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

Robben, 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 Robben surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Robben in America

Robben is the 22770th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Robben surname appeared 1,125 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 Robben.

We can also compare 2010 data for Robben 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 Robben

The surname Robben is of Dutch origin, and it first emerged in the Netherlands during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Middle Dutch word "robbe," which means "seal." This suggests that the name may have originated as a nickname for someone who resembled a seal in appearance or mannerisms.

One of the earliest known references to the Robben surname can be found in the Goorsche Protokollen, a collection of medieval legal records from the town of Goor in the Netherlands. These records, dating back to the late 15th century, mention individuals with the surname Robben residing in the region.

In the 16th century, the Robben name appeared in various Dutch records and documents, including the archives of the city of Amsterdam. One notable example is Adriaen Robben, a painter who lived in Amsterdam during the 1500s and produced several works depicting religious and mythological scenes.

The Robben surname also has ties to specific geographic locations within the Netherlands. For instance, the village of Robbenoordbrug, located in the province of North Holland, is believed to have derived its name from the Robben family who once resided in the area.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Robben surname. One of the most famous was Arjen Robben, a Dutch professional footballer who was born in 1984 and played for teams like Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich. He represented the Netherlands national team and is considered one of the greatest Dutch players of all time.

Another prominent figure with the Robben surname was Theodorus Robben (1805-1892), a Dutch historian and archivist who authored several works on the history of the Netherlands. His research and writings shed light on the country's rich cultural heritage and contributed to the preservation of important historical documents.

In the literary world, Hendrik Robben (1904-1990) was a Dutch novelist and poet known for his works that explored themes of human nature and the complexities of modern society. His novels, such as "De Avonden" (The Evenings), received critical acclaim and are considered significant contributions to Dutch literature.

The Robben surname can also be found in other parts of Europe, such as Germany, where it is sometimes spelled as "Robben" or "Robbe." One notable German with this surname was Hans Robbe (1893-1968), a politician who served as the Minister of Finance in East Germany during the post-World War II era.

While the Robben surname has its roots in the Netherlands, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in the Low Countries, where it likely emerged as a descriptive nickname for an individual with seal-like characteristics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Robben

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

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

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

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