NameCensus.

UK surname

Cluff

A topographic surname derived from the Old English word "cloh," meaning a steep hill or cliff.

In the 1881 census there were 214 people recorded with the Cluff surname, ranking it #12,284 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 153, ranked #23,408, down from #12,284 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, Helpstone and Walthamstow, Low Leyton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Warwick, Christchurch and Tonbridge and Malling.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cluff is 259 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 28.5%.

1881 census count

214

Ranked #12,284

Modern count

153

2016, ranked #23,408

Peak year

1901

259 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cluff had 214 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,284 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016, ranked #23,408.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 259 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cluff surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cluff surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cluff 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 181 #11,256
1861 historical 159 #14,553
1881 historical 214 #12,284
1891 historical 216 #14,107
1901 historical 259 #12,848
1911 historical 226 #13,840
1997 modern 170 #19,505
1998 modern 168 #20,181
1999 modern 161 #20,868
2000 modern 154 #21,415
2001 modern 149 #21,568
2002 modern 150 #21,913
2003 modern 152 #21,486
2004 modern 151 #21,720
2005 modern 143 #22,473
2006 modern 144 #22,520
2007 modern 152 #22,022
2008 modern 150 #22,429
2009 modern 151 #22,816
2010 modern 160 #22,487
2011 modern 155 #22,790
2012 modern 158 #22,460
2013 modern 151 #23,529
2014 modern 153 #23,537
2015 modern 150 #23,718
2016 modern 153 #23,408

Geography

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Where Cluffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, Helpstone, Walthamstow, Low Leyton, St Pancras and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Warwick, Christchurch, Tonbridge and Malling, Corby and Hackney. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 Helpstone Northamptonshire
3 Walthamstow, Low Leyton Essex
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Warwick 008 Warwick
2 Christchurch 007 Christchurch
3 Tonbridge and Malling 003 Tonbridge and Malling
4 Corby 005 Corby
5 Hackney 002 Hackney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cluff

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cluff

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cluff, 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 Cluff surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cluff 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Cluff is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cluff is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cluff falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cluff 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 Cluff, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cluff

The surname Cluff originated in England, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "clif" or "clif-hus," which means a cliff or a house on a cliff. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near or on a cliff.

According to historical records, the Cluff surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in northern England. Some of the earliest known bearers of the name include Robert de Cluffe, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297, and William Cluffe, listed in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1273.

The Cluff name has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Cliffe, a village in North Yorkshire, and Cliffe Hill, a location near Selby in Yorkshire. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and the Old English word for cliff or elevated land.

One notable historical figure with the Cluff surname was Sir William Cluff, a 16th-century English merchant and explorer. He was born around 1550 and is known for his attempts to establish trade routes with Russia and the Arctic regions. Another prominent individual was John Cluff, born in 1633, who served as a judge and Member of Parliament for the borough of Southwark in the late 17th century.

In the 18th century, George Cluff, born in 1744, was a renowned English physician and author who published several works on medical topics. Samuel Cluff, born in 1779, was a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the prestigious Naval General Service Medal.

Moving into the 19th century, Thomas Cluff, born in 1825, was a prominent Mormon leader and missionary who helped establish settlements in Utah and Idaho. He played a significant role in the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Cluff surname has maintained a presence throughout various regions of England and has also been carried by individuals who have made notable contributions in various fields, including exploration, politics, medicine, and religion.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cluff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cluff 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. Middlesex leads with 92 Cluffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.43x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 92 4.43x
Northamptonshire 30 15.35x
Lancashire 18 0.73x
Warwickshire 13 2.48x
Oxfordshire 9 7.01x
Yorkshire 9 0.44x
Lincolnshire 8 2.41x
Worcestershire 8 2.95x
Huntingdonshire 6 14.55x
Essex 5 1.22x
Buckinghamshire 3 2.39x
Cheshire 2 0.44x
Lanarkshire 2 0.30x
Surrey 2 0.20x
Sussex 2 0.57x
Devon 1 0.23x
Durham 1 0.16x
Leicestershire 1 0.43x
Norfolk 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 42 Cluffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.53x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 42 46.53x
Hackney London 24 20.60x
Helpstone 15 2941.18x
St Pancras London 13 7.77x
Kettering 10 126.58x
Gorton 9 38.83x
Shoreditch London 9 9.99x
Baston 8 1454.55x
Evenlode 7 3684.21x
Hatton 7 1014.49x
Huntingdon St Mary 6 582.52x
West Ardsley 6 241.94x
Banbury 5 194.55x
Manchester 4 3.61x
Walthamstow 4 27.10x
Budbrooke 3 566.04x
Chesham 3 64.79x
Churchill 3 833.33x
Peterborough 3 21.20x
Preston 3 4.55x
Beaudesert 2 1666.67x
Bowling 2 9.81x
Brighton 2 2.83x
Glasgow 2 1.68x
Hampstead London 2 6.18x
Hyde 2 14.78x
Newington 2 2.61x
Toxteth Park 2 2.40x
Warkworth 2 113.64x
Charlbury 1 69.44x
Claines 1 13.42x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.04x
Dawlish 1 30.96x
Helmington Row 1 34.72x
Hook 1 22.08x
Leamington Priors 1 7.76x
Leicester St Nicholas 1 76.92x
St Marylebone London 1 0.90x
Welney 1 136.99x
West Ham 1 1.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Sarah 10
Emily 6
Emma 6
Ann 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Alice 3
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Clara 3
Elizabeth 3
Jane 3
Louisa 3
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Margaret 2
Rebecca 2
Adeline 1
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Charlotte 1
Elisa 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Elsie 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Ethelberta 1
Flora 1
H. 1
Harriett 1
Jemima 1
Kate 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
Lousa 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Phebe 1
Reb. 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1
Selena 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 24
William 16
George 6
James 6
Thomas 6
Alfred 5
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Charles 2
Herbert 2
J. 2
Joseph 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Ben.George 1
Benjamin 1
Benjeman 1
Burgess 1
Daniel 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Mary 1
Matthew 1
Oliver 1
Robert 1
Walbed 1

FAQ

Cluff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cluff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 214 people were recorded with the Cluff surname. That placed it at #12,284 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cluff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016. That gives Cluff a modern rank of #23,408.

What does the Cluff surname mean?

A topographic surname derived from the Old English word "cloh," meaning a steep hill or cliff.

What does the Cluff map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cluff 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.