ROBINSON
Robinson is a surname of English provenance, classed among the patronymic surnames that arose in the medieval British Isles. The name is derived from the personal name Robert, an Anglo‑Saxon compound of the elements hrothi and berhta, meaning “fame‑bright” or “renowned”. A diminutive form of Robert, Robin, gave rise to the patronymic construction Robinson, literally “son of Robin”.
The earliest documentary evidence of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where the element Robin is recorded among the land‑holders of England. Later medieval records show the surname in a variety of orthographies, including Robins, Robyns, Robens and Robbings. The first surviving appearance of the family name in a fixed spelling is found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire (1273), where a Dera Robins is listed. A further example is the entry for Margaret Robines in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire dated 1279.
By the sixteenth century the surname is regularly documented in London parish registers. Notable entries include the marriage of Helen Robinson and Thomas Grene on 1 October 1548 at St Leonard’s, Eastcheap, and the union of Christopher Robinson and Jone Millman on 4 November 1565 at St Mary Abchurch. These records attest to the diffusion of the name throughout the English capital and, by extension, the wider realm of the British Isles.
In the early seventeenth century the name crossed the Atlantic with the migration of John Robinson, aged twenty‑six, who embarked from London aboard the vessel “Peter Bonaventure” bound for the Barbadoes in April 1635. This early colonial settler exemplifies the spread of the surname to the English‑speaking world, a process that has continued to the present day, rendering Robinson a common surname across the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and North America.
The heraldic emblem most frequently associated with the Robinson lineage is described as a green shield bearing a gold chevron positioned between three gold bucks standing in their natural posture. Although variations in heraldic design exist, this coat of arms is traditionally linked with the family name in British armorial records.
In summary, the surname Robinson originates from an Old English personal name denoting “bright fame”, evolved through the diminutive Robin, and was formalised as a patronymic in medieval England. Its early documentary presence, diverse spellings, and spread through both domestic migration and overseas colonisation underscore its significance within the onomastic study of British surnames.
Typical given names associated with the Robinson surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Stephen
- William
Female
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Jane
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Rbinson
- Reubinson
- Ribinson
- Robbins
- Robbinson
- Robbison
- Robenson
- Robertson
- Robeson
- Robibson
- Robin
- Robinason
- Robinbson
- Robines
- Robings
- Robingson
- Robinison
- Robinns
- Robinon
- Robinosn
- Robins
- Robinsen
- Robinsin
- Robinsion
- Robinski
- Robinsky
- Robinso
- Robinsone
- Robinsonn
- Robinsons
- Robinsson
- Robisnon
- Robisnson
- Robison
- Robisson
- Robnson
- Robonson
- Robsinson
- Robson
- Roobinson
- Rovinson
- Rubinson
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Robinson in...
Braille
⠗⠕⠃⠊⠝⠎⠕⠝
Morse
.-.----.....-....----.
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Robinson are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Hobnob.
There are approximately 177,046 people named Robinson in the UK. That makes it the 14th most common surname in Britain. Around 2,719 in a million people in Britain are named Robinson.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Robinson
- Kane Brett Robinson - Jamaican rapper
- Ray Charles Robinson - American musician (1930 to 2004)
- Jackie Robinson - American baseball player (1919 to 1972)
- Tony Robinson - Actor, broadcaster and political campaigner
- Anne Robinson - Television presenter and journalist
- Zuleikha Robinson - Actress
- Morgana Robinson - Comedienne
- Khalid Donnel Robinson - Singer-songwriter
- Peter Robinson - Singer-songwriter
- W. Heath Robinson - Illustrator (1872 to 1944)
- Nick Robinson - Political journalist
- Janelle Monáe Robinson - American singer-songwriter, composer, and record producer
- Chris Robinson - American musician
- Paul Robinson - Football player
- Callum Robinson - Football player
- Patrick Robinson - Novelist and newspaper columnist living in Cotuit, Massachusetts
- Peter Robinson - Northern Irish politician
- Joan Robinson - Economist (1903 to 1983)
- Bruce Robinson - Screenwriter and film director
- Craig Robinson - American actor and comedian
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.