The Robinson surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 529,821 people carried this name — #30 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 557 people counted. That is up 5% from 503,028 in 2000.
Where the name comes from
The origin of the Robinson surname
From Robin + -son.
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Robinson» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 217 births for the Robinson name in 1890.
They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 9,600 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 410 people named Robinson live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
368 people named Robinson live in Switzerland.
They live in 20 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 285 people named Robinson.
Most of them — 174 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 27 départements, most often French Guiana.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Poland’s population register
118 people named Robinson have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 324 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 14 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Masovian.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In Belgium’s population register
At least 73 people named Robinson live in Belgium.
Statbel only publishes a name in a municipality when five or more people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Brussels-Capital.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Statbel (Statistics Belgium), family names of the population by municipality, 1 January 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In the Nordic population registers
633 people named Robinson are counted in Sweden, Norway and Finland.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Norway publishes only surnames with 200 or more bearers. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Statistics Norway (SSB, ssb.no), table 12891, 2025 — CC BY 4.0 · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In print
Robinson in American newspapers,
1918–1919.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 2,084,312 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Robinson,
with a public archive behind them.
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Joseph Robinson d. 1807 · judge
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Thomas Robinson d. 1747 · writer
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John Robinson d. 1899 · politician
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Ronnie Robinson d. 2016 · coach
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John Robinson d. 1800 · painter
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Helen Elizabeth Robinson d. 1993 · painter
Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Robinson.
- Robidou 130 · U.S. census
- Robillard 3,499 · U.S. census
- Robin 5,212 · U.S. census
- Robine 201 · U.S. census
- Robinet 235 · U.S. census
- Robino 278 · U.S. census
- Robitaille 2,611 · U.S. census
- Robledo 16,001 · U.S. census
- Robles 82,458 · U.S. census
- Roblin 314 · U.S. census
- Robson 8,137 · U.S. census
- Roby 9,315 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Robinson is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.