This surname is derived from an occupation. 'the dubber,' a flipperer, a furbisher of old garments. Probably, when in earlier use, a decorator of dress, one who embellished with gold lace, &c. The company of the Dubbers joined the procession of the York Pageant (York Mystery Plays). Halliwell suggests they were trimmers or binders of books. Bishop Latimer, speaking of another bishop, says, 'There stood by him a dubber, one Doctor Dubber, he dubbed him by-and-by, and said, '&c. (Second Sermon before Edward VI.)

Hugh de Croft, dubber, 13 Edward II: Freemen of York.

Hugo Wystow, douber, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Robert le Dubber, Close Rolls, 38 Edward I.

Jordan le Dubbere. Calendarium Inquisitionum Post Mortem.

Stephen le Dubbere, c. 1300. Writs of Parliament.

Payn le Dubbour. Munimenta Gildhallæ Londoniensis.

Adam Dubbere, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

'One messuage, 1 garden, ... 2 acres of pasture in Dalton (Wigan parish, Lancashire), now in the tenures of Richard Dowber and John Crosse,' &c. (1605): Lancashire Inquisitions.

1610. Baptised — Avis, d. Henry Dubber: St. James, Clerkenwell.

From the occupation, Old French doubeur, 'repairer.' The precise meaning of the term is not known. The company of the Dubbers joined the procession of the York Pageant (York Mystery Plays, p. xxvi). Johannes Dubber, a charter witness in Glasgow, c, 1290 (REG., p. 200,216). In 1329 there are entries of wheat, grain, and corn received from John Dubber (ER., I, p. 129,132, 179).

(English) Furbisher, Decorator, Fripperer, Bookbinder [Middle English dubbere, &c., from dubben, to dress, arm for battle; Old English dubbian, to dub]

A word of uncertain meaning. It may signify either a trimmer or binder of books, (See Halliwell,) or a maker of tubs. (See English Surn.)

Dubber: In the “Liber Albus” we have a Peter le Dubbour, whose trade was to furbish up old clothes. But a Dauber was the decorator of walls. In “Cocke Lorelle’s Bote” we have “Tylers, bryckeleyers, hardehewers; Paris-plasterers, daubers and lymeborners.”