Hobby Family History

English:: from the Middle English personal name Hoby a shortened form of Hobin. See Hobbins. Occasionally perhaps a nickname from Middle English hobi ‘small species of hawk’ (Old French hobet hobé a diminutive form of Old French hobe ‘small bird of prey’).

Possibly from a Middle English personal name Oby with prosthetic H-. This would be identical in origin with Opie a Cornwall and Devon pet form of Osbert (see Hobart) or Osbern (see Osborne).

Habitational name from Hoby (Leicestershire) from Old English hōh ‘heel, spur of land’ + Old Norse bȳ ‘farmstead, village’.