Surname Spotlight: Dobson

Dobson began as an English family name. The usual explanation, from Elsdon Smith, is “the son of Dob, a pet form of Robert (fame, bright)”.

Arms associated with the name

There is no single Dobson family crest for all bearers; the honest first step is to find out which Dobson line, if any, bore arms.

Researching the origin

Like many surnames, it grew out of a personal name.

In the 2010 US Census, 19,419 Americans gave Dobson as their last name (rank 1,846). Get the complete Dobson report, with a museum-style coat of arms.