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

Cobbs, 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 Cobbs surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cobbs in America

Cobbs is the 5306th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cobbs surname appeared 6,565 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Cobbs.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cobbs 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 Cobbs

The surname Cobbs has its roots in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "cob," which referred to a rounded mass or lump, often used to describe a rounded hill or promontory.

The earliest documented use of the name can be traced back to the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it is recorded as "Robert Cobbe." The name was likely initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone living near a rounded hill or promontory.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several references to places with names containing the element "cob," such as Cobham in Surrey and Cobley in Gloucestershire. These place names may have influenced the development of the surname Cobbs in their respective areas.

One notable early bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Cobbs (c. 1352 - 1439), who served as a member of the English Parliament for Barnstaple in Devon during the reigns of Henry IV and Henry V. Another early example is John Cobbs (c. 1410 - 1471), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Somerset.

During the 16th century, the surname Cobbs appeared in various spellings, including Cobb, Cobbe, and Cobbes. One prominent figure from this period was Sir William Cobbs (c. 1520 - 1592), a Member of Parliament and Lord Mayor of London in 1586.

In the 17th century, the name Cobbs was associated with several notable individuals, such as Richard Cobbs (1608 - 1678), a clergyman and author from Oxfordshire, and Walter Cobbs (1632 - 1712), a wealthy merchant and benefactor from London.

Another significant figure was Sir John Cobbs (1660 - 1719), a renowned architect who designed several churches and other buildings in London, including the iconic St. Paul's Cathedral.

By the 18th century, the surname Cobbs had spread throughout England and was also found in other parts of the British Isles, as well as in the American colonies. One notable bearer of the name was James Cobbs (1749 - 1835), a Virginia planter and politician who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cobbs

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

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

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

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