Dibbs last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Dibbs

A variant spelling of the occupational surname Dibb, referring to someone employed as a ditch-digger.

Dibbs, 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 Dibbs surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dibbs in America

Dibbs is the 124548th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dibbs surname appeared 138 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 Dibbs.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dibbs 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 124548 117538 5.79%
Count 138 137 0.73%
Proportion per 100k 0.05 0.05 0.00%

The history of the last name Dibbs

The surname DIBBS is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "dybban," which means to immerse or dip. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a body of water or worked in a profession related to dyeing or tanning.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name DIBBS can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls, a census-like record compiled in England in 1273. The name is listed as "Dibbe" in this document, which provides evidence of its existence during the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the surname DIBBS appeared in several records from the county of Yorkshire. For example, a man named John Dibbes is mentioned in the Yorkshire Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1301. This suggests that the name may have been particularly prevalent in that region during the Middle Ages.

The DIBBS surname can also be traced back to various place names in England, such as Dibb's Cross in Shropshire and Dibb's Farm in Gloucestershire. These locations likely derived their names from early settlers with the DIBBS surname, further solidifying the name's connection to the country.

One notable individual with the DIBBS surname was Sir John Dibbs (1546-1629), a wealthy merchant and influential figure in the city of London during the Elizabethan era. He served as an alderman and was knighted by King James I in 1617.

Another prominent bearer of the DIBBS name was Robert Dibbs (1670-1742), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Royal Exchange in London. His work played a significant role in shaping the architectural landscape of the city during the 18th century.

In the 19th century, the DIBBS surname gained further recognition with the birth of William Dibbs (1835-1909), an Australian politician and businessman. He served as the Premier of New South Wales from 1891 to 1894 and made significant contributions to the development of the colony's infrastructure and industry.

Thomas Dibbs (1776-1847), an English poet and playwright, was also a notable figure associated with the DIBBS surname. His works, including the play "The Farmer's Wife" and the poem "The Shipwreck," were well-received during his lifetime and helped establish his reputation as a literary figure.

The surname DIBBS has a rich history that spans centuries and is deeply rooted in English culture and tradition. From its possible origins as a name associated with water-related professions to its presence in historical records and notable individuals, the DIBBS surname has left an indelible mark on various aspects of society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dibbs

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

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 Dibbs was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 77.54% 107
Non-Hispanic Black Only 19.57% 27
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 77.54% 78.83% -1.65%
Black 19.57% 16.06% 19.70%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Dibbs last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 27, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/dibbs-surname-popularity/.

"Dibbs last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/dibbs-surname-popularity/. Accessed 27 May, 2025

Dibbs last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/dibbs-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.