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

Robards, 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 Robards surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Robards in America

Robards is the 19306th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Robards surname appeared 1,402 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 Robards.

We can also compare 2010 data for Robards 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 Robards

The surname Robards has its origins in England, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words "hrop" and "beorht," meaning "bright" and "shining," respectively. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone with a bright or radiant complexion or personality.

The name is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Roberd" and "Rodberd." These early spellings indicate that the name evolved over time, with variations like "Robart," "Robarts," and "Robards" emerging in subsequent centuries.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Sir John Robards, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century. Another notable figure was William Robards, a merchant and alderman in the City of London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various historical records, such as the Registry of Deeds in Oxfordshire, where a Thomas Robards is mentioned in 1635. Interestingly, the name is also associated with the village of Robards in Staffordshire, which may have derived its name from an early bearer of the surname.

Fast-forwarding to the 18th century, we find Benjamin Robards (1738-1827), an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. In the same century, Samuel Robards (1753-1807) was a prominent Baptist minister and educator in Virginia.

Moving into the 19th century, one notable figure was Brigadier General William P. Robards (1807-1882), who served in the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War. Another significant individual was William Robards (1844-1930), a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Savoy Hotel.

Throughout its history, the surname Robards has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including soldiers, politicians, clergymen, and architects. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread to other parts of the world, reflecting the diverse journeys and contributions of its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Robards

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

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

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

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