NameCensus.

UK surname

Gaff

A surname derived from the word "gaffe," meaning a clumsy social blunder or mistake.

In the 1881 census there were 285 people recorded with the Gaff surname, ranking it #10,070 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 306, ranked #14,543, down from #10,070 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Cawston, Horton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Restalrig (Loganlea) and Craigentinny West, Solihull and Guildford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gaff is 355 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7.4%.

1881 census count

285

Ranked #10,070

Modern count

306

2016, ranked #14,543

Peak year

1901

355 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gaff had 285 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,070 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 306 in 2016, ranked #14,543.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 355 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Gaff surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gaff surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gaff 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 262 #8,456
1861 historical 301 #8,412
1881 historical 285 #10,070
1891 historical 284 #11,542
1901 historical 355 #10,329
1911 historical 321 #10,902
1997 modern 334 #12,591
1998 modern 350 #12,537
1999 modern 339 #12,892
2000 modern 342 #12,771
2001 modern 336 #12,721
2002 modern 341 #12,864
2003 modern 323 #13,161
2004 modern 319 #13,342
2005 modern 315 #13,375
2006 modern 319 #13,318
2007 modern 326 #13,260
2008 modern 324 #13,437
2009 modern 337 #13,318
2010 modern 340 #13,498
2011 modern 337 #13,463
2012 modern 315 #14,031
2013 modern 319 #14,141
2014 modern 315 #14,334
2015 modern 305 #14,579
2016 modern 306 #14,543

Geography

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Where Gaffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Cawston, Horton, London parishes, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Restalrig (Loganlea) and Craigentinny West, Solihull, Guildford, Badenoch and Strathspey Central and Sunderland. 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 Cawston Norfolk
2 Horton Northumberland
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Restalrig (Loganlea) and Craigentinny West City of Edinburgh
2 Solihull 008 Solihull
3 Guildford 005 Guildford
4 Badenoch and Strathspey Central Highland
5 Sunderland 032 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gaff

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gaff

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Gaff is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gaff is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gaff 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 Gaff is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gaff

The surname GAFF is believed to have originated in England, with its roots tracing back to the medieval era around the 13th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "gaffe," meaning a metal hook or crook, which was likely an occupational name for someone who worked with such tools.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GAFF can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which list a William Gaffe residing in Oxfordshire. The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a John Gaff is mentioned.

In the 14th century, the surname GAFF was predominantly concentrated in the counties of Oxfordshire, Worcestershire, and Gloucestershire, with various spellings such as Gaff, Gafe, and Gafe appearing in historical records of the time.

During the late medieval period, the name GAFF gained prominence through notable figures like Sir John Gaff, a knight who fought alongside Edward III in the Battle of Crécy in 1346. Another prominent individual was Robert Gaff, a merchant and landowner from Bristol, who lived from approximately 1420 to 1487.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname GAFF. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Gaffeley in Staffordshire and Gaffelond in Oxfordshire.

Other notable individuals bearing the surname GAFF throughout history include:

1. William Gaff (c. 1550-1612), an English playwright and poet during the Elizabethan era. 2. Bartholomew Gaff (1667-1741), a renowned clockmaker from London, known for his intricate timepieces. 3. Eliza Gaff (1787-1854), a prominent social reformer and advocate for women's rights in the early 19th century. 4. Thomas Gaff (1819-1892), a renowned architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London. 5. Edith Gaff (1875-1957), a pioneering aviator and one of the first women to obtain a pilot's license in Britain.

While the surname GAFF has evolved over the centuries and spread beyond its English origins, its historical roots remain firmly grounded in the medieval occupational and geographical landscape of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gaff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gaff 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. Norfolk leads with 89 Gaffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.82x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 89 20.82x
Surrey 59 4.36x
Lanarkshire 25 2.78x
Midlothian 19 5.10x
Durham 16 1.93x
Middlesex 10 0.36x
Northumberland 10 2.42x
Ayrshire 7 3.36x
Lancashire 7 0.21x
Sussex 5 1.07x
Hampshire 4 0.70x
Kent 4 0.42x
Suffolk 4 1.18x
West Lothian 4 9.56x
Yorkshire 4 0.15x
Renfrewshire 3 1.39x
Stirlingshire 3 2.93x
Cheshire 2 0.33x
Dunbartonshire 2 2.68x
East Lothian 2 5.43x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.39x
Argyllshire 1 1.29x
Berkshire 1 0.48x
Devon 1 0.17x
Perthshire 1 0.80x
Somerset 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cawston in Norfolk leads with 37 Gaffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3523.81x.

