Show ContentsRobbenson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Robbenson originated with the Anglo-Saxon tribes that once ruled Britain. It is derived from the baptismal name Robin, which was the diminutive of the personal name Robert. Patronymic surnames arose out of the vernacular and religious given name traditions. [1] [2] [3]

Early Origins of the Robbenson family

The surname Robbenson was first found in Yorkshire, where one of the first records of the name was John Robynson who was on record in 1324 in the Court Rolls of the manor of Wakefield. Years later in Lancashire, we found Richard Robynson listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Lancashire in 1332. [4]

Later again, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed: Roger Robynsoun; Roger Robyn-man (the servant of Robin); and Adam Robyn-man (the servant of Robin), 1370. [5]

The surname is "distributed all over England, except in the south - west, where it is either absent or extremely rare. Its great home is in the northern half of the country, the numbers rapidly diminishing as we approach the south of England. Northamptonshire may be characterised as the most advanced stronghold of the Robinsons on their way to the metropolis." [6]

Further to the north in Scotland, early entries are rare, so one can presume the name migrated there at some point: "the tenement of John Robynson in Irvine is mentioned in 1426, and another John Robynsone was bailie of Glasgow in 1477. Andrew Robersoun witnessed the sale of a tenement in Arbroath in 1450. The name was common in Glasgow in the sixteenth century." [7]

Early History of the Robbenson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Robbenson research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1566, 1576, 1584, 1585, 1610, 1614, 1615, 1625, 1629, 1645, 1655, 1660, 1662, 1667, 1668, 1669, 1670, 1680, 1684, 1686, 1689, 1700, 1701, 1705, 1708, 1712, 1717 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Robbenson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Robbenson Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Robbenson has appeared include Robinson, Robenson, Robbison, Robbinson, McRobin and others.

Early Notables of the Robbenson family

Distinguished members of the family include Nicholas Robinson (Died 1585) Welsh Bishop of Bangor, born at Conway in North Wales; and his son, Hugh Robinson (1584-1655), Welsh Archdeacon of Gloucester, born in Anglesea; Clement Robinson (fl. 1566-1584), an English song-writer and editor; John Robinson (1576-1625), known as the "Pilgrim Pastor," who was the first pastor and inspiration to the church of the Pilgrim Fathers; Luke Robinson (c 1610-1669), of Riseborough, an English Member of Parliament and of the Council of State during the Commonwealth period; Ralph...
Another 85 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Robbenson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Robbenson family to Ireland

Some of the Robbenson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 159 words (11 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Robbenson family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Robbenson arrived in North America very early: John Robinson, who immigrated to Virginia in 1606; Isaac and Bridget Robinson, who arrived in Plymouth in 1629; Alister, Charles, James, and Daniel Robinson, who all settled in Boston in 1651.



  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  7. 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)


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