Rabon
A surname that likely began as a nickname for someone short, stout, or otherwise stocky.
The #8,049 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 75,084 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The historical evidence points most strongly to a French nickname source. One 19th-century source glosses Rabon as meaning 'short, stout,' which fits a descriptive surname formed from a physical characteristic. Another source lists Rabon alongside French and related forms that are probably connected to a broader family of nickname surnames, though the exact root is not fully secure.
History
The name appears in French surname discussions and later turns up in English-language surname collections, suggesting it either stayed in French areas or was carried abroad by migration. The spelling has also been associated with several similar-looking French surnames, which may reflect regional pronunciation and spelling variation. In the United States, Rabon is uncommon but established.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A 19th-century French gloss explicitly linked Rabon with the idea of being 'short, stout,' a reminder that many surnames began as plain nicknames.
From the historical record
“Rabioule. Petite rave. Rabon. Courtaud, trapu. (r abouti, Rabot, Raboteau, Rabou, Ra- bouan, Rabouin, Rabourdin.”
— Dictionnaire des noms (French surnames)