NameCensus.

UK surname

Joffe

An occupational surname indicating the bearer was a goldsmith or jeweler.

In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Joffe surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 119, ranked #27,704, up from #33,498 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swindon, Westminster and Camden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Joffe is 121 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 3866.7%.

1881 census count

3

Ranked #33,498

Modern count

119

2016, ranked #27,704

Peak year

2014

121 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Joffe had 3 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,498 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016, ranked #27,704.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 28 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Joffe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Joffe surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Joffe 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 1 #33,412
1861 historical 28 #30,405
1881 historical 3 #33,498
1891 historical 15 #32,956
1901 historical 14 #32,506
1911 historical 13 #32,172
1997 modern 76 #29,997
1998 modern 94 #28,435
1999 modern 95 #28,465
2000 modern 100 #27,695
2001 modern 98 #27,672
2002 modern 95 #28,666
2003 modern 113 #25,797
2004 modern 107 #26,899
2005 modern 101 #27,854
2006 modern 100 #28,283
2007 modern 104 #28,020
2008 modern 109 #27,533
2009 modern 108 #28,311
2010 modern 109 #28,831
2011 modern 111 #28,294
2012 modern 115 #27,717
2013 modern 119 #27,541
2014 modern 121 #27,503
2015 modern 118 #27,833
2016 modern 119 #27,704

Geography

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Where Joffes 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 Swindon, Westminster, Camden and Brighton and Hove. 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 Swindon 008 Swindon
2 Westminster 013 Westminster
3 Camden 016 Camden
4 Westminster 002 Westminster
5 Brighton and Hove 028 Brighton and Hove

Forenames

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First names often paired with Joffe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Joffe

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Joffe, 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 Joffe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Joffe 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Joffe 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

Joffe 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

Joffe 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 Joffe 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 Joffe, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Joffe

The surname JOFFE originated in Eastern Europe, particularly in Russia and Ukraine, during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Hebrew name "Yosef," which means "he will add" or "he will increase." The name JOFFE is a Russianized version of the Hebrew surname, reflecting the influence of Jewish communities in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the JOFFE surname can be found in the Revishin Book, a census of Jewish families conducted in the Russian Empire in the early 19th century. This document provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of Jewish surnames during that time period.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many Jewish families with the surname JOFFE emigrated from Eastern Europe to escape persecution and seek better opportunities elsewhere. This diaspora led to the spread of the JOFFE surname across various parts of the world, including the United States and Western Europe.

Several notable individuals with the JOFFE surname have made significant contributions throughout history. One such figure is Abram Fedorovich Joffe (1886-1927), a prominent Bolshevik revolutionary and Soviet politician who played a key role in the Russian Revolution and the establishment of the Soviet Union.

Another important figure is Adolf Abramovich Joffe (1883-1927), a Soviet diplomat and revolutionary who served as the first Soviet ambassador to Germany and was instrumental in negotiating the Treaty of Rapallo between Soviet Russia and Germany in 1922.

In the field of science, Louis Joffe (1914-2009) was a renowned British-born American physicist who made significant contributions to the development of nuclear weapons during the Manhattan Project. He later became a prominent advocate for nuclear disarmament and peace.

The JOFFE surname has also been associated with notable figures in the arts and literature. One example is Oleg Joffe (1905-1984), a Russian-American artist and illustrator who is best known for his work on children's books and magazine illustrations.

Additionally, the surname JOFFE has been linked to several place names in Eastern Europe, such as the town of Joffe in modern-day Belarus, which was once home to a significant Jewish population.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Joffe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Joffe 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 2 Joffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.84x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 2 6.84x
Lancashire 1 2.88x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chelsea London in Middlesex leads with 2 Joffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 227.27x.

Place Total Index
Chelsea London 2 227.27x
North Meols 1 294.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 1
Harriet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Percy 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 Joffe households.

Occupation Count
Dom Serv 2

FAQ

Joffe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Joffe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Joffe surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Joffe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016. That gives Joffe a modern rank of #27,704.

What does the Joffe surname mean?

An occupational surname indicating the bearer was a goldsmith or jeweler.

What does the Joffe map show?

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