2010
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Cubbin
A surname of English origin with uncertain derivation, possibly related to a place name or occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Cubbin. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cubbin surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Cubbin with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Cubbin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cubbin, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cubbin
The surname Cubbin is believed to have originated from England, particularly in the northern counties, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "cub" and "hin," which collectively translate to "young or small worker." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a farm laborer or a servant working on a manor or estate.
The earliest known record of the name Cubbin appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1203, where a person named Richard Cubbin is mentioned as a landowner. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Westmorland from 1332 list a John Cubbin as a taxpayer.
In the 14th century, variations of the name were documented in different regions of England. For instance, the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire from 1332 mention a William Cobyn, while the Feet of Fines for Derbyshire in 1346 record a Robert Cobyn.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Cubbin was Sir John Cubbin (c. 1420-1489), a knight and landowner from Northumberland. He served as a member of the English Parliament and fought in the Wars of the Roses.
Another prominent figure was William Cubbin (1566-1624), an English clergyman who served as the Dean of Lichfield Cathedral and authored several religious texts.
During the 17th century, the surname Cubbin spread to other parts of the British Isles. For example, James Cubbin (1635-1688) was a Scottish merchant and trader who established a successful business in Glasgow.
In the 18th century, the Cubbin family had a presence in various parts of England. One notable member was Thomas Cubbin (1720-1781), a wealthy landowner from Yorkshire who was known for his philanthropic efforts and support of local schools.
In the 19th century, the name Cubbin gained recognition in the literary world with the works of poet and author Mary Cubbin (1832-1901), whose poems were published in several anthologies of the time.
Throughout history, the surname Cubbin has been associated with various occupations, including farmers, tradesmen, clergymen, and military personnel, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who carried this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cubbin
Among Census respondents with the surname Cubbin, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Cubbin bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Cubbin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.6% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.8% · 3
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cubbin
Cubbin appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-14 bearers (-11.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,111 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-11.7%) | Down 13,111 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Cubbin surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #139,228 | #152,339 | -9.4% |
| Count | 120 | 106 | -11.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cubbin bearers went from 120 to 106 (-11.7% change). The surname moved down 13,111 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #152,339.
FAQ
Cubbin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cubbin?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Cubbin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Cubbin?
Cubbin ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 106 people with the surname Cubbin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Cubbin.
Has Cubbin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cubbin went from 120 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 14 (-11.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Cubbin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cubbin, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Cubbin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.6% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cubbin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.6%), Hispanic (3.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Cubbin (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Cubbin mean?
A surname of English origin with uncertain derivation, possibly related to a place name or occupation. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Cubbin (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Cubbin?
Want to know how many people have the last name Cubbin? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.