NameCensus.

UK surname

Kiffin

A surname derived from the Welsh word "cefyn," meaning ridge or back.

In the 1881 census there were 30 people recorded with the Kiffin surname, ranking it #29,363 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 103, ranked #30,515, down from #29,363 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bromley, Croydon and Lambeth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kiffin is 109 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 243.3%.

1881 census count

30

Ranked #29,363

Modern count

103

2016, ranked #30,515

Peak year

2011

109 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kiffin had 30 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,363 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016, ranked #30,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 39 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Kiffin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kiffin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kiffin 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 21 #29,550
1861 historical 25 #30,804
1881 historical 30 #29,363
1891 historical 23 #32,389
1901 historical 33 #30,384
1911 historical 39 #29,025
1997 modern 89 #28,490
1998 modern 93 #28,563
1999 modern 91 #28,937
2000 modern 96 #28,299
2001 modern 93 #28,382
2002 modern 96 #28,534
2003 modern 96 #28,381
2004 modern 95 #28,746
2005 modern 98 #28,325
2006 modern 97 #28,793
2007 modern 92 #29,929
2008 modern 93 #30,123
2009 modern 102 #29,286
2010 modern 106 #29,305
2011 modern 109 #28,653
2012 modern 106 #29,187
2013 modern 104 #30,076
2014 modern 103 #30,539
2015 modern 102 #30,624
2016 modern 103 #30,515

Geography

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Where Kiffins 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 Bromley, Croydon, Lambeth, Manchester and Liverpool. 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 Bromley 005 Bromley
2 Croydon 030 Croydon
3 Lambeth 016 Lambeth
4 Manchester 030 Manchester
5 Liverpool 026 Liverpool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kiffin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kiffin

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Kiffin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Kiffin 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Kiffin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kiffin 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

Kiffin 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 Kiffin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Kiffin

The surname KIFFIN is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "cyfing," which means "from the river bank" or "from the little creek."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KIFFIN surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a detailed survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared in various spellings, including Kyfin, Kyffin, and Kiffin.

In the 13th century, the KIFFIN surname was associated with the village of Kiffin near Oswestry in Shropshire, England. This village's name is believed to have been derived from the same Old English word that gave rise to the surname.

One of the earliest known individuals with the KIFFIN surname was William Kiffin (c. 1616-1701), a prominent English Baptist minister and merchant who played a significant role in the religious and political life of 17th-century England.

Another notable figure with the KIFFIN surname was William Kiffin Jr. (c. 1642-1723), the son of William Kiffin. He was also a Baptist minister and was involved in the establishment of several churches in London.

In the 18th century, a branch of the KIFFIN family emigrated to America, where they settled in Virginia. One member of this branch was John Kiffin (1777-1841), who served as a major in the Virginia militia during the War of 1812.

The KIFFIN surname also has connections to Wales, where it is believed to have been derived from the Welsh name Cyfin, meaning "boundary" or "border." One notable Welsh figure with the surname was Robert Kiffin (1613-1687), a Welsh-born Baptist minister who was active in London during the 17th century.

The KIFFIN surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Kiffin Green in Shropshire and Kiffin Hill in Oxfordshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kiffin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kiffin 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. Warwickshire leads with 16 Kiffins recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.69x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 16 21.69x
Lancashire 8 2.31x
Essex 3 5.20x
Merionethshire 3 56.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 16 Kiffins recorded in 1881 and an index of 65.09x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 16 65.09x
Liverpool 5 23.73x
Festiniog 3 265.49x
Walthamstow 3 144.23x
Huyton With Roby 1 243.90x
Kirkdale 1 17.12x
Toxteth Park 1 8.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 2
Margaret 2
Betsy 1
Catherine 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Jennie 1
Mary 1
Ruth 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Joseph 2
Owen 2
Thomas 2
William 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Ellias 1
Frederick 1
Infant 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 Kiffin households.

FAQ

Kiffin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kiffin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 30 people were recorded with the Kiffin surname. That placed it at #29,363 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kiffin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016. That gives Kiffin a modern rank of #30,515.

What does the Kiffin surname mean?

A surname derived from the Welsh word "cefyn," meaning ridge or back.

What does the Kiffin map show?

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