NameCensus.

UK surname

Robe

A surname derived from the French word 'robe' meaning a long outer garment.

In the 1881 census there were 92 people recorded with the Robe surname, ranking it #20,709 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 216, ranked #18,613, up from #20,709 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Sunderland and St James and St Paul. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Tyneside and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Robe is 218 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 134.8%.

1881 census count

92

Ranked #20,709

Modern count

216

2016, ranked #18,613

Peak year

2014

218 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Robe had 92 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,709 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016, ranked #18,613.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 154 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Robe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Robe surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Robe 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 49 #24,448
1861 historical 91 #22,206
1881 historical 92 #20,709
1891 historical 114 #22,006
1901 historical 139 #18,876
1911 historical 154 #17,553
1997 modern 195 #17,912
1998 modern 196 #18,342
1999 modern 199 #18,293
2000 modern 197 #18,384
2001 modern 195 #18,215
2002 modern 197 #18,474
2003 modern 191 #18,628
2004 modern 172 #20,008
2005 modern 181 #19,334
2006 modern 162 #20,886
2007 modern 174 #20,166
2008 modern 175 #20,311
2009 modern 188 #19,797
2010 modern 205 #19,140
2011 modern 207 #18,841
2012 modern 196 #19,463
2013 modern 213 #18,743
2014 modern 218 #18,583
2015 modern 210 #18,958
2016 modern 216 #18,613

Geography

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Where Robes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Sunderland, St James and St Paul, London parishes and Gateshead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Tyneside and Northumberland. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Sunderland Durham
3 St James and St Paul Gloucestershire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Gateshead Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Tyneside 019 South Tyneside
2 Northumberland 024 Northumberland
3 Northumberland 022 Northumberland
4 South Tyneside 003 South Tyneside
5 South Tyneside 002 South Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Robe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Robe

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Robe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Robe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Robe is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

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

Robe is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Robe falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Robe is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Robe

The surname Robe has its origins in England, dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "robe," meaning a long, loose outer garment. This suggests that the name was likely initially used as a descriptive term for someone who wore distinctive attire or worked in the clothing trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Robe can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1194, where a Robert le Robe is mentioned. This indicates that the name had already established itself in parts of northern England by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records across England, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a Walter le Robe. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 also mention a John Robe, suggesting the name had spread to different regions by this time.

By the 14th century, the name had evolved into its modern spelling, Robe. In 1327, a Thomas Robe is recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of Somerset from 1348 list a John Robe, indicating the name's presence in the southwest of England.

One notable individual with the surname Robe was John Robe (c. 1470 - 1545), a Scottish Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Ross from 1525 until his death. Another early figure was Sir Thomas Robe (c. 1520 - 1598), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Guildford in 1572.

In the 17th century, the name Robe gained prominence in Scotland. One notable bearer was James Robe (1688 - 1753), a Scottish minister and author known for his religious writings, including "A Narrative of the Rev. Mr. James Robe's Labours in the Parish of Kilsyth" (1725).

Another significant individual was Thomas Robe (1675 - 1718), a Scottish-born merchant and landowner who settled in Virginia, USA, in the early 18th century. He was among the earliest recorded bearers of the name in the American colonies.

In the 18th century, the name Robe was also found in England, with individuals like John Robe (1717 - 1794), an English lawyer and legal writer who published works on criminal law and practice.

Overall, the surname Robe has a long and diverse history, with its origins rooted in medieval England and a subsequent spread to other parts of the British Isles and beyond, including North America. Throughout its history, the name has been borne by notable figures in various fields, reflecting its enduring presence over centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Robe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Robe 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. Gloucestershire leads with 20 Robes recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.12x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 20 11.12x
Kent 12 3.84x
Yorkshire 11 1.21x
Durham 7 2.57x
Lanarkshire 7 2.36x
Northumberland 7 5.13x
Essex 5 2.76x
Derbyshire 4 2.79x
Middlesex 4 0.44x
Surrey 4 0.90x
Lancashire 3 0.28x
Somerset 2 1.36x
Banffshire 1 5.26x
Bedfordshire 1 2.11x
Dunbartonshire 1 4.06x
Glamorgan 1 0.63x
Midlothian 1 0.81x
Royal Navy 1 9.16x
Sussex 1 0.65x
Warwickshire 1 0.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nether Hallam in Yorkshire leads with 11 Robes recorded in 1881 and an index of 89.50x.

Place Total Index
Nether Hallam 11 89.50x
Bristol St James St Paul 8 133.33x
Horfield 8 441.99x
Orpington 5 520.83x
Rutherglen 5 114.94x
Waltham Holy Cross 5 295.86x
Bishopwearmouth 4 17.09x
Egham 4 145.99x
Litchurch 4 69.20x
Seaton Delaval 4 333.33x
Bristol St George 3 36.06x
Deptford St Paul 3 12.44x
Lewisham 3 17.99x
Liverpool 3 4.54x
Cadder 2 91.32x
Seghill 2 298.51x
St Pancras London 2 2.71x
Sunderland 2 41.49x
Walcot 2 25.45x
Atherstone 1 84.75x
Bethnal Green London 1 2.51x
Biddenham 1 1000.00x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 5.91x
Cardiff St John 1 19.19x
Gateshead 1 4.90x
Hastings St Mary 1 25.97x
Kensington London 1 1.96x
Marnoch 1 98.04x
New Kilpatrick 1 42.74x
Royal Navy 1 10.71x
South Leith 1 7.24x
Stannington 1 312.50x
Woolwich 1 8.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Ann 3
Jessie 3
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Ethel 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Alice 1
Charlotte 1
Connie 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Lavinia 1
Lillian 1
Louisa 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Miss 1
Mrs. 1
Susannah 1
Villinora 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
William 5
James 4
Charles 3
Joseph 3
Arthur 2
George 2
Henry 2
Philip 2
(Capt) 1
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Earnest 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Robe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Robe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 92 people were recorded with the Robe surname. That placed it at #20,709 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Robe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016. That gives Robe a modern rank of #18,613.

What does the Robe surname mean?

A surname derived from the French word 'robe' meaning a long outer garment.

What does the Robe map show?

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