NameCensus.

UK surname

Roberson

Son of Robert, an English patronymic surname derived from the given name Robert.

In the 1881 census there were 459 people recorded with the Roberson surname, ranking it #7,225 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 538, ranked #9,457, down from #7,225 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Shipdham, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bromsgrove, Breckland and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roberson is 702 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.2%.

1881 census count

459

Ranked #7,225

Modern count

538

2016, ranked #9,457

Peak year

1861

702 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roberson had 459 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,225 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 538 in 2016, ranked #9,457.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 702 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Roberson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Roberson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Roberson 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 651 #3,995
1861 historical 702 #3,859
1881 historical 459 #7,225
1891 historical 575 #6,620
1901 historical 505 #7,988
1911 historical 587 #6,951
1997 modern 557 #8,579
1998 modern 572 #8,663
1999 modern 567 #8,766
2000 modern 538 #9,103
2001 modern 496 #9,526
2002 modern 512 #9,470
2003 modern 476 #9,830
2004 modern 473 #9,905
2005 modern 476 #9,783
2006 modern 473 #9,871
2007 modern 492 #9,677
2008 modern 485 #9,864
2009 modern 505 #9,774
2010 modern 542 #9,461
2011 modern 537 #9,460
2012 modern 540 #9,312
2013 modern 555 #9,267
2014 modern 558 #9,280
2015 modern 546 #9,370
2016 modern 538 #9,457

Geography

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Where Robersons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Shipdham, London parishes, St Pancras and Tittleshall with Godwick. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bromsgrove, Breckland, Cornwall and Lambeth. 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 Shipdham Norfolk
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Tittleshall with Godwick Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bromsgrove 014 Bromsgrove
2 Breckland 002 Breckland
3 Cornwall 040 Cornwall
4 Bromsgrove 013 Bromsgrove
5 Lambeth 025 Lambeth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Roberson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Roberson

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

Roberson 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

Roberson 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 Roberson 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 Roberson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Roberson

The surname Roberson has its origins in England, and is derived from the Old English words "hrop" or "rop", meaning "rope", and "son", meaning "son of". It likely originated as an occupational name for the son of a rope maker or someone involved in the rope-making trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Roberson can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Ropere" and "Ropesson". This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

During the medieval period, the name was also spelled as "Roperson", "Ropersone", and "Ropertson", among other variations. These different spellings reflect the regional dialects and scribal conventions of the time.

The Roberson surname is closely associated with several place names in England, such as Roberton in Northumberland and Robertown in Lancashire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, indicating areas where families with the Roberson name settled.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the Roberson surname include:

1. John Roberson (c. 1590-1668), an English clergyman and author of several religious works. 2. William Roberson (1768-1842), an American pioneer and frontiersman who explored the American West. 3. Emily Roberson (1843-1925), an American activist and educator who fought for women's rights and racial equality. 4. James Roberson (1890-1972), a Scottish-born American architect known for his work in the Art Deco style. 5. Lillian Roberson (1912-2002), an American jazz singer and actress who performed in the 1940s and 1950s.

These examples demonstrate the widespread use of the Roberson surname across various professions and time periods, reflecting its enduring presence in English-speaking communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Roberson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roberson 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 87 Robersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.58x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 87 12.58x
Middlesex 71 1.58x
Kent 52 3.39x
Surrey 44 2.01x
Yorkshire 29 0.65x
Suffolk 22 4.02x
Hertfordshire 14 4.52x
Sussex 14 1.85x
Staffordshire 13 0.86x
Lancashire 11 0.21x
Cambridgeshire 8 2.81x
Hampshire 8 0.87x
Lanarkshire 8 0.55x
Gloucestershire 7 0.79x
Herefordshire 7 3.80x
Oxfordshire 7 2.52x
Essex 6 0.68x
Ross-shire 6 4.86x
Worcestershire 6 1.02x
Renfrewshire 5 1.43x
Angus 3 0.72x
Montgomeryshire 3 2.91x
Northumberland 3 0.45x
Warwickshire 3 0.26x
Berkshire 2 0.59x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.74x
Cheshire 2 0.20x
Kinross-shire 2 17.59x
Northamptonshire 2 0.47x
Royal Navy 2 3.73x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.24x
Ayrshire 1 0.30x
Clackmannanshire 1 2.69x
Cornwall 1 0.20x
Cumberland 1 0.26x
Dorset 1 0.34x
Inverness-shire 1 0.74x
Leicestershire 1 0.20x
Lincolnshire 1 0.14x
Midlothian 1 0.17x
Shropshire 1 0.26x
Somerset 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 17 Robersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.70x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 17 8.70x
St Pancras London 13 3.59x
Swaffham 12 213.52x
Croydon 11 9.04x
Hunslet 11 15.83x
Camberwell 10 3.48x
Great Yarmouth 10 17.46x
Holbeck 10 33.88x
Wetherden 10 1298.70x
Crimplesham 9 1956.52x
Faversham 9 61.52x
Tonbridge 9 16.26x
Beckenham 8 39.88x
Rowley Regis 8 18.91x
Bayford 7 1666.67x
Brighton 7 4.58x
Burnham Westgate 7 469.80x
Congham 7 1372.55x
Cowley 7 80.74x
South Pickenham 7 2592.59x
St Andrew Holborn 7 45.90x
Brightside Bierlow 6 6.87x
Great Dunham 6 983.61x
Hawkhurst 6 125.79x
Hereford St Nicholas 6 239.04x
Islington London 6 1.38x
Kilmuir Easter 6 338.98x
Ramsgate 6 23.96x
Willesden 6 14.15x
Wonersh 6 219.78x
Worcester St Martin 6 75.76x
Bermondsey 5 3.73x
Bow London 5 8.73x
Heigham 5 13.47x
Lowestoft 5 19.33x
Narborough 5 746.27x
Newchurch 5 1000.00x
Tytherington 5 735.29x
Warrington 5 7.90x
Barnes 4 43.15x
Bassingbourn 4 95.47x
Govan 4 1.11x
Paisley High Church 4 14.41x
Portsea 4 2.21x
South Elmham St Margaret 4 1818.18x
St Marylebone London 4 1.67x
Wandsworth 4 9.24x
Cheshunt 3 27.68x
Cullercoates 3 142.86x
Dundee 3 1.93x
Eastbourne 3 8.60x
Glasgow 3 1.16x
Gravesend 3 23.09x
Llanfyllin 3 110.29x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 1.86x
Tittleshall 3 379.75x
Toxteth Park 3 1.66x
West Bradenham 3 638.30x
Chelsea London 2 1.48x
Coddenham 2 160.00x
Hackford In Aylsham 2 161.29x
Kensington London 2 0.80x
Lewisham 2 2.44x
Portmoak 2 123.46x
Preston 2 15.11x
Ringwood 2 33.90x
Romford 2 14.26x
Royal Navy 2 4.37x
Shareshill Hilton 2 333.33x
Sheffield 2 1.41x
South Lynn 2 25.64x
Southacre 2 1818.18x
St Peter Colebrook 2 153.85x
Ware 2 22.52x
Westminster St 2 12.06x
Willingham 2 82.30x
Castle Acre 1 48.78x
Edinburgh New North 1 19.08x
Hornsey 1 1.76x
Lee 1 4.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 31
Elizabeth 14
Sarah 10
Annie 8
Ann 7
Jane 7
Alice 6
Eliza 6
Ellen 6
Hannah 5
Maria 5
Anne 4
Emily 4
Emma 4
Lucy 4
Ada 3
Caroline 3
Charlotte 3
Louisa 3
Matilda 3
Susan 3
Beatrice 2
C. 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Harriett 2
Henrietta 2
Isabel 2
Isabella 2
Martha 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Betsy 1
Ella 1
Emmeline 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Hanah 1
Hanna 1
Harriet 1
Helena 1
Henriette 1
Hephzebah 1
I. 1
Katie 1
L. 1
Laura 1
Zelie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 24
John 22
Charles 17
Thomas 16
George 14
Henry 11
James 10
Alfred 7
Joseph 7
Benjamin 6
Arthur 5
Edward 5
Frank 5
Robert 5
Herbert 4
W. 4
Walter 4
David 3
Ernest 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Alexander 2
Frederick 2
Henery 2
Peter 2
Philip 2
Robt. 2
Andrew 1
Archbald 1
Arther 1
Bertram 1
Chester 1
Earnest 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Herbet 1
Horace 1
Horrace 1
Isaiah 1
J. 1
Jas. 1
Obadiah 1
Percy 1
Richd. 1
Rowland 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Roberson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roberson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 459 people were recorded with the Roberson surname. That placed it at #7,225 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roberson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 538 in 2016. That gives Roberson a modern rank of #9,457.

What does the Roberson surname mean?

Son of Robert, an English patronymic surname derived from the given name Robert.

What does the Roberson map show?

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