NameCensus.

UK surname

Conniff

A variant of the surname Conniff meaning "victor" or "conquerer" from the Irish Gaelic word "connfhionn".

In the 1881 census there were 46 people recorded with the Conniff surname, ranking it #27,188 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 132, ranked #25,882, up from #27,188 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Coventry and Ross and Cromarty South West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Conniff is 135 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 187.0%.

1881 census count

46

Ranked #27,188

Modern count

132

2016, ranked #25,882

Peak year

2015

135 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Conniff had 46 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,188 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016, ranked #25,882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 93 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Conniff surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Conniff surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Conniff 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 26 #28,667
1861 historical 29 #30,287
1881 historical 46 #27,188
1891 historical 48 #30,447
1901 historical 74 #25,958
1911 historical 93 #23,492
1997 modern 115 #24,834
1998 modern 120 #24,793
1999 modern 120 #24,960
2000 modern 121 #24,824
2001 modern 122 #24,366
2002 modern 126 #24,393
2003 modern 112 #25,948
2004 modern 114 #25,870
2005 modern 112 #26,114
2006 modern 117 #25,695
2007 modern 119 #25,747
2008 modern 116 #26,510
2009 modern 116 #27,062
2010 modern 117 #27,557
2011 modern 117 #27,334
2012 modern 123 #26,561
2013 modern 129 #26,211
2014 modern 129 #26,352
2015 modern 135 #25,481
2016 modern 132 #25,882

Geography

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Where Conniffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Coventry and Ross and Cromarty South West. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Coventry 035 Coventry
2 Coventry 016 Coventry
3 Coventry 008 Coventry
4 Coventry 028 Coventry
5 Ross and Cromarty South West Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Conniff

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Conniff

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Conniff, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Conniff surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Conniff household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Conniff 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

Conniff 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

Conniff falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Conniff

The surname Conniff originates from Ireland, with its roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to be an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name "O'Conghobhair," which means "descendant of the valiant one" or "descendant of the high-born warrior."

The O'Conghobhair family was one of the most influential and powerful clans in medieval Ireland, hailing from the province of Connacht. The name Conniff likely emerged as a variation of this clan name when Irish names were anglicized during the English conquest and colonization of Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Conniff can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention several members of the O'Conghobhair clan, including Turlough O'Conor (1088-1156), who was the King of Connacht and a prominent figure in Irish history.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, as Irish families migrated to other parts of the world, the name Conniff began to appear in various records and historical documents. One notable individual was James Conniff (1788-1861), an Irish-born naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.

Another significant figure was John Conniff (1831-1904), an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the railroad industry. He was born in County Mayo, Ireland, and immigrated to the United States in the mid-19th century.

In the 20th century, the name Conniff gained further recognition with the rise of Ray Conniff (1916-2002), an American musician, arranger, and bandleader known for his distinctive "easy listening" style. His orchestra and recordings were immensely popular in the 1960s and 1970s.

Other notable individuals with the surname Conniff include John Conniff (1942-2009), an American journalist and author who worked for The Wall Street Journal, and Brendan Conniff (born 1969), an Irish actor and director best known for his roles in films like "Intermission" and "The Wind That Shakes the Barley."

Throughout its history, the surname Conniff has been associated with various place names and spellings, such as Conniffe, Conniffe, and Coniffe, reflecting the regional variations and adaptations of the name over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Conniff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Conniff 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. Carmarthenshire leads with 9 Conniffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.58x.

County Total Index
Carmarthenshire 9 46.58x
Staffordshire 9 5.82x
Glamorgan 8 10.02x
Middlesex 7 1.53x
Shropshire 7 17.68x
Warwickshire 2 1.73x
Yorkshire 2 0.44x
Cheshire 1 0.99x
Royal Navy 1 18.32x
Worcestershire 1 1.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Neath Upper in Glamorgan leads with 8 Conniffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3809.52x.

Place Total Index
Neath Upper 8 3809.52x
Cleobury Mortimer 7 2800.00x
Harborne 6 120.97x
Kidwelly 5 1282.05x
Llanelly 4 91.95x
St Marylebone London 4 16.35x
Rushall 3 329.67x
Aston 2 6.28x
Holy Trinity 2 18.30x
Birkenhead 1 12.39x
Mile End Old Town London 1 10.25x
Northfield 1 87.72x
Royal Navy 1 21.41x
Spitalfields London 1 28.99x
St Giles In Fields London 1 44.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 2
Margaret 2
Mary 2
Alice 1
Anney 1
Annie 1
Briget 1
Celia 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Ester 1
H. 1
Kate 1
Lizey 1
Maria 1
Presley 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 4
John 3
Edward 2
Stephen 2
Alexder 1
Alfred 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Joseph 1
Josh. 1
Mathew 1
Michael 1
Patrick 1
Robert 1
Thos.J. 1
W.H. 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Conniff households.

FAQ

Conniff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Conniff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 46 people were recorded with the Conniff surname. That placed it at #27,188 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Conniff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016. That gives Conniff a modern rank of #25,882.

What does the Conniff surname mean?

A variant of the surname Conniff meaning "victor" or "conquerer" from the Irish Gaelic word "connfhionn".

What does the Conniff map show?

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