CORBIN
Corbin is a surname of both English and French provenance, with evidence of use in the British Isles from the late eleventh century onward.
The name is etymologically derived from the Old French word corbin, meaning “raven.” Historically this element was often applied as a nickname to individuals who possessed dark hair or complexion, or to those associated with ravens through occupation or perceived characteristics. The derivation may also be locational, stemming from the villages of Corbon in the departments of Calvados or Orne in France; such a place name could have been brought to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066.
Early documentary evidence records the surname in the Domesday Book of 1086. The entry for William Corbun in the Essex volume reflects the earliest confirmed spelling, and the name also appears as Corbin(us) in Warwickshire and Kent. Further instances include Hugo de Corbun in the Norfolk and Suffolk volumes, Roger Corbin in the Assize Court Rolls of Somerset in 1201, and Walter Corbyn in the Yorkshire rolls of 1219.
In addition to its English usage, the Corbin family established a presence in Guernsey, where a heraldic grant described a shield displaying three black ravens on a gold chief. The accompanying motto, Deus pascit corvos, translates as “God feeds the ravens,” underscoring the symbolic link to the bird that informs the surname.
Variations in spelling—such as Corbyn, Corban, and Corbun—are well documented, though the core element relating to the raven endures across all forms. The surname has since spread to a range of English‑speaking countries, while retaining its original linguistic and cultural associations within the United Kingdom.
Typical given names associated with the Corbin surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- Daniel
- David
- James
- John
- Keith
- Mark
- Matthew
- Michael
- Paul
- Richard
Female
- Christine
- Deborah
- Donna
- Elizabeth
- Jennifer
- Julie
- Lisa
- Michelle
- Rebecca
- Samantha
- Sarah
- Sharon
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Corben
- Carbin
- Carbine
- Carbino
- Carabin
- Carabine
- Carbins
- Carbines
- Carbiner
- Cobrin
- Corbi
- Corbine
- Corbino
- Caraban
- Carabini
- Carban
- Carben
- Carbogno
- Carbon
- Carbone
- Carboni
- Carbonneau
- Carobene
- Carrabin
- Carrabine
- Carrabino
- Carriban
- Carribine
- Corabin
- Corb
- Corban
- Corbani
- Corbie
- Corbijn
- Corbit
- Corbitt
- Corbon
- Corby
- Corbyn
- Corbyne
- Corebie
- Corin
- Cornie
- Cornin
- Cornis
- Corny
- Corvin
- Courban
- Courbin
- Courbon
- Crebbin
- Cribban
- Cribben
- Cribbin
- Cribbon
- Curban
- Curbbun
- Curubine
- Garbien
- Garbin
- Garbini
- Garbino
- Garibian
- Gharban
- Gharibian
- Ghoorbin
- Ghorban
- Ghorbani
- Gorban
- Gorbin
- Gourbin
- Graban
- Grabban
- Grabbin
- Graben
- Grabin
- Grabon
- Graybine
- Grebin
- Gribban
- Gribben
- Gribbin
- Gribbon
- Gribin
- Gribon
- Grobien
- Gruban
- Grubben
- Grubbin
- Gruben
- Grubin
- Gurban
- Gurbani
- Gurreebun
- Karaban
- Karabin
- Karban
- Karbanee
- Karbani
- Karbon
- Karibian
- Korabben
- Korban
- Kurbaan
- Kurban
- Querubin
- Qurban
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Corbin in...
Braille
⠉⠕⠗⠃⠊⠝
Morse
-.-.---.-.-.....-.
Semaphore
There are approximately 1,708 people named Corbin in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,807th most common surname in Britain. Around 26 in a million people in Britain are named Corbin.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Corbin
- La'Vere Corbin-Ong - Football player
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.