Contents [hide]

Dobbin History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Dobbin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Dobbin is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Dobbin family lived in Staffordshire. This family was originally from St. Aubin, Normandy, and it is from the local form of this place-name, D'Aubin, which literally translates as from Aubin, that their surname derives. 1

Some sources notes note that the name is a diminutive of Dobb, which itself is a pet diminutive of Robert. 2 3

Early Origins of the Dobbin family

The surname Dobbin was first found in Staffordshire as a forename, Dobin de Hatton who was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1203. A few years later, Dobin Cusin was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for Devon in 1221. The first record of the name as a surname was Hugo and Robert Dobin who were listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for Herefordshire in 1207 and later in the Assize Rolls for Berkshire in 1227. 4

Hugo Dobin was recorded in the Rotuli de Oblatis et Finibus, King John. 5

Early History of the Dobbin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dobbin research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1539, 1641, 1674 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Dobbin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dobbin Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Dobbin are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Dobbin include Dobyns, Dobbins, Dobbings, Dobyn, Dobbin, Dobbyn and many more.

Early Notables of the Dobbin family

Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dobbin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dobbin Ranking

In Newfoundland, Canada, the name Dobbin is the 406^th most popular surname with an estimated 116 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Dobbin family to Ireland

Some of the Dobbin family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 123 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dobbin migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Dobbin, or a variant listed above:

Dobbin Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

George Dobbin, who arrived in Virginia in 1705 7
James Dobbin, aged 30, who landed in New York in 1799 7

Dobbin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Dobbin, aged 62, who landed in New York in 1800 7
Leonard Dobbin, who landed in Alexandria, Va in 1806 7
Mrs. Dobbin, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 7
William John Dobbin, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1812 7
William Dobbin, who arrived in New York, NY in 1817 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dobbin migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dobbin Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Michael Dobbin, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1805
William Dobbin, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1805
Johannah Dobbin, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1820
Mrs. Bridget Dobbin, aged 30 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Bee" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in June 1847 8
Mr. John Dobbin who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Bee" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in 1847 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dobbin migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Dobbin Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Benjamin Dobbin, aged 25, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Flora" 9
Michael Dobbin, aged 19, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Gilmore"
Margaret Dobbin, aged 17, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Gilmore"
Hugh Dobbin, aged 23, a ploughman, who arrived in South Australia in 1859 aboard the ship "Escort"

Dobbin migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Dobbin Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

L. H. Dobbin, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "William and Jane" arriving in Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd February 1857 10
Mr. Harry Dobbin (Dobbing), British settler travelling from London via Cobh aboard the ship "Sir George Pollock" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 5th September 1859 10
Mr. Charles Dobbin, (b. 1835), aged 26, Irish farm labourer from Antrim travelling from London aboard the ship "Victoria" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 30th March 1862 10
Mrs. Catherine Dobbin, (b. 1839), aged 22, Irish settler from Antrim travelling from London aboard the ship "Victoria" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 30th March 1862 10
Mr. Edward Dobbin, (b. 1857), aged 4, Irish settler from Antrim travelling from London aboard the ship "Victoria" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 30th March 1862 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Dobbin (post 1700) +

James Cochran Dobbin (1814-1857), American politician and lawyer, 22nd United States Secretary of the Navy (1853-1857), Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina (1845-1847)
Mary Alice Dwyer Dobbin, American daytime television producer
Daniel Dobbin (1776-1856), sailing master in the United States Navy
John F. Dobbin, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Marine Corps, during World War II, credited with 8 aerial victories
William A. Dobbin, American politician, Farmer-Labor Candidate for New York State Assembly from Kings County 20th District, 1921 11
Tilton H. Dobbin, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Maryland, 1972 11
James Cochrane Dobbin (1814-1857), American Democratic Party politician, Member of North Carolina House of Commons from Cumberland County, 1848-51; U.S. Secretary of the Navy, 1853-57 11
John Dobbin (1815-1888), English landscape painter
Tony Dobbin (b. 1972), retired Northern Irish National Hunt jockey
Sir Alfred Graham Dobbin, Irish politician, Sheriff of Cork City in 1900, husband of Kate Dobbin
... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Dobbin Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Re e merito
Motto Translation: This through merit.

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 24)
South Australian Register Monday 9th April 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Flora 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/flora1855.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html