Surname Cobbley - Meaning and Origin

Cobbley: What does the surname Cobbley mean?

The last name Cobbley is considered a habitational surname, which means it was derived from a geographical area someone lived in or was associated with. The origin of the Cobbley name dates back to 11th-century England, when it was found in Cheshire.

At the time, this area was known as Cobleigh, derived from the Old English words Cumb meaning ‘valley’ and Legh meaning ‘wood’, suggesting that the Cobbley’s were once associated with this area and either lived there or were recorded as having paid taxes.

It is believed that the Cobbley family moved to Ireland during the 16th century, and were amongst the Huguenots, a Protestant group of French origin that sought asylum in Ireland to avoid persecution. The Cobbley's may have escaped France during the religious wars of the 1700s.

Today, Cobbley is a relatively rare name that still has connections to Cheshire, where the first recorded Cobbley resided in the late 1800s. In addition, people with the Cobbley surname can be found in larger numbers throughout Ireland and Great Britain.

Although the meaning of the Cobbley name is no longer known, it is likely that its linguistic roots are ancient and that it still carries the connections to Cheshire and France of the family’s past.

Cobbley: Where does the name Cobbley come from?

The last name Cobbley is most common in England and Wales, with a small percentage scattered throughout England, Ireland, Scotland, and the United States. In England and Wales, the name is most heavily concentrated in the South West, particularly in Devon and Cornwall.

The earliest record of the name Cobbley is traceable to a John Cobled in Middlesex in 1512. This spelling is now believed to be a misspelling of the more common Cobbley. By the early 19th century, when civil registration records began, the Cobbley name was well established in Devon and Cornwall, with many variations of the spelling, such as Cobbly, Cubbly, and Cobbey. Some families have since changed the spelling of their name in order to better fit with other spellings, or to reflect an anglicised pronunciation.

In the United States, the Cobbley name is generally believed to have been brought to America by immigrants in the 19th and early 20th centuries from England and Wales. Today, the Cobbley surname is most commonly found in the states of California, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Utah. Interestingly, the most common place of residence for Cobbleys in the United States is found in the Midwest region.

As a result, the Cobbley name is dispersed throughout several countries, but remains mainly rooted in England and Wales.

Variations of the surname Cobbley

The Cobbley surname has multiple spellings, variants, and surnames of the same origin.

The most common spelling of the surname is Cobbley. It is also sometimes spelled as Cobly, Cobbley, Coubly, Cubley, Cumbly, and Cubly.

The spelling variations occurred as it was passed down through generations, with each person unknowingly changing the spelling to make it a bit more unique.

The Cobbley surname is a variant of the surnames Coppock, Cubbock, Coppack, Coppocke, and Coppucks. These last names likely originated from the Old English personal name Copa, meaning ‘son of the cutthroat’.

The surname is also related to the surnames Coble, Cubitt, and Cabot. The surname Coble is derived from the Old English word cubb, meaning someone who lives in a hut. Cubitt is a diminutive of the Middle English cubbe, meaning “little son of the cutthroat”. Cabot is a French surname, thought to originate from the Old French cabot, meaning “low dwelling”.

In addition, Cobbley is thought to be related to the surnames Cobby, Cobb, and Cube. These surnames are thought to derive from the Old English word cubb, which means “hut”. The surname Cobby is also thought to have stemmed from an Anglo-Saxon personal name, Coppa.

Thus, while the spellings, variants, and surnames of the same origin for the Cobbley surname are numerous, the roots of the name can be traced back to its Old English and French origins.

Famous people with the name Cobbley

• Miguel Cobbley: a Spanish actor known for his work in television.
• Julie Cobbley: an American actress, best known for her roles in The Drew Carey Show and Flight of the Conchords.
• Chelsea Cobbley: a British fashion model and TV personality.
• Anthony Cobbley: a British actor, best known for his roles in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 and Paddington 2.
• Sean Cobbley: an American television writer, producer, and comedian.
• Steve Cobbley: an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who represented Australia.
• Mollie Cobbley: a British choreographer and performer.
• Julian Cobbley: a Canadian professional ice hockey player.
• Robbie Cobbley: a Jamaican-born former cricketer who played for England in 18 Test matches from 1976 to 1988.
• Jay Cobbley: an American author who specializes in children's books and young adult fantasy novels.

Other surnames

Cobble