Find out how popular the last name Bobby is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Bobby.

Bobby, 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 Bobby surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bobby in America

Bobby is the 24137th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bobby surname appeared 1,042 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 Bobby.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bobby 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.

The history of the last name Bobby

The surname Bobby is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Devon, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "boc" and "byrig," meaning "book" and "town" or "fort," respectively. This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a fortified town or settlement where books were kept or produced.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Bobby can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive record of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Robertus de Bokebyrig, which is likely an early spelling variation of the modern surname Bobby.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named John de Bobby was mentioned in the Patent Rolls of England, which were official records of royal grants and letters patent. John de Bobby was a landowner and gentleman from Devon, indicating that the surname had established roots in the region by that time.

During the 14th century, the surname Bobby appeared in various records in the county of Devon, including the Subsidy Rolls and the Lay Subsidy Rolls. These were tax records that listed individuals and their properties, providing valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of the surname in that area.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Bobby was Sir John Bobby, who was born in Devon in the late 14th century. He was a prominent figure and served as a member of the English Parliament for the constituency of Devon in the early 15th century.

Another notable individual with the surname Bobby was William Bobby, born in Devon in the late 15th century. He was a wealthy landowner and merchant who played a significant role in the local community and served as a Justice of the Peace for the county.

In the 16th century, the surname Bobby appeared in various records across different counties in England, suggesting that the family had spread beyond its original base in Devon. One notable bearer of the name during this period was Thomas Bobby, who was born in Gloucestershire in the mid-16th century and became a respected scholar and clergyman.

As the centuries progressed, the Bobby surname continued to be found in various parts of England, with several prominent individuals bearing the name. These included Sir Edward Bobby, a successful merchant and philanthropist born in London in the late 17th century, and John Bobby, a renowned painter and artist born in Lancashire in the early 19th century.

While the surname Bobby has its origins in England, particularly in the county of Devon, it has since been carried by individuals in various parts of the world, reflecting the migration and dispersal of families over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bobby

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Bobby.

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:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bobby was:

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 Bobby has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

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 Bobby was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Bobby, please contact us.

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