Bobb
An old nickname-based surname, most likely meaning “son of Robert” through the short form Bob.
The #9,184 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 86,922 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Bobb is generally treated as a medieval nickname surname built on Bob, a pet form of Robert. In this tradition, the name would have meant “son of Robert” or simply identified someone by reference to a Robert in the family. The same naming pattern produced surnames like Robson and Hobson from other short forms of Robert.
History
The historical sources supplied here treat Bobb as a variant of Bob, itself linked to the very common medieval given name Robert. Because it is a short nickname form, the surname is relatively uncommon and likely arose independently in more than one place. It survives today in small numbers, especially in English-speaking countries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bobb sits in a small cluster of medieval nickname surnames from Robert, alongside Rob, Hob, and Dob.
From the historical record
“Babb, Babba— Bapt. ' the son of Barbara,' from the nick. Bobb. Barbara was extremely popular in the 1301 and I4tb centuries ; t. Baitot Wahef Babbe, to. Sofu., i Bdw. ni i”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances