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

Roba, 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 Roba surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Roba in America

Roba is the 84748th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Roba surname appeared 221 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 Roba.

We can also compare 2010 data for Roba 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 Roba

The surname ROBA is believed to have originated in Italy, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Italian word "roba," meaning "thing" or "possession." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who was perceived as materialistic or preoccupied with possessions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname ROBA can be found in a document from the town of Pisa, dated around 1280, which mentions a certain "Giovanni di Roba." This indicates that the name had already established itself in the region by that time.

In the 14th century, the name appears in several historical records from the city of Florence, including tax rolls and guild records. One notable individual was Simone Roba, a wealthy merchant who lived from 1320 to 1385 and was involved in the silk trade with the Middle East.

During the Renaissance period, the name ROBA gained some prominence in the arts. Pietro Roba, a painter born in Venice in 1450, is known for his fresco work in several churches throughout northern Italy. His contemporary, the sculptor Girolamo Roba (1470-1534), created several notable works for wealthy patrons in Rome and Milan.

In the 17th century, the name ROBA can be found in records from the Papal States, particularly in the city of Bologna. One individual of note was Cesare Roba (1605-1676), a renowned jurist and legal scholar who served as a judge in the papal court.

Moving into the 18th century, the surname ROBA appears to have spread beyond Italy, with records showing individuals bearing the name in France and Spain. One prominent figure was Lorenzo Roba (1720-1798), a Spanish military officer who played a key role in the defense of Gibraltar during the Great Siege of 1779-1783.

Throughout its history, the surname ROBA has maintained a presence in various regions of Italy, with concentrations in cities like Pisa, Florence, and Bologna. While not a particularly common name, it has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including merchants, artists, scholars, and military figures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Roba

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

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

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

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