skene 1 24.21x
Sutton 1 4.21x
West Greenock 1 1.07x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 4
Annie 3
Alice 2
Elizabeth 2
Kate 2
Mary 2
Ada 1
Catherine 1
Ceilia 1
Charlotte 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Jane 1
Jemima 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Maud 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
David 4
William 4
Charles 3
John 3
James 2
Peter 2
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
Martinen 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 Robbie households.

FAQ

Robbie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Robbie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 690 people were recorded with the Robbie surname. That placed it at #5,246 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Robbie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 716 in 2016. That gives Robbie a modern rank of #7,588.

What does the Robbie surname mean?

A diminutive form of the given name Robert, meaning "bright fame."

What does the Robbie map show?

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