NameCensus.

UK surname

Tubbs

Derived from a Middle English nickname for a plump or barrel-chested individual, from "tubba," meaning "tub" or "barrel."

In the 1881 census there were 693 people recorded with the Tubbs surname, ranking it #5,229 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 659, ranked #8,088, down from #5,229 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Woodlands, St Leonard Shoreditch and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Purbeck, East Dorset and Chelmsford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tubbs is 883 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.9%.

1881 census count

693

Ranked #5,229

Modern count

659

2016, ranked #8,088

Peak year

1911

883 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tubbs had 693 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,229 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 659 in 2016, ranked #8,088.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 883 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tubbs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tubbs surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tubbs 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 397 #6,070
1861 historical 452 #5,730
1881 historical 693 #5,229
1891 historical 668 #5,829
1901 historical 758 #5,892
1911 historical 883 #5,042
1997 modern 668 #7,513
1998 modern 707 #7,418
1999 modern 718 #7,380
2000 modern 705 #7,449
2001 modern 695 #7,414
2002 modern 693 #7,574
2003 modern 695 #7,421
2004 modern 680 #7,575
2005 modern 654 #7,734
2006 modern 663 #7,700
2007 modern 673 #7,675
2008 modern 670 #7,731
2009 modern 683 #7,791
2010 modern 685 #7,907
2011 modern 670 #7,963
2012 modern 656 #8,011
2013 modern 666 #8,058
2014 modern 664 #8,115
2015 modern 663 #8,063
2016 modern 659 #8,088

Geography

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Where Tubbs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Woodlands, St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, Southampton St Mary and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Purbeck, East Dorset, Chelmsford and Scarborough. 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 Woodlands Dorset
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Purbeck 003 Purbeck
2 East Dorset 005 East Dorset
3 Chelmsford 017 Chelmsford
4 East Dorset 009 East Dorset
5 Scarborough 013 Scarborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tubbs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tubbs

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Tubbs is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tubbs 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

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

Meaning and origin of Tubbs

The surname Tubbs is of English origin, and it is believed to have originated in the early medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "tob," which means a hillock or a small mound.

In its earliest forms, the name was spelled as "Tobbe" or "Tob," and it was likely used as a descriptive name for someone who lived near a small hill or a mound. Over time, the name evolved into its current spelling, "Tubbs."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Hertfordshire from the year 1202, where a person named "Robert Tob" is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer during the medieval period.

The Tubbs surname is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror. In the Domesday Book, the name appears as "Tob," and it is recorded in several counties, including Lincolnshire and Gloucestershire.

One notable person with the surname Tubbs was Sir William Tubbs (c. 1619-1689), an English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire during the reign of Charles II. Another individual of historical significance was Edward Tubbs (1677-1751), a British merchant and philanthropist who helped establish the Foundling Hospital in London, one of the first institutions dedicated to caring for abandoned children.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Tubbs surname dates back to the 17th century. John Tubbs (1632-1676) was an English colonist who settled in Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1650s and became one of the founders of the town of Topsfield, Massachusetts.

Another notable American with the surname Tubbs was Hiram Tubbs (1795-1856), a successful businessman and politician from Ohio. He served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives and was involved in various commercial enterprises, including the construction of canals and railroads.

