NameCensus.

UK surname

Jolliff

A variant of the French surname Jolliffe, derived from the Old French jolif, meaning "merry" or "cheerful."

In the 1881 census there were 120 people recorded with the Jolliff surname, ranking it #17,756 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 163, ranked #22,407, down from #17,756 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Talland (incl. Looe Island) and Birstall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Cornwall and Portsmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jolliff is 178 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.8%.

1881 census count

120

Ranked #17,756

Modern count

163

2016, ranked #22,407

Peak year

1911

178 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jolliff had 120 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,756 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016, ranked #22,407.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 178 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Jolliff surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jolliff surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jolliff 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 140 #13,593
1861 historical 143 #15,906
1881 historical 120 #17,756
1891 historical 122 #21,053
1901 historical 141 #18,718
1911 historical 178 #16,073
1997 modern 159 #20,339
1998 modern 163 #20,582
1999 modern 161 #20,868
2000 modern 170 #20,120
2001 modern 165 #20,199
2002 modern 155 #21,431
2003 modern 151 #21,574
2004 modern 153 #21,528
2005 modern 143 #22,473
2006 modern 139 #23,044
2007 modern 134 #23,931
2008 modern 139 #23,635
2009 modern 150 #22,937
2010 modern 146 #23,921
2011 modern 143 #24,056
2012 modern 158 #22,460
2013 modern 161 #22,521
2014 modern 164 #22,445
2015 modern 165 #22,241
2016 modern 163 #22,407

Geography

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Where Jolliffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Talland (incl. Looe Island), Birstall, Melcombe Regis and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Cornwall and Portsmouth. 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 Talland (incl. Looe Island) Cornwall
3 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Melcombe Regis Dorset
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 005 Kirklees
2 Cornwall 037 Cornwall
3 Portsmouth 010 Portsmouth
4 Kirklees 004 Kirklees
5 Cornwall 015 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jolliff

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jolliff

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

Baseline UK

Group

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Jolliff surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Jolliff household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Jolliff 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

Jolliff 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

Jolliff falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Jolliff

The surname Jolliff is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a variant of the French name Jolif or Jolliffe, which is derived from the Old French word "jolif" meaning "pretty" or "handsome."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Jollif." This suggests that the name was already in use in England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

During the Middle Ages, the name Jolliff was concentrated primarily in the counties of Somerset, Dorset, and Wiltshire in southwestern England. It is believed that the name may have originated in these areas, possibly as a descriptive nickname for someone with a cheerful or attractive appearance.

In the 13th century, a record exists of a Richard Jolliff who was a landowner in the village of Cheddar, Somerset. Another early bearer of the name was John Jolliff, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Bridgwater in Somerset in 1327.

One notable figure with the surname Jolliff was Sir William Jolliff (1611-1671), a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Petersfield in Hampshire during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, a prominent member of the Jolliff family was John Jolliff (1706-1786), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Wiltshire. He was known for his philanthropic efforts and donated funds to establish a school in the town of Trowbridge.

Another significant individual was Sir William Jolliffe (1745-1802), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars. He rose to the rank of Vice Admiral and was knighted for his military service.

In the 19th century, Hylton Jolliffe (1807-1890) was a notable English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Stafford and wrote several theological works.

While the name Jolliff may have originated as a descriptive nickname, over time it became a well-established surname in certain regions of England, particularly in the southwestern counties. Despite its rarity, the name has persisted through the centuries, with various individuals bearing it making contributions in fields such as politics, business, the military, and the Church.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jolliff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jolliff 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. Cornwall leads with 41 Jolliffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.95x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 41 30.95x
Yorkshire 21 1.81x
Middlesex 19 1.62x
Gloucestershire 9 3.92x
Hampshire 8 3.34x
Lancashire 7 0.50x
Durham 6 1.72x
Lincolnshire 3 1.60x
Surrey 2 0.35x
Sussex 2 1.01x
Angus 1 0.92x
Dorset 1 1.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lansallos in Cornwall leads with 28 Jolliffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 9655.17x.

Place Total Index
Lansallos 28 9655.17x
Kensington London 14 21.52x
Cleckheaton 10 234.19x
Talland 8 2580.65x
Walton In Wakefield 7 2800.00x
West Derby 7 17.23x
Bishopwearmouth 6 20.07x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 27.76x
Liss 4 816.33x
St Columb Major 4 363.64x
Great Grimsby 3 25.25x
Sandal Magna 3 175.44x
Horfield 2 86.58x
Rogate 2 500.00x
Southampton St Mary 2 13.26x
St Pancras London 2 2.12x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 13.07x
Buriton 1 217.39x
Dundee 1 2.47x
Ecclesfield 1 11.76x
Edmonton 1 10.60x
Hammersmith London 1 3.47x
Lambeth 1 0.98x
Mitcham 1 27.78x
Paddington London 1 2.32x
Pentridge 1 1111.11x
St Allen 1 434.78x
St Thomas Winchester 1 59.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 5
Ann 3
Harriet 3
Annie 2
Catherine 2
Fanny 2
Jane 2
Martha 2
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Clarinda 1
Edwarde 1
Elizth. 1
Elizzy 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Georgina 1
Henrietta 1
Irene 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Letty 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 6
John 5
Thomas 5
William 5
Henry 4
Richard 4
George 3
Joseph 3
David 2
Frederick 2
Martin 2
Matthew 2
Ren 2
Robert 2
Arthur 1
Benjiman 1
Chas.H. 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Jim 1
Mathew 1
Maunder 1
Reginald 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Jolliff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jolliff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 120 people were recorded with the Jolliff surname. That placed it at #17,756 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jolliff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016. That gives Jolliff a modern rank of #22,407.

What does the Jolliff surname mean?

A variant of the French surname Jolliffe, derived from the Old French jolif, meaning "merry" or "cheerful."

What does the Jolliff map show?

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