Tribble
An English surname that may have begun as a nickname or altered spelling related to “triple”/“treble,” though the exact origin is uncertain.
The #5,591 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 49,638 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The historical evidence here is thin: 19th-century surname lists simply record forms such as Tribble and Tribbel, without explaining the origin. The name may be connected with Middle English treble or triple, suggesting a nickname or a reduced, altered form of a word for “threefold.” It could also be a spelling variant that developed alongside similar surnames like Treble and Tribe, rather than a separate coined name.
History
The surname appears in English records in forms such as Tribble and Tribbel, and the modern spelling has remained in use in England and later in the United States. Because the surviving excerpt is only an incidental mention, it does not settle whether the name arose independently or as a variant of another surname. The U.S. census shows the name is relatively uncommon but established.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century surname collectors grouped Tribble near Treble and Tribe, hinting that they saw it as part of a larger family of similar-sounding English names.
From the historical record
“" twice "), Mr. Twohig, Mr. Threeneedle (who was perhaps born in Threadneedle Street, London), Mr. Treble, Mr. Tribble, Mr. Fowers, Mr. l)ix (i. e., "ten"), Messrs. Tenney and Tenny, Mr. Twelves, Mr. Twelve (1671), and Mr. Duzzen. In works of philanthropy throughout America, our Miss I)ix has, by her energy and…”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)