NameCensus.

UK surname

Robey

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "boundary hedge" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 507 people recorded with the Robey surname, ranking it #6,718 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 867, ranked #6,471, up from #6,718 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Mary Stratford-le-Bow and Wantage, East Lockinge, Ardington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Derbyshire, Derby and North West Leicestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Robey is 936 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 71.0%.

1881 census count

507

Ranked #6,718

Modern count

867

2016, ranked #6,471

Peak year

1998

936 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Robey had 507 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,718 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 867 in 2016, ranked #6,471.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 912 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Robey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Robey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Robey 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 277 #8,112
1861 historical 346 #7,377
1881 historical 507 #6,718
1891 historical 528 #7,101
1901 historical 732 #6,045
1911 historical 912 #4,892
1997 modern 898 #5,972
1998 modern 936 #5,974
1999 modern 920 #6,096
2000 modern 922 #6,072
2001 modern 911 #6,033
2002 modern 921 #6,092
2003 modern 908 #6,043
2004 modern 906 #6,067
2005 modern 875 #6,156
2006 modern 899 #6,049
2007 modern 885 #6,163
2008 modern 894 #6,154
2009 modern 892 #6,316
2010 modern 893 #6,431
2011 modern 886 #6,393
2012 modern 870 #6,407
2013 modern 895 #6,370
2014 modern 898 #6,382
2015 modern 874 #6,457
2016 modern 867 #6,471

Geography

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Where Robeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Mary Stratford-le-Bow, Wantage, East Lockinge, Ardington, Dean and Ashby-de-la-Zouch. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Derbyshire, Derby and North West Leicestershire. 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 London parishes London 3
2 St Mary Stratford-le-Bow London (East Districts)
3 Wantage, East Lockinge, Ardington Berkshire
4 Dean Lancashire
5 Ashby-de-la-Zouch Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Derbyshire 006 South Derbyshire
2 South Derbyshire 009 South Derbyshire
3 South Derbyshire 013 South Derbyshire
4 Derby 025 Derby
5 North West Leicestershire 001 North West Leicestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Robey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Robey

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Robey is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Robey 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

Robey falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Robey

The surname Robey is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old French personal name Robert, which itself comes from the Germanic elements "hrod" meaning "fame" and "berht" meaning "bright." The name was introduced to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Robey is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195, where it appears as "Robeye." This spelling variation suggests that the name may have originated as a nickname or diminutive form of Robert. Other early spellings include Roby, Robey, Robie, and Robbie.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records across England, including the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which mention a Thomas Robey in Oxfordshire. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 also contain references to individuals with the surname Robey or similar variations.

During the medieval period, the name Robey was associated with several notable figures. One example is Sir John Robey, a member of the English gentry who lived in the late 14th century and was mentioned in the Court Rolls of Kent.

In the 16th century, the surname Robey was found in various parish records and tax rolls across England. One notable bearer of the name was William Robey, a merchant and alderman from the city of Bristol, who was born in 1520 and died in 1592.

The 17th century saw the emergence of several prominent individuals with the surname Robey. One such figure was Sir Thomas Robey, a lawyer and judge who served as a member of Parliament and Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas from 1660 to 1671.

In the 18th century, the name Robey was particularly prevalent in the county of Hertfordshire, where it was associated with several landed families and estates. One notable bearer of the name from this period was John Robey, a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Hertford, who lived from 1720 to 1797.

The 19th century brought forth several notable individuals with the surname Robey, including George Robey, a famous English music hall comedian and actor who was born in 1869 and died in 1954. Another notable figure was Sir Alfred Robey, a successful businessman and philanthropist from Manchester, who lived from 1835 to 1918.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Robey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Robey 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. Middlesex leads with 82 Robeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.66x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 82 1.66x
Derbyshire 56 7.23x
Berkshire 55 14.82x
Surrey 51 2.12x
Lancashire 45 0.77x
Nottinghamshire 33 4.95x
Wiltshire 25 5.72x
Leicestershire 24 4.38x
Essex 19 1.95x
Lincolnshire 19 2.40x
Hampshire 14 1.38x
Kent 14 0.83x
Sussex 10 1.20x
Somerset 9 1.13x
Worcestershire 9 1.39x
Suffolk 8 1.33x
Oxfordshire 6 1.96x
Staffordshire 5 0.30x
Glamorgan 4 0.46x
Warwickshire 4 0.32x
Yorkshire 4 0.08x
Cheshire 3 0.27x
Gloucestershire 2 0.21x
Huntingdonshire 2 2.04x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.33x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.32x
Devon 1 0.10x
Dorset 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Melbourne in Derbyshire leads with 29 Robeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 548.20x.

