Contents [hide]

Dobbins History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Dobbins History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change to the island nation, including many immigrants with new names. Among these immigrants were the ancestors of the Dobbins family, who 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 Dobbins family

The surname Dobbins 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 Dobbins family

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

Dobbins Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Dobyns, Dobbins, Dobbings, Dobyn, Dobbin, Dobbyn and many more.

Early Notables of the Dobbins family

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

Dobbins Ranking

In the United States, the name Dobbins is the 2,024^th most popular surname with an estimated 14,922 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Dobbins family to Ireland

Some of the Dobbins 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.

Dobbins migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Dobbins or a variant listed above:

Dobbins Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Richard Dobbins, who settled in Virginia in 1651
Eleanor Dobbins, who landed in Maryland in 1651 7
Richard Dobbins, who arrived in Virginia in 1651 7
Ellen Dobbins, who arrived in Maryland in 1652 7
Rich Dobbins, who landed in Virginia in 1653 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dobbins Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

William Dobbins, who arrived in America in 1760-1763 7
Thomas Dobbins, who landed in America in 1795 7

Dobbins migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dobbins Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Alex Dobbins U.E. who settled in St. Stephen, New Brunswick c. 1784 member of the Port Matoon Association 8

Dobbins Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

B. Dobbins, aged 25 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Bee" departing 17th April 1847 from Cork, Ireland; the ship arrived on 12th June 1847 but they died on board 9
J. Dobbins, aged 3 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Bee" departing 17th April 1847 from Cork, Ireland; the ship arrived on 12th June 1847 but they died on board 9
Mr. John Dobbins, aged 4 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Bee" departing 17th April 1847 from Cork, Ireland; the ship arrived on 12th June 1847 but he died on board 9

Dobbins migration to Australia +

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

Dobbins Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Dobbins, English convict who was convicted in (Lindsey), Lincolnshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 20th January 1836, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10

Contemporary Notables of the name Dobbins (post 1700) +

James Francis Dobbins Jr. (1942-2023), American diplomat who served as United States Ambassador to the European Union (1991–1993), as Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (2001), and as Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan (May 2013 – July 2014)
Georgia Dobbins (1942-2020), American singer, member of The Marvelettes and songwriter, best known for her hit "Please Mr. Postman"
Daniel Dobbins (1776-1856), American sailing master in the United States Navy
Horace Dobbins (1868-1962), American Mayor of Pasadena, California
James Carter Dobbins (b. 1949), American academic, Japanologist and professor of religion and East Asian studies
Bill Dobbins, American photographer
Timothy L. Dobbins (b. 1982), American football linebacker
Francis Vreeland Dobbins (1876-1934), American Democratic Party politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Union County, 1914; Chair of Union County Democratic Party, 1921, 1925 11
Douglas Dobbins, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Washington, 2004 11
Donald Claude Dobbins (1878-1943), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from Illinois 19th District, 1933-37; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1936 11
... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Dobbins 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.
"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
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. 73)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html