Surname Tribby - Meaning and Origin

Tribby: What does the surname Tribby mean?

The last name Tribby is thought to have originated from the medieval given name “Tribou”. Tribou is derived from the Latin “tribus”, which means “tribe”. This would suggest that the original bearer of the name was a leader of a tribe or people group, or was related to one, and thus the surname Tribby was taken.

The name Tribby can be found in various countries and is almost exclusively a name of English and Welsh origin. Tribby families can be traced back to 13th century England, where records show the Tribby family was a member of the gentry and held several estates and manors throughout Shropshire. The Tribby family are also thought to have come from Scotland, which is likely due to their close proximity to England.

The Tribby surname can be found all over the world, in places such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In these new countries, most people with the surname Tribby are descended from immigrants who sailed from the British Isles in the 19th century.

Generally, the tribby surname is associated with loyalty, heritage, and respect. It is a name that is associated with strength and perseverance, as the Tribby family have endured for centuries.

Tribby: Where does the name Tribby come from?

The last name Tribby is most commonly found in the United States. According to the US Census, it is estimated that almost 3,200 people in the US are currently living with the last name Tribby.

It is primarily concentrated in the Southern region of the United States, with a majority (47.2%) residing in Kentucky, followed by Mississippi, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina. In most cases, the Tribby surname is associated with English, Scottish and Irish roots, with English and German being the most frequently cited.

The Tribby surname is believed to have Anglo-Saxon origins, stemming from the Old Norse word, ‘trebbe,’ which means ‘to fence in’ or ‘enclose’. Tribby also appears to be derived from the Old Norse ‘triebi’ meaning ‘bundle of twigs’. It is also found in the Low German word, ‘treibi’, meaning ‘split’ or ‘crack’. Thus, it’s possible that the surname was initially given to someone who was particularly active or successful in the harvesting of twigs used for building enclosures.

In addition, the Tribby family name was found in the United Kingdom as early as the 12th century. During this time, the Tribbys were prominent landowners in the North of England. By the 15th century, the family had spread to Wales and Scotland, as evidenced by both the Tribby Surname Project and the Tribby Family History Project.

At present, the Tribby surname is more commonly found in the United States than any other country.

Variations of the surname Tribby

The surname Tribby is of English origin, and is an example of a patronymic surname, a type of surname derived from the name of the father of the original bearer of the surname. The earliest known example of this surname dates back to the sixteenth century.

Variants, spellings and other surnames of the same origin of the surname Tribby include Tribbey, Tribble, Tribly, Tribblee, Tribbia, Tribbie, Tribbitt, Tribbit, Tribbey, Tribby, Triby, and Tribnic.

Tribby may have derived from Tribb, an alternative spelling of Treb, an Old English term meaning "dweller at the homestead," or Tribred, an Old English word meaning “facing river crossing.”

Tribby is also a common variation of the surname Trippy, which is derived from Tripp, a variant of the Old English personal name Dreop, derived from a mix of Old English and Old Norse elements, including “dreng,” which translates to “man," and “hop,” which translates to “valley.”

The first recorded spelling of Tribby appears in the 15th century in the form of Tribbye in Staffordshire. Several other variations of this surname appear in England in the 15th and 16th centuries, including Tribbet, Tribby and Tribble.

As well as Anglophone countries, variation of the surname Tribby has also been found in countries with substantial Irish populations, including Ireland, Canada, the United States, and Australia.

In addition to Tribby and its variants, other common English surnames of similar origin include: Trimble, Trylby, Tripley, Treble, Tybbutt, Tybbot, and Tybble.

Famous people with the name Tribby

• John Tribby: an American film and television editor who has worked on many notable projects such as The X-Files, Rome, The Kennedys and Hemlock Grove.
• Joshua Tribby: an American physical therapist and actor, known for his roles in the films Knocked Up and Inception.
• Christine Tribby: an American business executive, favoring a focus on sustainable, socially responsible investments.
• Riley Tribby: an American race car driver, competing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series.
• Tom Tribby: a former American basketball player and current university coach in the NCAA Division I.
• Jack Tribby: an American former professional soccer player who played in both the A-League and USISL.
• Ryan Tribby: an American painter and sculptor known for his large, bold abstract canvases.
• Justin Tribby: an American film director and producer, best known for his work on the films The Flash and Doctor Who.
• Harry Tribby: an American former football player who played for several college teams, as well as for the Kansas City Chiefs.
• Buddy Tribby: an American singer-songwriter, best known for his 1979 Top 10 country hit "I Don't Love You Anymore”.

Other surnames

TribbeTribbeyTribble