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

Robe, 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 Robe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Robe in America

Robe is the 43438th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Robe surname appeared 497 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 Robe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Robe 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 Robe

The surname Robe has its origins in England, dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "robe," meaning a long, loose outer garment. This suggests that the name was likely initially used as a descriptive term for someone who wore distinctive attire or worked in the clothing trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Robe can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1194, where a Robert le Robe is mentioned. This indicates that the name had already established itself in parts of northern England by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records across England, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a Walter le Robe. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 also mention a John Robe, suggesting the name had spread to different regions by this time.

By the 14th century, the name had evolved into its modern spelling, Robe. In 1327, a Thomas Robe is recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of Somerset from 1348 list a John Robe, indicating the name's presence in the southwest of England.

One notable individual with the surname Robe was John Robe (c. 1470 - 1545), a Scottish Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Ross from 1525 until his death. Another early figure was Sir Thomas Robe (c. 1520 - 1598), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Guildford in 1572.

In the 17th century, the name Robe gained prominence in Scotland. One notable bearer was James Robe (1688 - 1753), a Scottish minister and author known for his religious writings, including "A Narrative of the Rev. Mr. James Robe's Labours in the Parish of Kilsyth" (1725).

Another significant individual was Thomas Robe (1675 - 1718), a Scottish-born merchant and landowner who settled in Virginia, USA, in the early 18th century. He was among the earliest recorded bearers of the name in the American colonies.

In the 18th century, the name Robe was also found in England, with individuals like John Robe (1717 - 1794), an English lawyer and legal writer who published works on criminal law and practice.

Overall, the surname Robe has a long and diverse history, with its origins rooted in medieval England and a subsequent spread to other parts of the British Isles and beyond, including North America. Throughout its history, the name has been borne by notable figures in various fields, reflecting its enduring presence over centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Robe

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!