Tobin (Irish: Tóibín, pronounced [t̪ˠoːˈbʲiːnʲ]; from the Norman surname Saint Aubin, originated with Saint Albinus) is an Irish surname of Norman origin.[1]
The Anglo-French Saint Aubin family arrived in Ireland in the wake of the Norman invasion in the 12th century[2] and settled in Counties Tipperary and Kilkenny, and subsequently spread to the neighbouring counties of Cork and Waterford.[3]
An early bearer of the surname is Irish-born John Tobyn, who appeared in patent rolls in 1413.[1] By the 1440s there were three major Tobin clans established in south-east Tipperary, as well as the senior line in Kilkenny.[citation needed] The Tobins were an influential family in County Tipperary in medieval times, and the head of the family was known as the Baron of Coursey, although this was not an officially recognised title. The 14th century Annals of Ireland, by Kilkenny Franciscan John Clyn, described the Tobins as a turbulent sept more dreaded by the English settlers than the native Irish.[3] Ballytobin in Co. Kilkenny, Ireland is named after them.[2]
In the period 1847–1864, most bearers of the surname in Ireland were located in County Tipperary, County Kilkenny, County Cork, and County Waterford. As of 1881, most bearers of the surname in Great Britain were located in Lancashire.[1]
Tobin is also an English surname, derived from the name Tobias or Toby.[1]