Place Total Index
Cawston 37 3523.81x
Stoke 35 547.73x
Booton 10 5263.16x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 10 6.67x
Cowpen 8 84.03x
Edinburgh Greenside 8 162.60x
Barony 7 3.08x
Ardrossan 6 83.33x
Barford 6 2000.00x
Glasgow 6 3.76x
Govan 6 2.70x
New Monkland 6 22.57x
West Herrington 6 206.90x
Westoe 6 12.80x
Camberwell 5 2.82x
Guildford St Mary 5 299.40x
Hastings St Mary In The 5 50.00x
Little Bolton 5 11.79x
Shalford 5 333.33x
Calthorpe 4 2105.26x
Hardingham 4 800.00x
Ipswich St Clement 4 46.46x
Moulton St Michael 4 1176.47x
Newbottle 4 88.50x
Newington 4 3.90x
Portsea 4 3.58x
Brandiston 3 2142.86x
Eltham 3 53.96x
Moulton St Mary 3 1304.35x
Polmont 3 79.16x
Thurning 3 1764.71x
Tottenham 3 6.78x
Wicklewood 3 428.57x
Abercorn 2 240.96x
Bathgate 2 22.00x
Cumbernauld 2 48.90x
Edgefield 2 434.78x
Haddington 2 36.76x
Islington London 2 0.74x
Knutsford Nether 2 53.91x
Lakenham 2 32.95x
Layton With Warbreck 2 16.52x
Thuxton 2 2000.00x
West Greenock 2 5.17x
Westgate 2 7.81x
Windlesham 2 78.43x
Ardington 1 277.78x
Aylsham 1 39.37x
Batley 1 3.82x
Battersea 1 0.98x
Dunoon Kilmun 1 16.56x
Ealing 1 4.03x
East Wretham 1 625.00x
Edinburgh Tron Church 1 57.14x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 7.55x
Houston Killallan 1 48.08x
Kensington London 1 0.65x
Lambeth 1 0.41x
Logie 1 22.32x
Middlesbrough 1 2.79x
Newhills 1 18.98x
Reepham With Kerdiston 1 200.00x
Sall 1 555.56x
Sheffield 1 1.14x
Shipley 1 6.99x
St Ann St Agnes London 1 1000.00x
St Martin In Fields 1 6.01x
St Marylebone London 1 0.67x
Stewarton 1 24.27x
Thorpe Next Norwich 1 22.08x
Wilmington 1 75.76x
Woking 1 12.25x
Wood Dalling 1 217.39x
Yeovil 1 11.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 11
Mary 10
Elizabeth 7
Ann 6
Jane 6
Martha 6
Margaret 5
Hannah 4
Anna 3
Annie 3
Ellen 3
Frances 3
Kate 3
Sophia 3
Ada 2
Catherine 2
Eliza 2
Elizth. 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Harriet 2
Lydia 2
Maria 2
Susan 2
Adelaide 1
Adeliade 1
Angelina 1
Christianna 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizh. 1
Ellener 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Georgiana 1
Georgianna 1
Jessie 1
Joanna 1
Lisey 1
Matilda 1
Rachel 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 13
John 12
William 9
Thomas 8
Robert 7
George 6
Edward 4
Henry 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Andrew 2
Josiah 2
Laming 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Benj. 1
Boiste 1
Claude 1
David 1
Enoch 1
Esau 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Herbet 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Jonathan 1
Joseph 1
Louis 1
Percy 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Gaff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gaff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 285 people were recorded with the Gaff surname. That placed it at #10,070 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gaff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 306 in 2016. That gives Gaff a modern rank of #14,543.

What does the Gaff surname mean?

A surname derived from the word "gaffe," meaning a clumsy social blunder or mistake.

What does the Gaff map show?

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