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

Dobbins, 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 Dobbins surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dobbins in America

Dobbins is the 2407th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dobbins surname appeared 15,076 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Dobbins.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dobbins 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 Dobbins

The surname Dobbins has its origins in England and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "dobb," which referred to a small hill or mound, and was likely used as a descriptive term for someone who lived near such a geographical feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1195, where a person named Reginald Dobbin is mentioned. This suggests that the name was present in Yorkshire during the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various forms, including Dobbyn, Dobyn, and Dobbyn, indicating variations in spelling and pronunciation. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 include references to individuals named Roger Dobbin and William Dobbyn, both from the county of Oxfordshire.

During the 14th century, the name Dobbins started to gain more prominence. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 list a John Dobbyn from the county of Sussex, while the Poll Tax Returns of 1379 mention a Thomas Dobbyn from Yorkshire.

In the 15th century, the name Dobbins continued to be found in various parts of England. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1436 record a John Dobbins from the county of Warwickshire. Additionally, in the same century, a notable individual named William Dobbins (c. 1455 - 1535) served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Gloucester.

As the centuries progressed, the name Dobbins spread to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. In the 16th century, a well-known figure was James Dobbins (c. 1520 - 1587), an English merchant and explorer who established trade routes with West Africa.

In the 17th century, the name Dobbins can be found in various historical records, such as the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1662, which mention a John Dobbins from the county of Worcestershire. Additionally, a famous individual named Thomas Dobbins (1642 - 1711) was a prominent Quaker minister and author from Pennsylvania.

The 18th century saw the name Dobbins continue to be widely used across England and the British colonies. One notable figure from this period was William Dobbins (1759 - 1829), an American naval officer who served during the Quasi-War with France and the War of 1812.

In the 19th century, the surname Dobbins was further spread across the globe through emigration and exploration. A notable individual from this era was John Dobbins (1809 - 1876), an Irish-born Australian explorer and surveyor who played a significant role in the exploration of the Australian outback.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dobbins

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

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

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

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