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

Robinette, 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 Robinette surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Robinette in America

Robinette is the 4045th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Robinette surname appeared 8,784 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Robinette.

We can also compare 2010 data for Robinette 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 Robinette

The surname Robinette is believed to have originated in France during the Middle Ages, derived from the French word "robin," which was a diminutive form of the personal name Robert. The surname likely evolved as a descriptive name for someone with a reddish or ruddy complexion, as the word "robin" was also used to refer to the European robin, a small red-breasted bird.

The earliest known record of the name Robinette can be traced back to the 13th century in the region of Normandy, France. In the early 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Robinet, Robineau, and Robinet, in official records and manuscripts from that period.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Robinette was Jean Robinette, a French merchant who lived in Paris in the late 15th century. Another notable figure was Pierre Robinette, a renowned French sculptor who was active in the 16th century and contributed to the construction of several significant buildings and monuments in Paris.

The name Robinette also has connections to place names in France, such as the village of Robinet in the Auvergne region, which may have influenced the development of the surname in certain areas.

As the surname spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, including Robinett, Robinette, and Robinet. In England, the name first appeared in records from the 16th century, likely introduced by French immigrants or English families with French ancestry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Robinette in England was Thomas Robinette, born in 1564 in Gloucestershire. Another notable figure was Sir John Robinette, an English politician and Member of Parliament in the 17th century.

In the Americas, the Robinette surname can be traced back to French settlers who arrived in the 17th and 18th centuries. One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was Jean Robinette, a French Huguenot who settled in Virginia in the late 17th century.

Over the centuries, several individuals with the Robinette surname have made significant contributions in various fields. These include:

1. Paul Robinette (1898-1962), an American actor and singer known for his roles in numerous Broadway productions and Hollywood films.
2. Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born 1942), an American politician who served as the 46th President of the United States from 2021 to 2025.
3. Mary Robinette Kowal (born 1973), an American author of science fiction and fantasy novels, and a professional puppeteer.
4. William Robinette "Robin" Williams (1951-2014), an acclaimed American actor and comedian, known for his influential comedic style and memorable roles in films such as "Good Will Hunting" and "Dead Poets Society."
5. Emmett Robinette (1851-1941), an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri in the late 19th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Robinette

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

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

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

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