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

Nobles, 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 Nobles surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nobles in America

Nobles is the 2782nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nobles surname appeared 12,965 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Nobles.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nobles 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 Nobles

The surname Nobles is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "noble," meaning someone of noble birth or rank. This name first appeared in England in the 12th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

The earliest known bearers of the name were likely individuals of noble or aristocratic lineage, as the surname was used to distinguish those of high social status. In some cases, the name may have been adopted by families who aspired to a noble lifestyle or held positions of authority within their local communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nobles can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1194, where a person named Roger Nobles is mentioned. This suggests that the surname was already established in parts of England by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the Nobles surname appeared in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire (1273), where a William le Noble is listed. The use of the prefix "le" or "de" before the name was common practice during this period, indicating the family's connection to a specific location or estate.

The Nobles surname has been prominent throughout English history, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One example is Sir William Nobles (c.1453-1518), a member of the English gentry who served as a Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire in the early 16th century.

Another prominent figure was Sir Andrew Nobles (1597-1672), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire during the Commonwealth period. He was a prominent supporter of Oliver Cromwell and the Parliamentary cause during the English Civil War.

In the realm of literature, the name Nobles is associated with the English poet and playwright John Nobles (1584-1647), best known for his play "The Feign'd Courtezans" and several poetic works published in the early 17th century.

The Nobles surname also gained recognition in the field of science with the contributions of Robert Nobles (1676-1753), an English mathematician and astronomer who served as the Savilian Professor of Astronomy at the University of Oxford.

During the 19th century, the name Nobles was further established with individuals such as Sir Aretas Akers-Nobles (1851-1927), a British civil servant and politician who served as the Secretary of the Admiralty during the early 20th century.

While the Nobles surname originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and colonization. However, its roots can be traced back to the noble lineages and prestigious positions held by its earliest bearers in medieval and early modern England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nobles

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

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

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

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