NameCensus.

UK surname

Oliff

A variant of the Germanic surname Olev, meaning 'ancestor's descendant' or 'forefather's child'.

In the 1881 census there were 93 people recorded with the Oliff surname, ranking it #20,593 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 110, ranked #29,225, down from #20,593 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lambeth and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Daventry, Charnwood and Hinckley and Bosworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oliff is 144 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.3%.

1881 census count

93

Ranked #20,593

Modern count

110

2016, ranked #29,225

Peak year

2002

144 bearers

Map years

4

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oliff had 93 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,593 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016, ranked #29,225.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 107 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Oliff surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oliff surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Oliff 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 107 #16,402
1861 historical 34 #29,685
1881 historical 93 #20,593
1891 historical 62 #28,991
1901 historical 68 #26,598
1911 historical 74 #25,423
1997 modern 132 #22,821
1998 modern 138 #22,814
1999 modern 140 #22,789
2000 modern 141 #22,648
2001 modern 135 #22,945
2002 modern 144 #22,501
2003 modern 137 #22,939
2004 modern 141 #22,689
2005 modern 129 #23,963
2006 modern 129 #24,165
2007 modern 127 #24,748
2008 modern 124 #25,371
2009 modern 131 #25,056
2010 modern 129 #25,900
2011 modern 131 #25,430
2012 modern 120 #26,961
2013 modern 123 #26,974
2014 modern 121 #27,503
2015 modern 112 #28,809
2016 modern 110 #29,225

Geography

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Where Oliffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lambeth, St Marylebone, Finchley and Eltham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Daventry, Charnwood, Hinckley and Bosworth, Corby and Thurrock. 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 3
2 Lambeth London (South Districts)
3 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
4 Finchley Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 Eltham London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Daventry 009 Daventry
2 Charnwood 006 Charnwood
3 Hinckley and Bosworth 003 Hinckley and Bosworth
4 Corby 003 Corby
5 Thurrock 009 Thurrock

Forenames

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First names often paired with Oliff

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Oliff

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

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Oliff surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Oliff household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s 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

London Fringe

Within London, Oliff is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Oliff is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Oliff falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Oliff is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Oliff

The surname OLIFF has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon era of England. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "ōlāf," which meant "olive tree." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive name to someone who lived near or worked with olive trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the OLIFF surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Olaf." This ancient record provides valuable insight into the distribution of surnames in England during the 11th century.

As the name evolved over time, various spelling variations emerged, such as OLIFFE, OLYFFE, and OLYFF. These variations reflect the influence of regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling conventions in earlier periods.

In the 13th century, the OLIFF surname appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, which were administrative records of the county. This indicates that the name was well-established in that region during that time.

Notable historical figures bearing the OLIFF surname include:

1. Sir John Oliff (1547-1612), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Maldon, Essex, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

2. William Oliff (1683-1745), a prominent merchant and landowner in Colonial Virginia, whose estate, known as Oliff's Plantation, was located in what is now Fairfax County.

3. Mary Oliff (1756-1822), a British writer and poet who gained recognition for her collection of poems titled "Poetic Effusions" published in 1798.

4. Richard Oliff (1835-1917), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Savoy Theatre and the Royal School of Music.

5. Harriet Oliff (1870-1943), an American philanthropist and advocate for women's rights, who founded the Oliff Foundation to support educational initiatives for underprivileged children.

The OLIFF surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Oliff's Field in Warwickshire and Oliff's Green in Hertfordshire, further highlighting the geographical ties of this surname.

While the OLIFF name may have evolved and spread across different regions over the centuries, its Anglo-Saxon roots and connection to the olive tree remain an integral part of its historical significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Oliff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oliff 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. Kent leads with 21 Oliffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.93x.

County Total Index
Kent 21 6.93x
Middlesex 20 2.25x
Essex 19 10.84x
Surrey 7 1.62x
Hertfordshire 5 8.17x
Leicestershire 5 5.08x
Bedfordshire 4 8.70x
Lincolnshire 3 2.11x
Devon 2 1.08x
Yorkshire 2 0.23x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.86x
Cheshire 1 0.51x
Gloucestershire 1 0.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chatham in Kent leads with 9 Oliffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 108.04x.

Place Total Index
Chatham 9 108.04x
Cranham 7 5384.62x
Eltham 7 395.48x
Ingrave 7 4375.00x
Chelsea London 5 18.70x
Harby 5 2777.78x
Lambeth 5 6.46x
Hemel Hempstead 4 144.93x
Luton 4 50.25x
St Pancras London 4 5.60x
Bromley London 3 15.36x
Mile End Old Town London 3 15.88x
Aylesford 2 238.10x
Gillingham 2 32.05x
Gosberton 2 317.46x
Sidbury 2 500.00x
South Weald 2 133.33x
St Marylebone London 2 4.22x
Battersea 1 3.06x
Beaconsfield 1 200.00x
Chapel Allerton 1 75.76x
Deptford St Paul 1 4.28x
East Horndon 1 666.67x
Great Burstead 1 156.25x
Hammersmith London 1 4.57x
Hampstead London 1 7.24x
Islington London 1 1.16x
Little Burstead 1 1666.67x
Redbourn 1 149.25x
Sculcoates 1 7.17x
Skirbeck Quarter 1 384.62x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 5.60x
Thornbury 1 84.03x
Tranmere 1 13.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Annie 4
Ellen 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Caroline 2
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Emma 2
Maria 2
Blanche 1
Charlotte 1
Dorcas 1
Eleanor 1
Elizh.A. 1
Esther 1
Evaline 1
Florence 1
Foster 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Rhoda 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 6
William 5
George 3
Joseph 3
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
Edmund 2
Jonathon 2
Samuel 2
Thos. 2
Carthys 1
Charles 1
David 1
Edward 1
Frederick 1
Gerald 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
John 1
Jonathan 1
Leonard 1
Robert 1

FAQ

Oliff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oliff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 93 people were recorded with the Oliff surname. That placed it at #20,593 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oliff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016. That gives Oliff a modern rank of #29,225.

What does the Oliff surname mean?

A variant of the Germanic surname Olev, meaning 'ancestor's descendant' or 'forefather's child'.

What does the Oliff map show?

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