Place Total Index
Melbourne 29 548.20x
Ardington 22 3384.62x
Loughborough 22 88.42x
Hackney London 19 6.85x
Kearsley 17 137.65x
West Ham 15 6.96x
Pemberton 14 59.83x
Battersea 13 7.14x
Bow London 13 20.65x
Nottingham St Mary 13 7.54x
Mile End Old Town 11 14.09x
Southwark St George Martyr 11 11.05x
Alderbury 10 487.80x
Ilkeston 10 46.06x
Radford 10 29.53x
Lyncombe Widcombe 9 43.19x
Brighton 8 4.76x
Lambeth 8 1.86x
Lowestoft 8 28.11x
Reading St Giles 8 21.97x
St Botolph Lincoln 8 140.85x
Camberwell 7 2.22x
Farnborough 7 2187.50x
Ilkestonderbypart 7 308.37x
Lewisham 7 7.78x
Alverstoke 6 16.35x
St Swithin Lincoln 6 48.27x
Beeston 5 65.27x
Coombe Bissett 5 819.67x
Earley 5 80.91x
Heanor 5 43.18x
Kings Norton 5 8.63x
Paddington London 5 2.75x
Poplar London 5 5.36x
West Grimstead 5 1250.00x
Aston 4 1.16x
Hulme 4 3.26x
Islington London 4 0.83x
Kingston On Thames 4 6.91x
Mile End New Town 4 59.26x
Oldbury 4 12.59x
Shoreditch London 4 1.87x
Sutton 4 22.94x
Swansea Town 4 5.67x
Wanstead 4 23.39x
Wigan 4 4.88x
Alfreton 3 12.76x
Britford 3 103.81x
East Tytherley 3 468.75x
Farnworth 3 8.53x
Herne 3 40.16x
Shrivenham 3 163.04x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 3 26.98x
Willesden 3 6.44x
Wolstanton 3 5.92x
Arnold 2 20.56x
Barnsley 2 3.96x
Basford 2 6.51x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 2.19x
Chester St Oswald 2 10.12x
Fulham London 2 2.79x
Great Faringdon 2 37.52x
Greenwich 2 2.54x
Hastings St Andrew 2 66.89x
Henley On Thames 2 31.95x
Horton Kirby 2 76.63x
Kidlington 2 84.75x
Limehouse London 2 3.68x
Portsea 2 1.01x
Richmond 2 5.92x
St Marylebone London 2 0.76x
Streatham 2 5.45x
Wantage 2 33.78x
Wargrave 2 62.70x
Weston On Trent 2 400.00x
Andover 1 10.44x
Bensington 1 51.28x
Hornsey 1 1.60x
Little Paxton 1 212.77x
Walsall Borough 1 7.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Elizabeth 18
Sarah 18
Annie 11
Ann 9
Ellen 9
Eliza 7
Emma 7
Fanny 7
Jane 7
Catherine 6
Margaret 6
Ada 5
Lucy 5
Alice 4
Hannah 4
Harriet 4
Louisa 4
Agnes 3
Caroline 3
Emily 3
Isabella 3
Lydia 3
Anne 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Esther 2
Frances 2
Harriett 2
Helena 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Lizzie 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Anna 1
Bessy 1
Bradget 1
Carrey 1
Elen 1
Eliz. 1
Elsie 1
Hester 1
Hildred 1
Infant 1
Isabel 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 29
John 25
George 19
Charles 18
Thomas 15
Henry 14
Joseph 9
Robert 9
Samuel 9
James 8
Alfred 7
Frank 6
Edward 5
Richard 5
Francis 4
Harry 4
Stephen 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Christopher 2
Clement 2
Josiah 2
Mark 2
Robt. 2
Roger 2
Sydney 2
Walter 2
Arthr. 1
Caleb 1
Chas.G. 1
Claude 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Elizabeth 1
Ernest 1
Fred. 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
G. 1
Guy 1
Harold 1
J. 1
Jeffrey 1
Jesse 1
Jessie 1
Leonard 1
Leslie 1
Nathan 1
Paul 1
Wm.Robt.C. 1

FAQ

Robey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Robey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 507 people were recorded with the Robey surname. That placed it at #6,718 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Robey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 867 in 2016. That gives Robey a modern rank of #6,471.

What does the Robey surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "boundary hedge" in Old English.

What does the Robey map show?

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