Contents [hide]

Hobby History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Hobby History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Of all the Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Hobby is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in the parish of Hoby, in the union of Melton-Mowbray, hundred of East Goscote in Leicestershire. 1 2

The parish dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was known as Hobie and literally meant "farmstead or village on a spur of land," from the Old English word "hoh" + the Viking word "by." 3

The name could also be a baptismal name "the son of Robert" from the nickname "Hob," or from the Middle English word "hobi," a small species of hawk, or a small horse. 4

Early Origins of the Hobby family

The surname Hobby was first found in Dorset and Somerset, where Richard Hobi was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1175. William Hobey and Ralph Hobay were both listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296. Philip of Hoby was listed in the Assize Rolls for Norfolk in 1315. 4

Early History of the Hobby family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hobby research. Another 137 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1505, 1530, 1535, 1536, 1558, 1560, 1566, 1574, 1593, 1597, 1601, 1602, 1603, 1604, 1607, 1614, 1617, 1640, 1679 and 1690 are included under the topic Early Hobby History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hobby Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Hobby has been spelled many different ways, including Hobby, Hoby, Hobi, Hobbie, Hobie, Hobbey, Hobey and others.

Early Notables of the Hobby family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Philip Hoby (1505-1558), English diplomatist, son of William Hoby of Leominster, Herefordshire, by his first wife. "His zeal for the Reformation recommended him to Henry VIII. During 1535 and 1536 he was employed in diplomatic service at the courts of Spain and Portugal." 5 Sir Thomas Hoby (1530-1566), was a diplomatist and translator, the second son of William Hoby of Leominster, Herefordshire, by his second wife, Katherine. He was Ambassador to France in 1566 and translated Castiglione's "The Courtier." 5Sir Edward Hoby, (1560-1617), was diplomatist and controversialist, born at Bisham, Berkshire, in 1560 and...
Another 126 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hobby Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hobby Ranking

In the United States, the name Hobby is the 8,191^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Hobby migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Hobbys to arrive in North America:

Hobby Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Hobby, who sailed to Massachusetts in 1637
John Hobby, who landed in Massachusetts in 1637 7

Hobby Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Thomas Hobby, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 7
Catherine Hobby, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 7
Charles Hobby, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1715 7
John Hobby who settled in Virginia in 1736

Hobby migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hobby Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Jane Hobby, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750

Hobby Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mr. Hobby sailed to Newfoundland in 1814 8

Hobby migration to Australia +

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

Hobby Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Thomas Hobby, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "David Malcolm" in 1849 9
Ann Hobby, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "David Malcolm" in 1849 9
Ellen Hobby, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "David Malcolm" in 1849 9
William Hobby, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "David Malcolm" in 1849 9
Alfred Hobby, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "David Malcolm" in 1849 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Hobby (post 1700) +

Diana Hobby, American newspaper editor
William Pettus Hobby (1878-1964), publisher of the Houston Post, the 27th governor of the U.S. state of Texas (1917-1921)
William Pettus Hobby Jr. (b. 1932), American Democratic Party politician, Lieutenant Governor of Texas, 1973-91; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 1980, 1984 10
William Pettus Hobby (1878-1964), American Democratic Party politician, Lieutenant Governor of Texas, 1914-17; Governor of Texas, 1917-21; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 1940 10
Wensley Hobby, American politician, Postmaster at Middletown, Connecticut, 1775-1807 10
Paul William Hobby, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Texas state comptroller, 1998 10
Oveta Culp Hobby (1905-1995), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, 1953-55 10
Edwin Hobby, American politician, Member of Texas State Senate, 1874-79 10
Alfred Marmaduke Hobby (1836-1881), Texas merchant, politician
Oveta Culp Hobby (1905-1995), the first secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"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)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) DAVID MALCOLM 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849DavidMalcolm.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html