Lastly, the Tubbs surname has been linked to several place names in England, such as Tubbs Hill in Lincolnshire and Tubbs Meadow in Gloucestershire, further reinforcing its connection to the Old English word "tob" and its association with geographical features like hills and mounds.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tubbs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tubbs 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 199 Tubbs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.95x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 199 2.95x
Surrey 138 4.20x
Hampshire 85 6.14x
Dorset 81 18.28x
Sussex 27 2.37x
Lancashire 24 0.30x
Devon 17 1.21x
Essex 15 1.13x
Berkshire 13 2.57x
Kent 13 0.56x
Yorkshire 11 0.16x
Buckinghamshire 8 1.96x
Warwickshire 7 0.41x
Cheshire 6 0.40x
Northumberland 6 0.60x
Oxfordshire 5 1.20x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.94x
Lincolnshire 4 0.37x
Monmouthshire 4 0.82x
Derbyshire 3 0.28x
Northamptonshire 3 0.47x
Royal Navy 3 3.73x
Durham 2 0.10x
Gloucestershire 2 0.15x
Hertfordshire 2 0.43x
Norfolk 2 0.19x
Somerset 2 0.18x
Staffordshire 2 0.09x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.11x
Wiltshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 31 Tubbs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.27x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 31 5.27x
Southampton St Mary 31 35.63x
Bethnal Green London 28 9.55x
Islington London 21 3.21x
Wimborne 18 335.82x
Shoreditch London 16 5.47x
Guildford St Nicholas 15 258.18x
Hastings St Leonards 15 89.66x
Westminster St James 13 18.73x
Woodlands 13 1238.10x
Hackney London 12 3.17x
Putney 12 39.00x
St Pancras London 12 2.21x
Hampstead London 10 9.51x
Horton 10 934.58x
Croydon 9 4.93x
Finchley 9 34.78x
Holdenhurst 9 24.80x
Limehouse London 9 12.15x
Newington 9 3.61x
Pennycross 9 762.71x
Westminster St John 9 10.95x
Brightside Bierlow 8 6.10x
Camberwell 8 1.86x
Chalbury 8 1632.65x
Hinton Martel 8 909.09x
Kensington London 8 2.13x
Millbrook 8 22.96x
Wimborne Minster 8 111.58x
Wimborne St Giles 8 761.90x
Wolverton 8 94.67x
Aston 7 1.49x
Barnes 7 50.32x
St Anne Soho London 7 18.16x
Brixton 6 526.32x
Chertsey 6 28.24x
Colne 6 25.15x
Godalming 6 28.97x
Hastings St Mary 6 21.19x
Salford 6 2.55x
Westgate 6 9.65x
Bow London 5 5.82x
Christchurch 5 16.67x
Great Parndon 5 438.60x
Hammersmith London 5 3.01x
Longworth 5 362.32x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 4.62x
Reading St Lawrence 5 46.13x
Romiley 5 119.05x
South Stoneham 5 16.66x
Tottenham 5 4.65x
West Ham 5 1.70x
Wimbledon 5 13.54x
Brighton 4 1.74x
Guildford Friary 4 388.35x
Lower Booths 4 27.87x
Mile End Old Town 4 3.75x
Shire Newton 4 227.27x
Southampton All Sts 4 16.85x
St Luke London 4 3.69x
Walthamstow 4 8.34x
Windlesham 4 64.62x
Beckenham 3 9.96x
Beddington 3 23.58x
Bishopstoke 3 84.51x
Everton 3 1.18x
Greenwich 3 2.79x
Gt Haseley 3 189.87x
Hellidon 3 410.96x
Holbeach 3 24.96x
Hornsey 3 3.51x
Mottisfont 3 250.00x
Poole St James 3 18.02x
Reading St Mary 3 7.39x
Royal Navy 3 4.36x
St Marylebone London 3 0.83x
Stoke 3 19.33x
Sutton 3 84.75x
Wandsworth 3 4.62x
West Derby 2 0.85x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 40
Henry 28
George 27
Charles 25
John 24
James 16
Thomas 15
Albert 14
Alfred 10
Robert 10
Frederick 7
Richard 7
Arthur 6
Joseph 6
Edward 5
Ernest 5
Frank 5
David 4
Harry 4
Thos. 4
Walter 4
Wm. 4
Daniel 3
Herbert 3
Benjamin 2
Clement 2
Edwin 2
Fredrick 2
Hy. 2
Leonard 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Robt. 2
Samuel 2
B. 1
Charlie 1
Clemont 1
Cyril 1
Evlin 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredk.Howard 1
Geo. 1
Geo.L. 1
K. 1
Lawrence 1
Lewis 1
Lionel 1
Louis 1
Mark 1

FAQ

Tubbs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tubbs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 693 people were recorded with the Tubbs surname. That placed it at #5,229 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tubbs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 659 in 2016. That gives Tubbs a modern rank of #8,088.

What does the Tubbs surname mean?

Derived from a Middle English nickname for a plump or barrel-chested individual, from "tubba," meaning "tub" or "barrel."

What does the Tubbs map show?

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