NameCensus.

UK surname

Cliff

An English toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near a cliff or steep slope.

In the 1881 census there were 2,619 people recorded with the Cliff surname, ranking it #1,698 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,994, ranked #2,246, down from #1,698 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Burton-on-Trent and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Shropshire and Waveney.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cliff is 3,489 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.3%.

1881 census count

2,619

Ranked #1,698

Modern count

2,994

2016, ranked #2,246

Peak year

1911

3,489 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cliff had 2,619 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,698 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,994 in 2016, ranked #2,246.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,489 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cliff surname distribution map

The map shows where the Cliff surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Cliff surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cliff over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 1,974 #1,467
1861 historical 2,755 #1,064
1881 historical 2,619 #1,698
1891 historical 2,935 #1,602
1901 historical 2,835 #1,965
1911 historical 3,489 #1,496
1997 modern 2,906 #2,227
1998 modern 3,188 #2,107
1999 modern 3,177 #2,126
2000 modern 3,149 #2,135
2001 modern 3,053 #2,153
2002 modern 3,085 #2,181
2003 modern 3,023 #2,171
2004 modern 3,033 #2,159
2005 modern 2,993 #2,163
2006 modern 2,949 #2,196
2007 modern 2,972 #2,194
2008 modern 2,940 #2,238
2009 modern 3,032 #2,222
2010 modern 3,069 #2,248
2011 modern 3,058 #2,224
2012 modern 2,955 #2,267
2013 modern 3,020 #2,255
2014 modern 3,051 #2,241
2015 modern 3,026 #2,238
2016 modern 2,994 #2,246

Geography

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Where Cliffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Burton-on-Trent, London parishes, Burslem and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Shropshire, Waveney, Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Burslem Staffordshire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 057 County Durham
2 Shropshire 001 Shropshire
3 Waveney 015 Waveney
4 Stoke-on-Trent 003 Stoke-on-Trent
5 Newcastle-under-Lyme 016 Newcastle-under-Lyme

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cliff

These lists show first names that appear often with the Cliff surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cliff

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cliff, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Cliff surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cliff household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cliff is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cliff is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cliff falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cliff is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Cliff, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cliff

The surname CLIFF is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "clif," meaning a steep rock or high bank. It likely originated as a topographic name, given to someone who lived near or on a cliff. The name is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Cliue" and "Cliva."

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Robert de Cliff, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166. Another early record is of William Clyff, who was listed in the Lancashire Assize Rolls of 1246.

The name CLIFF may also have derived from place names containing the word "cliff," such as Cliff Pypard in Wiltshire or Cliff Hill in Shropshire. These place names themselves were descriptive of the local topography.

In the 13th century, the name appeared as "de la Clyf" and "atte Clyve," indicating the person lived near or on a cliff. Over time, the prefixes "de la" and "atte" were dropped, leaving just the surname CLIFF.

Notable individuals with the surname CLIFF include Adam de Cliff, a 13th-century English landowner and nobleman mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1214. John Cliff (c. 1585-1623) was an English Puritan clergyman and author of several theological works.

In the 17th century, there was Samuel Cliff (1623-1692), an English Puritan minister and one of the founders of the Old Meeting House in Birmingham. Edward Cliff (1791-1873) was a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a diplomat.

