2000
#22,370
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,074
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.40
Rare Last name
Robben
A Dutch surname derived from a place name containing the word "rob" or "rob(be)", meaning robbed or plundered land.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,336 Americans carry the last name Robben. That puts it at #22,608 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.39 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 256,553 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Robben 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.
Bearers in the US
1.3K
1 in 256,553
Census rank
#22,608
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,165 bearers of the surname Robben in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.39 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 22608th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Robben, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Robben
Among Census respondents with the surname Robben, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Robben 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 Robben surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.1% · 1,073
- Two or more races3.7% · 43
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 35
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 10
- Black or African American0.3% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Robben
Robben 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
#22,770
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,125
+51 bearers (+4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.38
Rank movement Down 400 places
2020
#22,608
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,165
+40 bearers (+3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.39
Rank movement Up 162 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #22,370 | 1,074 | 0.40 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #22,770 | 1,125 | 0.38 | +51 bearers (+4.7%) | Down 400 places |
| 2020 | #22,608 | 1,165 | 0.39 | +40 bearers (+3.6%) | Up 162 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 Robben 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 | #22,770 | #22,608 | 0.7% |
| Count | 1,125 | 1,165 | 3.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.38 | 0.39 | 2.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Robben bearers went from 1,125 to 1,165 (+3.6% change). The surname moved up 162 positions in the national ranking, going from #22,770 to #22,608.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Robben
FAQ
Robben surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Robben?
Name Census estimates that about 1,336 living Americans carry the surname Robben. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 256,553 residents.
How common is Robben?
Robben ranks #22,608 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.39 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,165 people with the surname Robben. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,336), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.39 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.39 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Robben.
Has Robben become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Robben went from 1,125 recorded bearers to 1,165. That is an increase of 40 (+3.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #22,770 to #22,608.
What does the Census say about the background of Robben?
Among Census respondents with the surname Robben, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Robben in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.1% (1,073 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Robben appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.1%), Two or More Races (3.7%), Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Robben (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 Robben mean?
A Dutch surname derived from a place name containing the word "rob" or "rob(be)", meaning robbed or plundered land. 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 Robben (0.39 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 share the surname Robben?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.