This interesting surname with variant spellings Cobbin and Cobbing is derived from "Cob", a pet form of the male given name Jacob and the diminutive suffix "on" meaning little; hence "little Jacob". Jacob is the Hebrew "aqob", meaning "supplanter" or "following after". Though the second meaning is the more probable, the first is more appropriate, as the first bearer, younger son of the patriarch Isaac, supplanted his elder brother Esau, tricking his out of his inheritance and his father's blessing. The surname is first found recorded in the latter half of the 13th Century. Ralph Cobin is registered in the Hundred Rolls of Essex (1273). On July 18th 1555, Margaret Cobban was christened in St. Margaret's, Westminster. On May 9th 1587, Johnn Cobbin was christened in St. Dunstans, Stepney and on August 23rd 1807, James Cobon, son of John and Mary Cobon was christened in St. Giles, Cripplegate, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Cobon, which was dated 1273, The Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, during the reign of King Edward 1, "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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