2000
#53,556
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 362
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.13
Very Rare Last name
Hobley
A habitational surname derived from the village of Hubley in Yorkshire, England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 536 Americans carry the last name Hobley. That puts it at #48,797 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 639,467 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hobley 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 Hobley with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
536
1 in 639,467
Census rank
#48,797
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
467
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 467 bearers of the surname Hobley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 48797th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hobley, the largest self-reported group is Black at 64.9%. The next largest groups are White (22.9%) and Hispanic (5.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hobley
The surname Hobley originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hob," meaning a flat-topped hill or mound, and "ley," meaning a meadow or clearing. This suggests that the name was likely borne by someone who lived near a distinctive hill or mound in a meadow or clearing.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century in various county records and tax rolls from the English counties of Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Lincolnshire. The name was often spelled in various ways, such as Hobbeley, Hobley, and Hobly, reflecting the variations in local dialects and scribal practices.
One of the earliest known records of the name is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327, which mention a Robert de Hobbeley. Another early reference is in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, which list a John Hobley.
Over the centuries, the Hobley name has been associated with several notable individuals. One such person was William Hobley (c. 1600-1679), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of Ickham in Kent from 1640 until his death.
Another prominent figure was Charles Hobley (1796-1879), a English lawyer and legal writer who published several works on the laws of bankruptcy and conveyancing.
In the realm of exploration and colonialism, John Ainsworth Hobley (1858-1923) was a British colonial administrator who served as the Commissioner of the East Africa Protectorate (present-day Kenya) from 1899 to 1912.
In the field of medicine, Charles Leonard Hobley (1887-1975) was a British physician and surgeon who made significant contributions to the treatment of fractures and orthopedic surgery.
Lastly, Clifford Hobley (1918-2008) was a British actor and writer who appeared in various television shows and films throughout his career, including roles in popular series like "Dad's Army" and "Fawlty Towers."
These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have borne the Hobley surname throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence in various regions of England and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hobley
Among Census respondents with the surname Hobley, the largest self-reported group is Black at 64.9%. The next largest groups are White (22.9%) and Hispanic (5.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Hobley 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 Hobley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American64.9% · 303
- White22.9% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino5.1% · 24
- Two or more races4.9% · 23
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hobley
Hobley appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#55,121
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 373
+11 bearers (+3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Down 1,565 places
2020
#48,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 467
+94 bearers (+25.2%)
Per 100,000 0.16
Rank movement Up 6,324 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #53,556 | 362 | 0.13 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #55,121 | 373 | 0.13 | +11 bearers (+3.0%) | Down 1,565 places |
| 2020 | #48,797 | 467 | 0.16 | +94 bearers (+25.2%) | Up 6,324 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 Hobley 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 | #55,121 | #48,797 | 11.5% |
| Count | 373 | 467 | 25.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.13 | 0.16 | 20.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hobley bearers went from 373 to 467 (+25.2% change). The surname moved up 6,324 positions in the national ranking, going from #55,121 to #48,797.
FAQ
Hobley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hobley?
Name Census estimates that about 536 living Americans carry the surname Hobley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 639,467 residents.
How common is Hobley?
Hobley ranks #48,797 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.16 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 467 people with the surname Hobley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (536), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.16 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.16 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 Hobley.
Has Hobley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hobley went from 373 recorded bearers to 467. That is an increase of 94 (+25.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #55,121 to #48,797.
What does the Census say about the background of Hobley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hobley, the largest self-reported group is Black at 64.9%. The next largest groups are White (22.9%) and Hispanic (5.1%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Hobley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 64.9% (303 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hobley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (64.9%), White (22.9%), Hispanic (5.1%). 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 Hobley (2000, 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 Hobley mean?
A habitational surname derived from the village of Hubley in Yorkshire, England. 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 Hobley (0.16 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 common is the surname Hobley?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Hobley on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.