Contents [hide]

Dobbs History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Dobbs History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Dobbs

What does the name Dobbs mean?

The name Dobbs has a rich and ancient history. It is an Anglo-Saxon name that was originally derived from Robert. Dobb was a diminutive of the name Robert in the Middle Ages; is has changed since then to the modern form Bob. 1

Early Origins of the Dobbs family

The surname Dobbs was first found in Lincolnshire where Dobbe filius Iuonis was listed there in the Assize Rolls of 1202. Dobbe le Deneby was listed in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219 and later, Reginald, William Dobbe was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed William Dobbe in Norfolka and Robert Dobes in Oxfordshire. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 lists Johanna Dobbewf (the wife of Dob), Isabella Dobson and more. 3

In the early years, the name was interchangeable with the name Robert and was very common in Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cheshire and Staffordshire. By example, "Dobbe de Witemore (1307 - Assize Rolls for Staffordshire) is identical with Robert de Whitemore (1318.) Richardus filius Dobbe was the same man as Richard Dobbe (1297.)" 2

Early History of the Dobbs family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dobbs research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1202, 1450, 1689, 1694, 1754 and 1765 are included under the topic Early Dobbs History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dobbs Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Dobbs include Dobbs, Dobb, Dobbe, Dobbes and others.

Early Notables of the Dobbs family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Sir Richard Dobbs

Dobbs Ranking

In the United States, the name Dobbs is the 2,144^th most popular surname with an estimated 14,922 people with that name. 4 However, in New Zealand, the name Dobbs is ranked the 922^nd most popular surname with an estimated 804 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Dobbs family to Ireland

Some of the Dobbs family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 96 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dobbs migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Dobbs Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

James Dobbs, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 6
Gerrard Dobbs, who arrived in Maryland in 1659 6
Henry Dobbs, who landed in Maryland in 1659 6
Thomas Dobbs, who landed in Maryland in 1663 6
John Dobbs, who landed in Maryland in 1665 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dobbs Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

James Dobbs, who settled in Maryland in 1741
John and Samuel Dobbs who settled in Pennsylvania about the year 1750

Dobbs Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mrs. Dobbs, who landed in New York, NY in 1817 6
A Dobbs, who arrived in New York, NY in 1817 6
William Dobbs, who settled in New York in 1822
D. W. Dobbs, who settled in New Orleans La. in 1823
Samuel Dobbs, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1834 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dobbs migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dobbs Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Zacharia Dobbs U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 7

Dobbs migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Dobbs Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss R. N. (M) Dobbs, (b. 1812), aged 45, British nurse travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Glentanner" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd October 1857 8
Mr. Joseph Manning Dobbs, (b. 1847), aged 10, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Glentanner" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd October 1857 8
William Dobbs, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Andrew Jackson" in 1865
Mary Dobbs, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Andrew Jackson" in 1865
Abia Dobbs, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Andrew Jackson" in 1865
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Dobbs (post 1700) +

Mattiwilda Dobbs (1925-2015), American coloratura soprano, one of the first black singers to see successful career in opera, daughter of John Wesley Dobbs
John Wesley Dobbs (1882-1961), American civic and political leader
Samuel Candler Dobbs (1868-1950), American President and Chairman of The Coca-Cola Company 1919–1922
Hoyt McWhorter Dobbs (1878-1954), American Methodist Bishop
Frank Q. Dobbs (1939-2006), American screenwriter, film director, film producer and cinematographer
Farrell Dobbs (1907-1983), American Trotskyist, trade unionist, politician, and historian
Demarcus Dobbs (b. 1987), American NFL football defensive end and tight end for the San Francisco 49ers
Robert Lee “Bobby” Dobbs (1922-1986), American football fullback and coach
Betty Jo Teeter Dobbs (1930-1994), American historian specializing in Isaac Newton's occult studies, posthumous recipient of the George Sarton Medal of the History of Science Society
Amanda J. Dobbs (b. 1993), American figure skater
... (Another 33 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Dobbs Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Proximi summa
Motto Translation: Nearest summit.

Citations +

Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html