| Language(s) | Old English |
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Meaning | "son of Robin"; "Robin" means "fame-bright" |
| Region of origin | England |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) | Hopkins, Robertson, Robyns, Robins, Robben, Robens, Robbings, Robeson, Robison |
| Frequency comparisons;[1] | |
Robinson is an English language patronymic surname, originating in England. It means "son of Robin (a diminutive of Robert)". There are similar surname spellings such as Robison and Robeson. Robinson is the 15th-most common surname in the United Kingdom.[1] According to the 1990 United States Census, Robinson was the twentieth most frequently encountered surname among those reported, accounting for 0.23% of the population.[2]
In Ireland, Robinson is most common in Ulster. The two names had been used interchangeably in some areas of the province around the beginning of the 20th century.
Robinson, the compound word, is a rare given name, while its derivative, Robin, has the distinction of being both a masculine and feminine given name.