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

Dobey, 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 Dobey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dobey in America

Dobey is the 48256th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dobey surname appeared 438 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 Dobey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dobey 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 Dobey

The surname Dobey is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "dob," meaning a small hill or mound. This suggests that the name may have initially been a topographic descriptor, referring to an individual who resided near or on a small hill.

One of the earliest known records of the Dobey surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was listed as "de Dobbe." This entry indicates that the name was already in use during the Norman Conquest and the subsequent compilation of the Domesday survey.

In the 13th century, the surname emerged in various spellings, such as "Dobbey," "Dobbyns," and "Dobbie." These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in written records during that time period.

Historically, the Dobey surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Sir John Dobey, a prominent landowner in Oxfordshire, England, who lived in the late 14th century.

During the Tudor period, William Dobey (1505-1569) was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

In the 17th century, Edward Dobey (1619-1684) was a successful merchant and benefactor who contributed to the rebuilding of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk.

The 18th century saw the rise of Thomas Dobey (1737-1815), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Covent Garden Theatre.

In the 19th century, Elizabeth Dobey (1820-1892) was a prominent educator and advocate for women's rights, known for her efforts in establishing schools for girls in rural areas of England.

While the Dobey surname has its origins in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and other English-speaking countries, carried by individuals who have migrated or descended from English ancestors.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dobey

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

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

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

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