Contents [hide]

Robie History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Robie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

The roots of the Robie family stretch back to the Strathclyde people of the Scottish/English Borderlands, who were the first to use this surname. It is derived from the personal name Robert, which is composed of the elements hrod, meaning famous, and berht, meaning bright. 1 2

Early Origins of the Robie family

The surname Robie was first found in Stirlingshire, but we must look to Aberdeen to find one of the more interesting entries, that of Beatriux and Issobell Robie (Robye) who were listed as witches in 1597 which was not that unusual of the religious conflicts of that time. 3

Jok Robb was a voter in Monkland in 1519 and Nicholas Rob was a witness in Dumfriesshire in 1542. John Rob was a witness in Glasgow in 1551 and 1554. 3

While the name is traditionally Scottish, to the south in England early records were also found. Richard Robbe, Robe was found in the Pipe Rolls for Sussex in 1177-1178 and Richard Robbe was found in Somerset in 1212. Later, Simon Robes was listed in 1319 and Adam Robbes was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327. 4

Early History of the Robie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Robie research. Another 112 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1542, 1551, 1554, 1646, 1688, 1709, 1713, 1740, 1753 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Robie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Robie Spelling Variations

Before the printing press standardized spelling in the last few hundred years, no general rules existed in the English language. Spelling variations in Scottish names from the Middle Ages are common even within a single document. Robie has been spelled Robb, Robbie, Roby, Robe, MacRobbie, MacRobb and others.

Early Notables of the Robie family

Notable amongst the family at this time was James Robe (1688-1753), Scottish Presbyterian divine, son of Michael Robe, minister of Cumbernauld. He studied at Glasgow University, and was licensed by the presbytery of Linlithgow in 1709. In 1713...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Robie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Robie Ranking

In the United States, the name Robie is the 17,168^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Robie family to Ireland

Some of the Robie family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Robie migration to the United States +

For Scottish immigrants, the great expense of travel to North America did not seem such a problem in those unstable times. Acres of land awaited them and many got the chance to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. These Scots and their ancestors went on to play important roles in the forging of the great nations of the United States and Canada. Among them:

Robie Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mrs. Robie, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 6
Maggie Robie, aged 21, who landed in America from Newton, in 1892
Edgar O Robie, aged 19, who immigrated to the United States from Hongkong, in 1898

Robie Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Lewis P. Robie, aged 39, who landed in America, in 1902
John W. Robie, aged 71, who immigrated to America, in 1907
Amy Robie, aged 30, who landed in America, in 1907
Alice Robie, aged 38, who immigrated to the United States from Liverpool, England, in 1909
George Robie, aged 45, who immigrated to the United States, in 1909
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Robie migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Robie Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. James Robie U.E. who settled in Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 member of the Cape Ann Association 7
Mr. Thomas Robie U.E. who settled in Carleton [Saint John City], New Brunswick c. 1784 7

Robie 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:

Robie Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. James Robie, (b. 1835), aged 28, British ploughman travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Lancashire Witch" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 13th October 1863 8
Miss Isabella Robie, (b. 1839), aged 24, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Lancashire Witch" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 13th October 1863 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Robie (post 1700) +

Edward Dunham Robie (1831-1911), American naval engineer, inventor, and Union naval officer
Wendy Robie (b. 1953), American actress
Frederick Robie (1822-1912), American politician
Reuben Robie (1799-1872), U.S. Representative from New York
Carl Robie (1945-2011), American swimmer and Olympic gold medalist
John Robie, American musician and record producer
Inez B. Robie, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 1952 (alternate), 1956, 1960, 1964 9
Howard T. Robie, American Republican politician, Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Voluntown, 1940 9
Horace G. Robie, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New Hampshire State Senate 5th District, 1916 9
George W. Robie, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan, 1884 9
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
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)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html