Find out how popular the last name Arb is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Arb.
A surname potentially derived from Arabic for a cultivated area or meadow.
Arb, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Arb surname is from the 2010 census data.
Arb is the 61123rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Arb surname appeared 329 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Arb.
We can also compare 2010 data for Arb to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | 61123 | 60230 | 1.47% |
Count | 329 | 313 | 4.98% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.11 | 0.12 | -8.70% |
The surname ARB has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "arb," meaning a planted tree or a sapling. This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive name to someone who lived near or worked with trees, possibly as a forester or a woodcutter.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ARB can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book mentions a landowner named Arb in the county of Shropshire. This entry provides evidence of the name's existence in the late 11th century.
During the 13th century, the name ARB appeared in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, where a person named Simon Arb was mentioned. The name was also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a certain John Arb was listed as a taxpayer.
In the 16th century, the name ARB was sometimes spelled as "Arbe" or "Arbes," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common during that period. One notable individual with this surname was Richard Arbe, a prominent merchant and landowner in Warwickshire, who lived from 1520 to 1588.
Another notable figure with the surname ARB was Sir Walter Arb, a soldier and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War in the 17th century. He was born in 1610 and served as a Colonel in the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell.
Moving forward to the 18th century, the name ARB was associated with several places in England, such as Arbfield in Berkshire and Arbour Hill in Worcestershire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in certain regions.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning John Arb, a renowned architect and surveyor who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Covent Garden Theatre and the Royal Opera House.
Throughout its history, the surname ARB has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, merchants, soldiers, and professionals. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has persisted and evolved over the centuries, reflecting the rich tapestry of English history and culture.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Arb.
The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Arb was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 94.83% | 312 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | (S)% | (S) |
Hispanic Origin | 2.74% | 9 |
Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.
Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Arb has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 94.83% | 96.81% | -2.07% |
Black | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | (S)% | 0.00% | (S)% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Two or More Races | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Hispanic | 2.74% | 1.60% | 52.53% |
The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.
The history and meaning of the name Arb was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/arb-surname-popularity/">Arb last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Arb last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 8, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/arb-surname-popularity/.
"Arb last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/arb-surname-popularity/. Accessed 8 July, 2025
Arb last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/arb-surname-popularity/.
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