2000
#2,460
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,455
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.99
Uncommon Last name
Robb
A Scottish surname derived from the given name Robert, meaning "bright fame."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 14,747 Americans carry the last name Robb. That puts it at #2,730 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.30 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 23,242 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Robb 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 Robb with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
15K
1 in 23,242
Census rank
#2,730
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
13K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,860 bearers of the surname Robb in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.30 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2730th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Robb, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.3%. The next largest groups are Black (5.3%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Robb
The surname Robb has its origins in the northern English counties, particularly Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is believed to be derived from the Old English personal name Rodbriht or Rodbyret, which was composed of the elements "rod" meaning "bright" or "famous" and "briht" or "byret" meaning "nobility" or "illustrious."
The earliest recorded instances of the Robb surname date back to the 13th century. In the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire from 1273, there is a mention of Rodbertus de Rylestone, which could be an early variation of the name. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror, does not contain any direct references to the Robb name, but it does list individuals with similar names like Rodbert and Rodber.
As the surname evolved over time, various spellings emerged, such as Robbe, Robb, Roby, and Robbie. Some of these variations were influenced by regional dialects and linguistic changes. In the 16th century, the surname Robb began to appear more frequently in parish records and other historical documents across northern England.
One notable individual bearing the Robb surname was Sir John Robb (c. 1530-1597), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the City of London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He served as Lord Mayor of London in 1592 and was known for his involvement in the Virginia Company, which aimed to establish English colonies in North America.
Another historical figure was James Robb (1688-1753), a Scottish architect and mason who worked on several significant buildings, including the Old College of Glasgow University and the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery. His contributions to Scottish architecture during the 18th century are widely recognized.
In the literary world, David Robb (1812-1890) was a Scottish poet and writer from Renfrewshire. He published several volumes of poetry, including "Poems and Songs" in 1857, and was known for his depictions of rural life and the Scottish landscape.
Isabella Robb (1840-1923) was a notable figure in the women's suffrage movement in Scotland. She was a founding member of the Glasgow Association for the Promotion of Women's Suffrage and actively campaigned for women's rights and political representation.
Sir John Robb (1879-1953) was a British civil engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of hydraulic engineering and water supply systems. He was knighted in 1948 for his services to the engineering profession.
The Robb surname has a rich history rooted in northern England, with various spellings and notable individuals who have carried the name throughout the centuries. While its origins can be traced back to Old English personal names, the surname has evolved and spread across different regions, leaving a lasting mark on various fields, from literature and architecture to engineering and political activism.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Robb
Among Census respondents with the surname Robb, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.3%. The next largest groups are Black (5.3%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Robb 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 Robb surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.3% · 11,099
- Black or African American5.3% · 683
- Two or more races4.0% · 511
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 417
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 103
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 47
Timeline
Historical Census data for Robb
Robb 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
#2,686
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,402
-53 bearers (-0.4%)
Per 100,000 4.54
Rank movement Down 226 places
2020
#2,730
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,860
-542 bearers (-4.0%)
Per 100,000 4.30
Rank movement Down 44 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,460 | 13,455 | 4.99 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,686 | 13,402 | 4.54 | -53 bearers (-0.4%) | Down 226 places |
| 2020 | #2,730 | 12,860 | 4.30 | -542 bearers (-4.0%) | Down 44 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 Robb 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 | #2,686 | #2,730 | -1.6% |
| Count | 13,402 | 12,860 | -4.0% |
| Per 100K | 4.54 | 4.30 | -5.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Robb bearers went from 13,402 to 12,860 (-4.0% change). The surname moved down 44 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,686 to #2,730.
FAQ
Robb surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Robb?
Name Census estimates that about 14,747 living Americans carry the surname Robb. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 23,242 residents.
How common is Robb?
Robb ranks #2,730 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.30 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,860 people with the surname Robb. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (14,747), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.3 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.30 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Robb.
Has Robb become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Robb went from 13,402 recorded bearers to 12,860. That is a decrease of 542 (-4.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,686 to #2,730.
What does the Census say about the background of Robb?
Among Census respondents with the surname Robb, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.3%. The next largest groups are Black (5.3%) and Two or More Races (4.0%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Robb in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.3% (11,099 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Robb appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.3%), Black (5.3%), Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Robb (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 Robb mean?
A Scottish surname derived from the given name Robert, meaning "bright fame." 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 Robb (4.30 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 many people have the last name Robb?
Find out how many people are called Robb on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.