Genealogy Chat

Does anyone have any idea what the name Nobby is short for or is a name of its own . Cath

Its usually given to someone called Clark. I dont know why, must go back yonks. Though my mum (Londoner) used to use it as a affectionate nick name for my son when he was little.

I knew a 'Nobby', his name was Norman. Cherry

Thanks for your replies but i hav'nt found a connection with a Norman or Clark as yet . Cath

Nobby clark was a famous footballer ( i believe) many moons ago...like 1950-60's think Nobby is just a nickname

I lived in the East end most of my life and the name Nobbie was always a nick name for the surname of Clarke. But a Nobbie is also a name for the end piece of a loaf of bread may be he was last in the family so they nick named him Nobbie it's a thought. Diane.

Could it be short for 'Norbert'

Nobby Stiles was the footballer. He was in the 1966 World Cup team. Yes his real name was Norbert

I seem to recall that Nobby was a name for people surname Clark because city clerks wore a hat called a 'nobby'. But I found this by googling 'During the Industrial Revolution, many common people became wealthy and to identify with their wealth had the spelling of their names changed. Smith became Smythe, Brown became Browne and Clark became Clarke. They disowned their country cousins who referred to their stuck-up relatives as aping the nobility, calling them the nobs or the Nobby Clarks. ' but also The origin of 'Nobby CLARK(E)' is an ancient one. The name 'CLARK(E)' is an occupational surname, and derives from 'clerk', i.e. a person who could write. Clerks were more often than not servants to a member of the nobility, and were introduced in Old English as 'the noble lord, his clerk'. Over time 'noble' became corrupted to 'nob' (most of you would know the use of this word to be slang for an 'upper-class person'), and 'nob his' to 'nobby'. so take your pick!

Nobby used to be a word for smartly dressed. Perhaps at one time Clerks were more smartly dressed than other workers in their street? So anyone called Clarke got called Nobby. Don't think it applied to the fair sex. Only a guess! Update: Ignore this, and look at Helen's reply above!

Thanks every one for your input but i think i will have to put this one on the back burner for now . I got some info from another member who got the info from an elderly member of the family so she doesn,t know either . I have searched the bmd and found 8 entries between 1924 and 1935 The males were called Lionel, Alan ,Eric and Gordon . Now i just have to find out which one was nick named Nobby. Ignore me i am just rabbiting . Cath

nobby= clark yozzer= hughes (well known scouse quirk way before Boys from the Blackstuff was created)

That was really interesting Helen. Now why did my dad always call men with the surname Wilson 'Tug'???