Surname Hobb - Meaning and Origin
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Hobb: What does the surname Hobb mean?
The last name Hobb is of English origin and is derived from the medieval personal name "Hob". "Hob" is a diminutive form of Robert, which means "fame-bright" in Old English. It was a common name in the Middle Ages in England. The surname Hobb may also be a diminutive or pet form of the name Hobbe or a topographic or occupational name for a digger of pits or trenches. As a surname, Hobb is found mainly in the northern and eastern parts of England. Over the years, various spelling forms of Hobb have emerged, including Hob, Hobbe, Hobbes, and Hobs. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Willelmus Hobbe, dated around 1379, in the "Poll Tax Returns Records of Yorkshire". Therefore, the last name Hobb generally denotes a person who is a worker, particularly one who digs pits or trenches or a lineage to a person named Hob, or Robert.
Order DNA origin analysisHobb: Where does the name Hobb come from?
The last name Hobb is believed to originate from early medieval England. It is derived from the nickname for Robert, 'Hob', which later developed into the surname Hobb. This was a common practice in ancient England where surnames were created from a nickname or occupation of the original bearer.
The rise of Christianity also influenced the popularity of the name Robert, and consequently the derivative Hob. It became popular due to the fame of St. Robert of Molesme, who was one of the founders of the Cistercian monastic order in the 11th Century. This saintly association helped in spreading the popularity of Robert, and subsequently, Hob.
Despite its English roots, the surname Hobb is not overly common in present-day England. It can still be found, albeit on a minor scale. The surname has spread to other countries due to migration. Therefore, it can be found in small numbers in former British colonies and elsewhere among the global English-speaking diaspora including the United States, Canada, and Australia. However, it does not feature significantly in the top common names in these countries.
Variations of the surname Hobb
The surname Hobb is an English name that is believed to be derived from the personal name Robert or its nickname Hob. This name was very common in medieval England, and was often shortened to "Hobb". Nicknames like Hobb became last names when England began to use fixed heritable surnames.
Alternate spellings include Hobbs, Hobs, and Hobbes. Posted variants suggest a more common form of Hobson which is patronymic, derived from 'Hob's son' and others like Hobbin, Hobling and Hobbis.
Its variants and derivatives include Hob, Hobby, Hoby, and Hobbie. Some surnames that may have originally derived from the name "Hobb" include Hobson and Hodgson, with the "-son" suffix meaning "son of Hobb."
These variations in spelling typically emerged based on the local dialect and the individual preferences of the person writing the name. So, surnames like Hobb might have been spelled differently in different documents, even when they referred to the same person.
When considering surnames of the same origin, we can find the names Robb and Dobbs which are also shortened forms of the name Robert.
Famous people with the name Hobb
- Robin Hobb: The pen name of book author Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden, she is best known for her popular fantasy series, The Farseer Trilogy and The Realm of the Elderlings.
- George Hobbs: An English astronomer and radio astronomer, he was a professor of astronomy at the University of Manchester from 1992 to 2014.
- David Hobbs: An English former racing driver active from 1964 to 1981, he took part in 70 Formula 1 Grands Prix between 1967 and 1975.
- Wendy Hobb: Born in Japan, she is an American savant artist specializing in photorealism.
- Tanner Hobbs: An award-winning American journalist and filmmaker, he has written and directed several documentary films including the Emmy-nominated 'Exiles of the Broken Land.'
- Myron E. Hobb: He is a retired US Army General who served as Commander-in-Chief of the United States Atlantic Command and Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s.
- Elizabeth Hobb: A British fashion illustrator based in London, she is best known for her work for high-profile fashion brands, editorial titles, and advertising campaigns.
- Richard Hobb: A British tree surgeon and author best known for his environmental writings, his work has been featured in BBC documentaries and several of his books have become bestsellers.
- Z. Randall Hobb: A celebrated American artist known for his oil paintings of jazz musicians and abstracts, he is best known for depicting blues and jazz legends from the 1920s, such as Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller.
- Ben Hobb: A British architect and designer, he is best known for co-designing the modular Woolfeton Houses in Shoreditch, London.