Hobgen Family History

Apparently from a compound of two Middle English personal names Hobbe (see Hobb) + John, presumably denoting ‘son of Robert son of John’. It is a rare occurrence but is said to be paralleled in the medieval surnames Jakharry and Watfilip cited in Reaney Origin p. 239.

However, no medieval evidence has yet been found for Hobjohn, and -john may be a modern alteration by folk etymology of the Old French hypocoristic suffix -çon (Old Picard and northern Norman French -chon). See (ii).

This could stem from an unrecorded Middle English *Hobechon, a rhyming form of Middle English Robechon (Old Picard Robechon, Old French Robeçon), a pet form of Robert.

See Rabjohn where the same change of -chon to -john has occurred and compare Hobin (see Hobbin) as a rhyming form of Robin.

Perhaps a combination of Middle English hobbe and John, literally ‘goblin John’. Hob was certainly ‘goblin’ in Sussex, as presumably in Hobb’s Arse (now Hobb’s Haste) in Friston.