Dobson
An English and Scottish patronymic meaning “son of Dob,” where Dob was a medieval nickname for Robert.
The #1,846 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 15,899 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Dobson is a patronymic surname built from Dob, a familiar medieval short form of Robert, plus -son meaning “son of.” In other words, the name originally meant “son of Dob” or “son of Robert.” The form Dob itself is part of a wider set of nickname-based surnames, alongside Hobson and Robson.
History
The surname is long established in England and also appears in Scotland. Early surname writers treat it as a common English patronymic and give examples of medieval spellings such as Dobsone. It remained a fairly ordinary hereditary surname rather than a name tied to one occupation or one place.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century surname writers grouped Dobson with a whole family of Robert-based nicknames, including Robson, Hobson, and Dobbs.
From the historical record
“gentan in Normand}'. DOBSON. See Robert. DOCKER. A^ township in AVestmore- laud. DOCKING. A parish in Norfolk. DOD. The Dods of Edge claim from Hova, son of Cadwgan Dot. He about the time of Henry II. married the heiress of the lord of Edge, co. Chester, who is pre- sumed to have been the son of Edwin, a”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom