NameCensus.

UK surname

Tiffin

An English surname derived from the Old French term for a small meal or light repast.

In the 1881 census there were 530 people recorded with the Tiffin surname, ranking it #6,481 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 736, ranked #7,409, down from #6,481 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Carlisle St Cuthbert, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Northumberland and Carlisle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tiffin is 781 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.9%.

1881 census count

530

Ranked #6,481

Modern count

736

2016, ranked #7,409

Peak year

2002

781 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tiffin had 530 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,481 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 736 in 2016, ranked #7,409.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 753 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tiffin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tiffin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tiffin 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 445 #5,532
1861 historical 336 #7,589
1881 historical 530 #6,481
1891 historical 585 #6,531
1901 historical 646 #6,673
1911 historical 753 #5,722
1997 modern 744 #6,926
1998 modern 770 #6,968
1999 modern 748 #7,161
2000 modern 740 #7,183
2001 modern 739 #7,063
2002 modern 781 #6,910
2003 modern 737 #7,103
2004 modern 738 #7,108
2005 modern 722 #7,151
2006 modern 714 #7,249
2007 modern 705 #7,381
2008 modern 724 #7,295
2009 modern 729 #7,401
2010 modern 738 #7,464
2011 modern 746 #7,340
2012 modern 750 #7,226
2013 modern 749 #7,353
2014 modern 760 #7,295
2015 modern 741 #7,377
2016 modern 736 #7,409

Geography

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Where Tiffins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Carlisle St Cuthbert, London parishes, Gateshead, Lambeth and Wetheral. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Northumberland, Carlisle, Cornwall and South Tyneside. 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 Carlisle St Cuthbert Cumberland
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Wetheral Cumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 003 Allerdale
2 Northumberland 035 Northumberland
3 Carlisle 011 Carlisle
4 Cornwall 073 Cornwall
5 South Tyneside 016 South Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tiffin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tiffin

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Tiffin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Tiffin 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Tiffin is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tiffin is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tiffin falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tiffin

The surname Tiffin is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "tiffin," meaning a mid-day repast or light meal. This term was likely introduced to England during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century. The name was originally an occupational surname given to those who prepared or served such meals, perhaps to travelers or workers.

The earliest known record of the surname Tiffin dates back to the 13th century in the county of Lincolnshire, England. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a mention of a Richard Tiffin residing in that region. Over time, the name spread to other parts of the country, with variations in spelling such as Tiffyn, Tiffyne, and Tiffyne.

One notable historical figure bearing this surname was Sir Robert Tiffin (1495-1568), who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1557-1558. He played a role in the turbulent religious and political events of the English Reformation during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Mary I.

In the 17th century, Edward Tiffin (1619-1674) was a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as the Recorder of Oxford. His son, Walter Tiffin (1655-1718), followed in his footsteps and became a respected barrister and Member of Parliament for the borough of Southwark.

The Tiffin surname also has connections to the American colonies. William Tiffin (1695-1759) was an early settler in Virginia, arriving in the 1720s. His grandson, Edward Tiffin (1766-1829), was a prominent figure in the early history of Ohio, serving as the first governor of the state from 1803 to 1807.

Another notable individual with the Tiffin surname was Sir Henry Tiffin (1819-1905), a British civil engineer and surveyor who made significant contributions to the development of infrastructure in India during the 19th century. He was knighted for his services to the British Empire.

While the surname Tiffin is not among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and continues to be carried by individuals in various parts of the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tiffin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tiffin 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. Cumberland leads with 140 Tiffins recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.33x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 140 31.33x
Middlesex 70 1.35x
Essex 60 5.86x
Northumberland 54 6.99x
Lancashire 43 0.70x
Surrey 43 1.70x
Durham 36 2.33x
Westmorland 17 14.91x
Kent 15 0.85x
Yorkshire 15 0.29x
Norfolk 12 1.50x
Glamorgan 7 0.77x
Renfrewshire 4 0.99x
Hertfordshire 3 0.84x
Staffordshire 3 0.17x
Sussex 3 0.34x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.30x
Channel Islands 1 0.65x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Hampshire 1 0.09x
Lanarkshire 1 0.06x
Northamptonshire 1 0.20x
Somerset 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wetheral in Cumberland leads with 34 Tiffins recorded in 1881 and an index of 574.32x.

Place Total Index
Wetheral 34 574.32x
Aspatria 18 418.60x
West Ham 18 7.96x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 15 22.43x
Camberwell 13 3.92x
Crosscanonby 12 81.19x
Halstead 11 92.05x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 11 23.85x
Blennerhasset Kirkland 10 1149.43x
Mickley 10 409.84x
Mile End Old Town 10 12.21x
Spitalfields London 10 25.62x
St Cuthbert W O 10 45.91x
Toxteth Park 10 4.80x
West Derby 10 5.55x
Bermondsey 9 5.83x
Bishopwearmouth 9 6.79x
Hackney London 9 3.09x
Liverpool 9 2.41x
Ormside 9 2368.42x
South Dissington 9 8181.82x
Stow Bardolph 9 379.75x
Bolam Harnham Bradford 8 1860.47x
Hammersmith London 8 6.26x
Lambeth 8 1.77x
Latchingdon Snoreham 8 816.33x
Heworth 7 23.01x
Wavertree 7 35.52x
Westgate 7 14.64x
Layer Breton 6 1153.85x
Lewisham 6 6.35x
South Weald 6 68.42x
Ystradyfodwg 6 7.57x
Rotherhithe 5 7.80x
Sebergham 5 505.05x
Sowerby Castle 5 1351.35x
St Pancras London 5 1.20x
Dearham 4 67.91x
Dodworth 4 74.91x
Garston 4 22.01x
Kirkoswald 4 380.95x
Margate St John Baptist 4 12.34x
St Clement Danes 4 47.62x
West Greenock 4 5.54x
Abbots Langley 3 56.50x
Aikton 3 212.77x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 3 16.06x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.33x
Bromley London 3 2.63x
Cockermouth 3 31.88x
Darlington 3 5.03x
Eaglesfield 3 666.67x
Eastbourne 3 7.45x
Hesketh Cum Becconsall 3 194.81x
Islington London 3 0.60x
Kirkby Thore 3 326.09x
Manningham 3 4.74x
Newcastle On Tyne St 3 7.50x
Newington 3 1.56x
Stafford St Mary 3 12.10x
Stanwix 3 82.87x
Tottenham 3 3.63x
West Mersea 3 153.06x
Wimbledon 3 10.57x
Brigham 2 94.79x
Crosby Ravensworth 2 143.88x
Dilston 2 555.56x
Hesket In Forest 2 57.31x
High Barton 2 303.03x
Kirkbampton 2 266.67x
Longwood 2 24.13x
Peldon 2 246.91x
Shoreditch London 2 0.89x
Southwark St Saviour 2 7.50x
St George Bloomsbury 2 6.72x
Stainton 2 133.33x
Terrington St John 2 166.67x
Wakefield 2 5.07x
Westward 2 106.95x
Wigton 2 29.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 38
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 20
Jane 14
Margaret 12
Hannah 9
Isabella 8
Emma 7
Florence 7
Alice 6
Ann 6
Annie 6
Emily 6
Charlotte 5
Susan 5
Edith 4
Eliza 4
Ellen 4
Ruth 4
Ada 3
Dinah 3
Esther 3
Fanny 3
Harriet 3
A. 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Eleanor 2
Frances 2
Jannet 2
Jessie 2
Lucy 2
Margt. 2
Maud 2
Minnie 2
Sophia 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Barbara 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Blanche 1
Deborah 1
Dorothy 1
Elizebeth 1
Ida 1
Isabela 1
Jenny 1
Jonnah 1
Wilhamina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 43
William 30
Joseph 21
George 18
Thomas 15
Charles 12
James 12
Robert 12
Arthur 8
Henry 7
Walter 5
Edward 4
Harry 4
Herbert 4
Alfred 3
Philip 3
Thos. 3
Tom 3
Wm. 3
Frank 2
Jonathan 2
Percy 2
Richard 2
C. 1
Catherine 1
Chas. 1
Chris. 1
Christopher 1
Clifford 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Fred. 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Herbt.L. 1
Hetherington 1
J. 1
Josiah 1
Lewis 1
Marcus 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Michel 1
Miller 1
Percival 1
Pourtas 1
Richrd 1
Wm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Tiffin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tiffin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 530 people were recorded with the Tiffin surname. That placed it at #6,481 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tiffin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 736 in 2016. That gives Tiffin a modern rank of #7,409.

What does the Tiffin surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old French term for a small meal or light repast.

What does the Tiffin map show?

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