DOBLE
The surname Doble is of English origin, with its earliest attestations dating back to the early eleventh century.
In the earliest documentary evidence, the name appears in the Winton Rolls of Hampshire as Richard Dublet in 1115, during the reign of King Henry I. Subsequent records include Robert Duble of Suffolk in the Pipe Rolls of 1196, Adam le Dobel of Sussex in the Subsidy Tax Rolls of 1296, and Richard Doble in the Letter Books of London in 1336. These early spellings reflect the variety of forms that the name has taken over time, such as Dobel, Dobell, Dobble and Double.
The surname is traditionally viewed as a nickname derived from the Middle English word doble meaning “double”. It was often applied to a person who had a twin, who displayed a duplicated appearance or, in some instances, a seemingly dual character. Some scholars argue that this term may have been adopted from the Old French word doble – itself a variant of doublet – introduced into England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. Under this interpretation the name could have signified either a twin or a resemblance to a notable figure, sometimes alluding to a natural child who was thought to resemble the father.
A further possibility is that the name originated from a small hamlet called Doble in Cornwall; this locational hypothesis is supported by the concentration of the surname in the South‑West of England, particularly in the counties of Cornwall and Devon.
Other lineages connected with the Doble surname include a patronymic origin from the medieval given name Dobel, a diminutive of Robert. The name Dobel itself is a fusion of two Old High German elements, hruod meaning “fame” and berht meaning “bright”. Over time this personal name became a surname in Worcestershire and other parts of England during the late thirteenth century.
Variations in spelling – Dobell, Doubell, Dobelle, and Dobleman – have occurred as a result of regional pronunciation and the lack of a standardised orthography in medieval England. In more recent centuries the surname has spread beyond the United Kingdom to places such as Australia, Canada and the United States, largely through emigration. While the Spanish word doble also means “double”, the English surname has no direct linguistic connection with its Spanish counterpart.
Thus the surname Doble embodies a multifaceted heritage, drawing on nicknaming practices, locational associations, and patronymic traditions that evolved across several centuries of English history. Its survival as a relatively uncommon but enduring family name reflects the continuity of naming conventions within the British Isles.
Typical given names associated with the Doble surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Simon
- Stephen
Female
- Carol
- Catherine
- Emma
- Gillian
- Jacqueline
- Joanne
- Louise
- Margaret
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Wendy
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Doble in...
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There are approximately 1,360 people named Doble in the UK. That makes it roughly the 5,801st most common surname in Britain. Around 21 in a million people in Britain are named Doble.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Doble
- Sam Doble - Rugby union player (1944 to 1)
- Gilbert Hunter Doble - Cornish priest and hagiographier (1880 to 1945)
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.