NameCensus.

UK surname

Giffin

A surname of Welsh origin meaning "fox" or "red-haired", derived from the Old English word "gyfin".

In the 1881 census there were 301 people recorded with the Giffin surname, ranking it #9,694 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 246, ranked #16,993, down from #9,694 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ongar, Chipping, London parishes and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Solihull, Christchurch and Tower Hamlets.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Giffin is 301 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.3%.

1881 census count

301

Ranked #9,694

Modern count

246

2016, ranked #16,993

Peak year

1881

301 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Giffin had 301 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,694 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 246 in 2016, ranked #16,993.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 301 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Giffin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Giffin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Giffin 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 213 #9,934
1861 historical 246 #10,010
1881 historical 301 #9,694
1891 historical 283 #11,573
1901 historical 285 #12,063
1911 historical 262 #12,501
1997 modern 294 #13,707
1998 modern 294 #14,060
1999 modern 292 #14,204
2000 modern 266 #15,096
2001 modern 255 #15,319
2002 modern 258 #15,485
2003 modern 246 #15,769
2004 modern 237 #16,283
2005 modern 235 #16,335
2006 modern 247 #15,860
2007 modern 240 #16,392
2008 modern 246 #16,247
2009 modern 260 #15,972
2010 modern 262 #16,252
2011 modern 270 #15,754
2012 modern 250 #16,523
2013 modern 258 #16,421
2014 modern 248 #16,991
2015 modern 245 #17,040
2016 modern 246 #16,993

Geography

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Where Giffins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ongar, Chipping, London parishes, St John Hackney, St Mary Islington and Sawbridgeworth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Solihull, Christchurch, Tower Hamlets, Bristol and East Hertfordshire. 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 Ongar, Chipping Essex
2 London parishes London 3
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 Sawbridgeworth Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Solihull 022 Solihull
2 Christchurch 005 Christchurch
3 Tower Hamlets 027 Tower Hamlets
4 Bristol 026 Bristol, City of
5 East Hertfordshire 004 East Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Giffin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Giffin

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Giffin 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

Giffin 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

Giffin falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Giffin

The surname Giffin is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be a variant of the Old English name "Giffrith," which was derived from the elements "gift" meaning "precious gift" and "rid" meaning "counsel."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Giffridus" and is listed among the landowners in Norfolk.

The name Giffin is also linked to various place names in England, such as Giffin Hill in Gloucestershire and Giffin Wood in Yorkshire. These place names likely originated from early settlers or landowners with the surname.

One notable individual with the surname Giffin was Sir Robert Giffin, a Scottish soldier and diplomat who lived during the 16th century (c. 1530-1592). He served under Mary, Queen of Scots, and later became an ambassador for King James VI of Scotland.

In the 17th century, Christopher Giffin (c. 1620-1690) was a prominent English sailor and navigator. He is best known for his voyages to the West Indies and his contributions to the development of navigation techniques.

Another individual of note was William Giffin (1732-1805), a British army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. He fought in several major battles, including the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Battle of Long Island.

In the 19th century, Robert Giffin (1825-1899) was an Irish-born Canadian politician and businessman. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and was involved in various business ventures in the lumber and mining industries.

Mary Giffin (1854-1936) was a Canadian artist and educator who was known for her landscape paintings and her work as an art teacher in Toronto. She played a significant role in promoting the arts in Canada during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Giffin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Giffin 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 80 Giffins recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.72x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 80 2.72x
Essex 30 5.18x
Hertfordshire 29 14.33x
Cambridgeshire 27 14.52x
Surrey 26 1.82x
Lancashire 18 0.52x
Lanarkshire 12 1.26x
Ayrshire 10 4.55x
Kent 10 1.00x
Hampshire 9 1.50x
Somerset 8 1.69x
Suffolk 8 2.24x
Gloucestershire 5 0.87x
Staffordshire 5 0.50x
Sussex 5 1.01x
Cornwall 4 1.20x
Wiltshire 4 1.54x
Angus 3 1.10x
Cumberland 3 1.19x
Yorkshire 2 0.07x
Cheshire 1 0.15x
Durham 1 0.11x
Worcestershire 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bassingbourn in Cambridgeshire leads with 25 Giffins recorded in 1881 and an index of 915.75x.

