Surname Coberly - Meaning and Origin

Coberly: What does the surname Coberly mean?

The origin and meaning of the last name Coberly is not definitively known. It is believed to be of British origin, and some researchers claim that it was derived from an old British word for 'a marshy place or a leg of water’. Others theorize that it was derived from the Scottish place name Cobblehill, a hamlet in Aberdeenshire near the border of Scotland and England.

The history and evolution of the Coberly surname is perhaps best seen when examining its various spellings and manifestations. Records throughout the ages have revealed a deep variety of spellings for the Coberly surname, from Coble, Cobley, Coublye, Cowbelly, Cobbleigh, Cobergly and, perhaps most commonly, Coberly, to name a few.

The Coberly surname is anglicized from the German Cobel or Coble, which can be translated to mean ‘a dweller of the bend or hill’. The name likely developed out of a desire to emphasize the connection of the family to a particular area. Records show that in medieval England, those with the Coberly surname were primarily associated with the area of Northumberland, and later with Antrim and Lancashire.

Unfortunately, due to the uncertain origins of the Coberly surname, it is impossible to pinpoint exactly its meaning; however, what is clear is that the Coberly family have deep roots within British, and sometimes German, history.

Coberly: Where does the name Coberly come from?

The surname Coberly is most common today in the United States and Canada. The surname has German origins, with Coberly possibly derived from the Middle High German Kohver, an occupational name given to a person who managed a herring barrel. The name was first found in the medieval city of Coburg in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, and from there it spread out to other parts of Germany.

In the United States, the surname is mostly found in the Midwest and Southern states. For example, it is most popular in Kentucky, Virginia, and Kansas. These states also have a higher than average population of people of German ancestry.

When it comes to Canada, the surname Coberly is mostly found in Ontario and Quebec. It is often assumed that the Coberlys in Canada are of German ancestry, as those two provinces have the largest populations of people of German descent.

The Coberly surname also has some presence in Europe, mainly in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Germany. In all three countries, the surname is found in much smaller numbers than in North America.

Overall, the surname Coberly is most common in the United States and Canada, and is likely rooted in Germany where the surname originated originally.

Variations of the surname Coberly

Coberly is a surname of Anglo-Saxon origin. It was derived from the Old English personal name Colbeorht, meaning “bright sailing” or “bright leader.”

The most common variants, spellings, and surnames associated with the Coberly surname include: Coberley, Cobley, Cobleigh, Coblo, Cobbery, Koberlein, Keberlein, Kolbaille, Colbly, Colbyly, Colbely, Cobbie, Cobbley, Cabley, Coberley, Colbry and Coburly.

The surname is most commonly found in the United Kingdom, particularly in England. In the United States, it is most common in Pennsylvania, Ohio, California, New York, Washington and Virginia.

The earliest recorded spelling for the Coberly surname is from 1205, when Robert Colber appears in the Curia Regis Rolls of Buckinghamshire. Subsequent records include a William Cobley from Hampshire in 1297 and twelve entries in the Churchyard Rolls of Sussex between 1420 and 1444, including Adam Cobley, Henry Kobley and Thomas Cobyl.

Cobbley, also spelling of the surname, is most common in the East Midlands of England and is an example of a locative surname derived from a place name related to the original Coberly family.

The variants spanning both the English and American versions of the Coberly surname are still alive and in use today. In the England and Wales census conducted in 2019, 9,396 individuals were recorded with a Coberly or other variant surname. It therefore remains a popular and widely used surname.

Famous people with the name Coberly

• Jack Coberly: American country music singer-songwriter.
• Patrick Coberly: American chemist.
• J.W. Coberly: American Utah pioneer.
• Michael Coberly: American writer and author of ‘The Proposition’.
• Craig Coberly: American basketball player.
• Reb Coberly: American roller coaster designer and master wood carver.
• Ed Coberly: Former college basketbal coach.
• Don Coberly: American actor.
• Etta Coberly: American philanthropist.
• Lorraine Coberly: American portrait and landscape photographer.
• Paul Coberly: American actor.
• Jeff Coberly: Former Major League Baseball player.
• Scott Coberly: Owner of the Scoberly bike shop.
• Lewis Coberly: American lawyer and late 1800s U.S. Congressman.
• Lavarine Coberly: American painter.
• Rachel Coberly: Tennessee actress.
• Gillian Coberly: British art curator.
• Billy Coberly: American rapper.
• Joe Coberly: Early 20th-century baseball catcher.
• Poppy Coberly: Actress and comedian.

Other surnames

CoberleieCoberleyCobernCobert