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

Robeson, 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 Robeson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Robeson in America

Robeson is the 11783rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Robeson surname appeared 2,659 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Robeson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Robeson 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 Robeson

The surname Robeson is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Old English words "hrop" meaning "cry" or "shout" and "botl" meaning "dwelling" or "house." The combination of these words suggests that the name may have referred to a noisy or rowdy household or perhaps a place known for its loud inhabitants.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Robeson can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Robertesun." This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time. Other early spellings include "Robyson" and "Robynsone."

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name Robeson began to appear in various historical records and documents across England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Lincolnshire. These records often referred to individuals with the name in connection with land ownership or legal proceedings.

Notable individuals with the surname Robeson throughout history include:

1. Andrew Robeson (c. 1655-1719), a Scottish-American merchant and politician who served as the Speaker of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly.
2. Paul Robeson (1898-1976), an American actor, singer, and civil rights activist, renowned for his powerful performances and advocacy for social justice.
3. Esther Robeson (1627-1688), one of the first European settlers in what is now New Jersey, known for her role in establishing a settlement in the region.
4. William Robeson (1789-1854), an American politician and military officer who served as a Brigadier General during the War of 1812.
5. Anna Robeson Burr (1857-1928), an American educator and advocate for women's rights, who served as the first female principal of the Philadelphia High School for Girls.

The name Robeson has also been associated with various place names, such as Robeson County in North Carolina and Robeson Township in Pennsylvania, further solidifying its historical roots and geographical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Robeson

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

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

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

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