Show ContentsDobbie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Dobbie family

The surname Dobbie was first found in Renfrewshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rinn Friù), a historic county of Scotland, today encompassing the Council Areas of Renfrew, East Renfrewshire, and Iverclyde, in the Strathclyde region of southwestern Scotland, where they held a family seat from very early times.

Early History of the Dobbie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dobbie research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1506 and 1525 are included under the topic Early Dobbie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dobbie Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Dobie, Dobbie, Doby, Dawbie, Dawby and others.

Early Notables of the Dobbie family

More information is included under the topic Early Dobbie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Dobbie migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dobbie Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William Dobbie who settled in New York in 1820
  • Robert Dobbie, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1856
  • James Dobbie, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1870 1

Dobbie migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dobbie Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. John Dobbie U.E. who settled in Charlotee County, New Brunswick c. 1784 he is listed with the Loyalists and Disbanded Soldiers whose names appear as Passamaquoddy New Brunswick Loyalists 2
  • Mrs. Rachael Dobbie U.E. who settled in Charlotee County, New Brunswick c. 1784 she is listed with the Loyalists and Disbanded Soldiers whose names appear as Passamaquoddy New Brunswick Loyalists 2
  • Mr. Robert Dobbie U.E. who settled in St. Stephen, New Brunswick c. 1784 member of the Port Matoon Association 2

Dobbie migration to Australia +

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

Dobbie Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Dobbie, Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for life, transported aboard the "England"on 28th April 1826, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 3
  • James Dobbie, aged 27, a coal miner, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Medina" 4
  • Thomas Dobbie, aged 21, a miner, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Macedon" 5
  • Hugh Dobbie, aged 20, a ploughman, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Melbourne"

Dobbie 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:

Dobbie Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Archibald Dobbie, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd September 1860 6
  • Thomas Dobbie, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Edwin Fox" in 1875

Contemporary Notables of the name Dobbie (post 1700) +

  • Mitchell Dobbie, Scottish educator, Edinburgh University
  • William George Sheddon Dobbie (1879-1964), English soldier


The Dobbie 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: Non minima sed magno prosequor
Motto Translation: I follow not trivial, but important things.


  1. 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)
  2. 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
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/england
  4. South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MEDINA 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/medina1852.shtml
  5. South Australian Register Tuesday 11 January 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MACEDON 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/macedon1853.shtml
  6. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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