Explore the Family Name Roby
The meaning of Roby
1. English (Lancashire): habitational name from Roby in Huyton (Lancashire), from Old Norse rá ‘landmark, boundary’ + bȳ ‘farmstead, village’. Compare Raby. 2. Scottish: variant of Robbie. 3. Variant of Raby 3, a surname of French origin. History: Some of the American bearers of the surname Roby are descendants of Jean Guillaume dit Desrabines from France (see Raby).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Roby in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname 'Roby' experienced a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 3630th most popular surname, but by 2010, it dropped to the 3798th position, marking a change of -4.63%. However, the count of individuals with this surname increased from 8986 to 9315 during the same period. This indicates that despite the drop in rank, more people bore the 'Roby' surname in 2010 than in 2000. But, proportionally, per 100k, the usage of 'Roby' declined by -5.11%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,630 | #3,798 | -4.63% |
| Count | 8,986 | 9,315 | 3.66% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.33 | 3.16 | -5.11% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Roby
The ethnic identity associated with the 'Roby' surname also changed over the decade, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The largest ethnicity identified was White, though its representation decreased from 66.50% in 2000 to 62.83% in 2010. The Black community saw a minor increase, moving from 29.76% to 30.93%. More significant changes were seen in other ethnicities: Asian/Pacific Islander representation rose dramatically by 153.85%, and Hispanic representation also saw a substantial increase of 75.20%. Those identifying with Two or more races grew by 43.21%, and American Indian and Alaskan Native representation saw a modest rise of 20.59%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 66.5% | 62.83% | -5.52% |
| Black | 29.76% | 30.93% | 3.93% |
| Two or More Races | 1.62% | 2.32% | 43.21% |
| Hispanic | 1.25% | 2.19% | 75.2% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.52% | 1.32% | 153.85% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.34% | 0.41% | 20.59% |
Roby ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Roby is British & Irish, which comprises 48.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (25.7%) and Nigerian (3.9%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, Italian, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 48.3% |
| French & German | 25.7% |
| Nigerian | 3.9% |
| Other | 22.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Roby
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Roby have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 80.60% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 80.60% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 80.60% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 80.60% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 80.00% |
What Roby haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Roby is R-Z255, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z255 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Gaston, Redmond, Nunn, Myrick, Doyle, Toole, Harrigan, Peace, Geary, Foley.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Roby surname are: H1, H, U5a1. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Roby have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Roby" Surname 41.8%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Roby" Surname 31.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Roby" Surname 26.2%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Roby" Surname 18.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Roby?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Roby are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition