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

Dobell, 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 Dobell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dobell in America

Dobell is the 131379th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dobell surname appeared 129 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 Dobell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dobell 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 Dobell

The surname Dobell originated in England, likely in the late medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place name such as Dobhill or Dovehill. The name may have roots in Old English words like "dub" or "dof," meaning a small hill or mound.

The earliest recorded instances of the Dobell surname date back to the 16th century. One of the earliest known bearers was John Dobell, who was mentioned in the parish records of Ashton, Northamptonshire, in 1568. The Dobell family is also known to have lived in Gloucestershire and Somerset during this time.

In the 17th century, the surname appears in various records, including the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1665, which list several Dobell households in Somerset. One notable figure was Edward Dobell (1625-1691), a merchant and philanthropist from Cranbrook, Kent, who founded the Dobell Charity, which still operates today.

The 18th century saw the Dobell family spread further across England. Sydney Dobell (1824-1874) was a renowned English poet and critic, born in Cranbrook, Kent. His works include "Balder" and "Thoughts on Art, Philosophy, and Religion."

In the 19th century, John Dobell (1798-1868) was a prominent English businessman and philanthropist from Cheltenham. He was instrumental in establishing the Cheltenham Mechanics' Institute and was also a member of the Royal Society of Arts.

Another notable figure was Bertram Dobell (1842-1914), an English bookseller and publisher from London. He was known for his expertise in rare and antiquarian books and published works by famous authors like Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw.

Throughout its history, the Dobell surname has been associated with various professions, including merchants, philanthropists, poets, and booksellers. While its origins may be rooted in place names, the name has spread across England and become a part of the country's rich cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dobell

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

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

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

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