NameCensus.

UK surname

Jaffe

A Jewish surname derived from the Hebrew word yafeh, meaning "beautiful," referring to a person's pleasing appearance or character.

In the 1881 census there were 38 people recorded with the Jaffe surname, ranking it #28,285 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 256, ranked #16,534, up from #28,285 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Mary Whitechapel and Paddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Trafford, Harrow and Barnet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jaffe is 270 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 573.7%.

1881 census count

38

Ranked #28,285

Modern count

256

2016, ranked #16,534

Peak year

2010

270 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jaffe had 38 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,285 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 256 in 2016, ranked #16,534.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 176 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Jaffe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jaffe surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jaffe 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 4 #32,658
1861 historical 13 #32,208
1881 historical 38 #28,285
1891 historical 71 #27,934
1901 historical 102 #22,596
1911 historical 176 #16,185
1997 modern 256 #15,034
1998 modern 266 #15,053
1999 modern 256 #15,557
2000 modern 262 #15,272
2001 modern 255 #15,319
2002 modern 250 #15,819
2003 modern 251 #15,563
2004 modern 244 #15,948
2005 modern 242 #15,987
2006 modern 245 #15,956
2007 modern 251 #15,861
2008 modern 252 #15,984
2009 modern 257 #16,099
2010 modern 270 #15,896
2011 modern 255 #16,428
2012 modern 256 #16,253
2013 modern 270 #15,911
2014 modern 270 #16,020
2015 modern 257 #16,475
2016 modern 256 #16,534

Geography

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Where Jaffes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Mary Whitechapel, Paddington and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Trafford, Harrow, Barnet, Manchester and Salford. 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 London parishes London 1
2 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
3 Paddington London (West Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Trafford 027 Trafford
2 Harrow 001 Harrow
3 Barnet 028 Barnet
4 Manchester 043 Manchester
5 Salford 010 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jaffe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jaffe

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Jaffe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Jaffe 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Jaffe is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Jaffe 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

Jaffe falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Jaffe 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Jaffe

The surname JAFFE originated in Germany and traces its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is a variant of the Hebrew name Japheth, which means "enlargement" or "extension." The name was often adopted by Jewish families who settled in various parts of Germany during the medieval period.

One of the earliest known references to the name JAFFE can be found in the historical records of the city of Worms, Germany, dating back to the 13th century. The name appears in documents related to the Jewish community in Worms, which was one of the largest and most influential Jewish settlements in Europe during that time.

The name JAFFE has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitzchak, also known as the Rashi (1040-1105), a renowned French rabbi and biblical commentator who lived in Troyes, France. Although his surname was not officially recorded, some historians believe he may have been a member of the JAFFE family.

Another prominent figure with the surname JAFFE was Moses ben Maimon, also known as Maimonides (1135-1204), a preeminent medieval Sephardic Jewish philosopher and physician who lived in Spain and Egypt. While his surname was not officially recorded, some scholars suggest he may have been a member of the JAFFE family as well.

In the 19th century, the surname JAFFE gained prominence with the birth of Abraham Jaffe (1824-1898), a Russian-born Jewish banker and philanthropist who established several educational institutions in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Other notable individuals with the surname JAFFE include:

1. Otto Jaffe (1846-1929), a German-born American banker and philanthropist. 2. Max Jaffe (1866-1945), a German-born British businessman and philanthropist. 3. Louis I. Jaffe (1892-1950), an American law professor and expert in administrative law. 4. Max Jaffe (1894-1976), an American lawyer and judge. 5. Harry V. Jaffe (1898-1975), an American businessman and philanthropist.

Over time, the surname JAFFE has undergone various spelling variations, including Jaffe, Jafe, Jaffee, and Jaffa, reflecting the diverse regions where Jewish families with this name settled and the different languages and cultures they encountered.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jaffe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jaffe 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 30 Jaffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.10x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 30 8.10x
Fife 5 22.80x
Surrey 2 1.11x
Lancashire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitechapel London in Middlesex leads with 19 Jaffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 520.55x.

Place Total Index
Whitechapel London 19 520.55x
Paddington London 10 73.42x
Auchterderran 5 909.09x
Battersea 2 14.67x
Chelsea London 1 8.96x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 14.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 2
Adeline 1
Anne 1
Dorothen 1
Edith 1
Esther 1
Georgina 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Jenny 1
Kate 1
Rachael 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Abraham 1
Alfred 1
Charley 1
Daniel 1
Ephraim 1
Harris 1
Herman 1
Hyman 1
Jacob 1
Martin 1
Mase 1
Max 1
Meyer 1
Morris 1
Moses 1
Paul 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 Jaffe households.

FAQ

Jaffe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jaffe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 38 people were recorded with the Jaffe surname. That placed it at #28,285 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jaffe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 256 in 2016. That gives Jaffe a modern rank of #16,534.

What does the Jaffe surname mean?

A Jewish surname derived from the Hebrew word yafeh, meaning "beautiful," referring to a person's pleasing appearance or character.

What does the Jaffe map show?

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