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

Roebuck, 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 Roebuck surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Roebuck in America

Roebuck is the 6638th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Roebuck surname appeared 5,100 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Roebuck.

We can also compare 2010 data for Roebuck 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 Roebuck

The surname Roebuck has its roots in England, originating in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words 'ra' meaning a roe deer and 'buc' meaning a male deer, referring to the roe buck or male roe deer. This indicates that the name was likely an occupational surname for someone who kept, hunted, or dealt with roe deer.

The earliest known records of the name Roebuck can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Lincolnshire. It was often spelled as 'Robuck' or 'Roebucke' in its early forms. The name is also found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were census records compiled during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 14th century, the surname Roebuck appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1327, where a John Robuck was listed as a taxpayer. The name was also recorded in the Poll Tax records of 1379, which suggests its widespread use across different social classes at the time.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Roebuck was Thomas Roebuck, who was born in Yorkshire, England, around 1440. He was a landowner and is mentioned in various legal documents from the 15th century.

Another notable figure was Sir John Roebuck (1638-1718), an English politician and landowner from Hertfordshire. He served as a Member of Parliament for several constituencies, including Bodmin and Huntingdonshire, during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

In the 18th century, Benjamin Roebuck (1711-1794) was a renowned metallurgist and inventor from Sheffield, England. He is credited with developing new methods for producing sulfuric acid and improving the production of lead.

John Arthur Roebuck (1801-1879) was a British politician and lawyer from Madras, India. He served as a Member of Parliament for several constituencies, including Bath and Sheffield, and was a prominent advocate for various political reforms.

John Roebuck (1718-1794), born in Warwickshire, England, was a renowned physician and inventor. He is best known for his contributions to the development of the modern condensing steam engine, working closely with James Watt.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Roebuck, which has its origins in England and is associated with the roe deer, likely reflecting an occupational connection in its early days.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Roebuck

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

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

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

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