Another prominent bearer of the name was William Cliff (1824-1896), an English businessman and Conservative politician who served as Mayor of Bradford and Member of Parliament for the borough.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cliff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cliff surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 511 Cliffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.02x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 511 2.02x
Staffordshire 492 5.71x
Lancashire 342 1.13x
Cheshire 180 3.19x
Middlesex 141 0.55x
Shropshire 139 6.30x
Warwickshire 81 1.26x
Derbyshire 80 2.00x
Nottinghamshire 78 2.27x
Leicestershire 73 2.58x
Surrey 72 0.58x
Lincolnshire 63 1.54x
Durham 51 0.67x
Kent 45 0.52x
Worcestershire 29 0.87x
Cornwall 27 0.93x
Gloucestershire 24 0.48x
Essex 19 0.38x
Berkshire 14 0.73x
Devon 14 0.26x
Hampshire 14 0.27x
Northumberland 13 0.34x
Flintshire 10 1.46x
Suffolk 10 0.32x
Glamorgan 8 0.18x
Hertfordshire 8 0.45x
Northamptonshire 8 0.33x
Somerset 7 0.17x
Denbighshire 6 0.62x
Rutland 6 3.20x
Sussex 6 0.14x
Angus 5 0.21x
Huntingdonshire 5 0.99x
Lanarkshire 5 0.06x
Norfolk 5 0.13x
Wiltshire 4 0.18x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.19x
Herefordshire 3 0.29x
Montgomeryshire 3 0.51x
Channel Islands 2 0.26x
Dorset 2 0.12x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.04x
Anglesey 1 0.22x
Brecknockshire 1 0.20x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.10x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.06x
Isle of Man 1 0.21x
Midlothian 1 0.03x
Oxfordshire 1 0.06x
Radnorshire 1 0.49x
Westmorland 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 82 Cliffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.74x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 82 5.74x
Stoke Upon Trent 76 8.31x
Wolverhampton 51 7.69x
Burslem 50 20.25x
Salford 46 5.16x
Upholland 39 100.44x
Hunslet 35 8.87x
Armley 30 26.88x
Wortley In Bramley 29 14.47x
Blackburn 28 3.47x
Whitchurch 28 65.39x
Aston 25 1.41x
Nottingham St Mary 25 2.81x
Harborne 24 8.69x
Kimberworth 24 17.09x
Norton Canes 22 70.02x
Wem 22 67.03x
Willenhall 22 13.63x
Birmingham 21 0.98x
Burton Upon Trent 21 10.41x
Greasley 20 25.75x
Oldham 20 2.04x
Lambeth 19 0.85x
Newcastle Under Lyme 19 12.46x
Congleton 18 18.48x
St Pancras London 18 0.88x
Brightside Bierlow 17 3.42x
Camberwell 17 1.04x
Runcorn 17 13.08x
St Marylebone London 17 1.25x
West Derby 17 1.92x
Bermondsey 16 2.10x
Coleshill 16 77.48x
Nether Hallam 16 4.67x
Droylsden 15 15.17x
Horton In Bradford 15 3.80x
Kensington London 15 1.06x
Tipton 15 5.68x
Clerkenwell London 14 2.32x
Norton In Moors 14 30.68x
Wakefield 14 7.21x
Wolstanton 14 5.35x
Eccleshall 13 39.77x
Frodingham 13 89.35x
Ightfield 13 431.89x
Marston Upon Dove 13 101.17x
Winshill 13 51.00x
Chorlton 12 361.45x
Manchester 12 0.88x
Newport 12 45.06x
Ashton Under Lyne 11 1.66x
Bradford 11 1.80x
Everton 11 1.14x
Great Bolton 11 2.74x
Preston On Hill 11 224.49x
Arnold 10 19.90x
Birkenhead 10 2.23x
Castle Donnington 10 42.59x
Colwich 10 48.80x
Deptford St Paul 10 1.49x
Eltringham 10 246.31x
Hankelow 10 523.56x
Ilkley 10 24.18x
Little Bolton 10 2.57x
Liverpool 10 0.54x
Middlesbrough 10 3.03x
Packington 10 99.11x
Shitlington 10 38.20x
Stafford St Mary 10 8.19x
Stockton On Tees 10 2.73x
Walton Cardiff 10 1923.08x
Wokingham 10 22.86x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 1.87x
Doncaster 9 4.87x
Dudley 9 2.22x
Halifax 9 2.42x
Ingleby 9 989.01x
Long Eaton 9 17.06x
Shrewsbury St Mary 9 10.34x
Wrawby 9 81.45x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cliff surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Cliff surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 164
John 141
James 104
Thomas 100
George 86
Joseph 83
Henry 48
Charles 41
Samuel 39
Arthur 34
Richard 27
Walter 27
Harry 25
Edward 23
Alfred 20
Robert 20
Herbert 15
Frank 13
Fred 13
Albert 12
Frederick 11
David 10
Daniel 9
Thos. 9
Wm. 9
Ernest 8
Isaac 8
Benjamin 7
Francis 6
Christopher 4
Harold 4
Jno. 4
Philip 4
Edwin 3
Jos. 3
Percy 3
Peter 3
Reuben 3
Sidney 3
Tom 3
Alexander 2
Chas. 2
Elias 2
Elijah 2
Jacob 2
Joel 2
Leigh 2
Leonard 2
Mathew 2
Nathaniel 2

FAQ

Cliff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cliff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,619 people were recorded with the Cliff surname. That placed it at #1,698 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cliff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,994 in 2016. That gives Cliff a modern rank of #2,246.

What does the Cliff surname mean?

An English toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near a cliff or steep slope.

What does the Cliff map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cliff bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.