WEBB
Origins
The surname Webb is of English origin and belongs to the class of occupational names. It derives from the Old English word webba, meaning “weaver”, and was originally applied to a male artisan who produced cloth by means of weaving.
Historical Development
Early documentary evidence places the name in the British Isles during the eleventh century. The Olde English Byname Register records an Alger se Webba circa 1100, while the pipe rolls of Suffolk show an Osbert Webbe in 1221. Female bearers appear in later medieval records, for example Alice la Webbe of Colchester in 1327. The medieval poem Piers Plowman contains the line “My wife was a webbe and woollen cloth made”, illustrating the occupational connotation of the term. Post‑medieval parish registers record individuals such as Mary Webb, christened on 5 March 1550 at St Mary Woolnoth, London, and Mary Webbe, christened on 17 February 1566 at St Benet Fink, London.
Variations and Linguistic Notes
Several orthographic variants have arisen over the centuries, including Webbe, Webber and, in later usage, Webster. The distinction between the male form “webbe” and the female form “webster” was not consistently observed in medieval English, though the latter occasionally denoted a woman who wove.
Geographical Distribution
From its English roots the surname spread to other English‑speaking nations. By the nineteenth century bearers of the name had emigrated to the United States, Canada and Australia. An example of early emigration is Richard Webb, a twenty‑year‑old who boarded the “Cornelia of Liverpool” for New York on 26 January 1846, fleeing the Irish famine.
Notable Bearers
Among the most celebrated individuals bearing the name is Captain Matthew Webb, who in 1872 became the first person to swim the twenty‑two miles of the English Channel. His achievement cemented the surname in the public imagination and illustrates the diverse contributions of those who carry the name.
Typical given names associated with the Webb surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Jacqueline
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
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 Webb in...
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Webb are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Bourbon.
There are approximately 67,555 people named Webb in the UK. That makes it the 94th most common surname in Britain. Around 1,037 in a million people in Britain are named Webb.
Surname type: Occupational name
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Webb
- Gary Anthony James Webb - Guitarist, singer, and songwriter
- Charley Webb - Actress
- Robert Webb - Comedian, actor and writer
- Howard Webb - Professional football referee
- Benjamin Maurice Webb - Professional wrestler
- Paul Webb - Musician
- Danny Webb - Actor born in 1958
- David Webb - Football player and manager
- Marti Webb - Singer
- Justin Webb - Newsreader
- Beatrice Webb - Sociologist, economist, socialist, labor historian and social reformer (1858 to 1943)
- George Webb - Actor (1912 to 1998)
- Neil Webb - Football player and manager
- Sidney Webb, 1st Baron Passfield - Baron and politician (1859 to 1947)
- Gary Webb - American investigative journalist (1955 to 2004)
- Rhys Webb - Welsh rugby union player
- Steven Webb - Actor
- Rita Webb - Comedy actress (1904 to 1981)
- Catherine Webb - Writer
- Bronson Webb - Actor
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.