Place Total Index
Bassingbourn 25 915.75x
Islington London 19 6.68x
West Ham 13 10.16x
Mile End Old Town London 11 17.60x
Sawbridgeworth 11 359.48x
Hackney London 10 6.08x
Kirkdale 9 15.36x
Westminster St Margaret 9 63.56x
Barony 8 3.33x
Bedhampton 8 1126.76x
Chipping Ongar 8 800.00x
Gorleston 8 88.01x
Shepton Mallet 8 150.94x
St Marylebone London 8 5.10x
Bramley 7 555.56x
Broxbourne 6 149.63x
Shoreditch London 6 4.71x
Bermondsey 5 5.72x
Deptford St Paul 5 6.47x
Little Hallingbury 5 847.46x
Stoke Newington London 5 21.86x
Wolstanton Knutton 5 82.64x
Burcombe 4 1290.32x
Manchester 4 2.55x
Newington 4 3.69x
Newton On Ayr 4 60.79x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 6.77x
Ware 4 68.97x
Budock 3 120.00x
Caldewgate 3 21.66x
Cheshunt 3 42.43x
Govan 3 1.28x
Great Hadham 3 229.01x
Liff Benvie 3 7.27x
St Pancras London 3 1.27x
West Hoathly 3 193.55x
Auckinleck 2 29.41x
Broadwater 2 17.62x
Greenwich 2 4.28x
Headcorn 2 133.33x
Leyton Low 2 16.98x
Limehouse London 2 6.21x
Liverpool 2 0.95x
Minchinhampton 2 43.57x
Pennington In Leigh 2 29.94x
Rodborough 2 71.94x
St Paul Covent Garden 2 68.03x
Avening 1 49.26x
Bishop Stortford 1 14.79x
Camberwell 1 0.53x
Clapham 1 2.72x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 1 12.33x
Falmouth 1 8.50x
Guildford Holy Trinity 1 36.63x
Guiseley 1 26.81x
Hatherton 1 312.50x
Irvine 1 16.39x
Kensington London 1 0.61x
Kidderminster Borough 1 4.46x
Lambeth 1 0.39x
Largs 1 19.31x
Leeds 1 0.61x
Leyton 1 10.02x
Margate St John Baptist 1 5.45x
Maybole 1 14.95x
Poplar London 1 1.80x
South Shields 1 12.85x
Southwark St Saviour 1 6.63x
St Benedict Cambridge 1 95.24x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.93x
St George In East London 1 3.62x
St Mary Woolnoth London 1 714.29x
St Quivox 1 13.46x
Streatham 1 4.59x
Symington 1 217.39x
Thorley 1 238.10x
Toxteth Park 1 0.85x
West Meon 1 125.00x
Woodford 1 15.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 13
Mary 13
Sarah 7
Annie 6
Jane 6
Martha 5
Alice 4
Catherine 4
Emma 4
Florence 4
Harriet 4
Louisa 4
Agnes 3
Eliza 3
Elizth. 3
Jessie 3
Margaret 3
Ada 2
Agness 2
Ann 2
Christina 2
Clara 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Florance 2
Janet 2
Amy 1
Anabelle 1
Anne 1
Bridget 1
C.E. 1
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Elva 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Evelyn 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Josephine 1
Julia 1
Katharine 1
Laura 1
Linnett 1
Lucretia 1
Luisa 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 17
John 15
James 13
George 10
Samuel 6
Henry 5
Joseph 5
Thomas 5
Alfred 4
Ernest 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
A. 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Spencer 2
Walter 2
Benjamin 1
Cornelius 1
Daniel 1
Ebenezer 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Fred.Wm. 1
Frederick 1
Graham 1
H. 1
Harry 1
I. 1
Laurence 1
Leopold 1
Michael 1
Nathaniel 1
Nicholas 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Romril 1
Shrusbury 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Willm. 1
Zacharieh 1
Zechariah 1

FAQ

Giffin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Giffin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 301 people were recorded with the Giffin surname. That placed it at #9,694 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Giffin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 246 in 2016. That gives Giffin a modern rank of #16,993.

What does the Giffin surname mean?

A surname of Welsh origin meaning "fox" or "red-haired", derived from the Old English word "gyfin".

What does the Giffin map show?

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