UK surname

Yaffe

A surname of Hebrew origin meaning "beautiful" or "handsome".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bury, Salford and Blairdardie East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Yaffe is 117 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

Modern count

100

2016, ranked #31,123

Peak year

2010

117 bearers

Map years

2016 to 2016

Key insights

• The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016, ranked #31,123.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 88 in 1911.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Map

Yaffe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Yaffe surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Yaffe 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	2	#33,133
1861	historical	7	#33,053
1891	historical	13	#33,099
1901	historical	27	#31,057
1911	historical	88	#24,041
1997	modern	99	#27,039
1998	modern	98	#27,923
1999	modern	102	#27,468
2000	modern	102	#27,425
2001	modern	102	#27,093
2002	modern	98	#28,243
2003	modern	109	#26,361
2004	modern	102	#27,637
2005	modern	95	#28,817
2006	modern	93	#29,411
2007	modern	98	#29,019
2008	modern	101	#28,825
2009	modern	103	#29,127
2010	modern	117	#27,557
2011	modern	115	#27,634
2012	modern	112	#28,174
2013	modern	110	#29,028
2014	modern	110	#29,294
2015	modern	107	#29,708
2016	modern	100	#31,123

Geography

Where Yaffes 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 Bury, Salford and Blairdardie East. 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	Bury 019	Bury
2	Salford 010	Salford
3	Bury 026	Bury
4	Bury 018	Bury
5	Blairdardie East	Glasgow City

Forenames

First names often paired with Yaffe

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Helen Yvette Nichole Julia Emma Cheryl Rachel Samantha Charmaine Amanda

Recent male names

Marc Stephen Adam Alan Michael Simon Mark David Nigel Frank

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Yaffe

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Yaffe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Yaffe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Yaffe 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

Yaffe is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Yaffe falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Yaffe 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.

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: White - British

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Yaffe

The surname Yaffe originated from the Jewish communities residing in Eastern Europe. The name is believed to have originated around the 15th or 16th century. Yaffe derives from the Hebrew word "yafe," meaning "beautiful" or "handsome." This surname was likely a descriptive name given to families or individuals known for their physical appearance or charm.

Historically, the surname Yaffe has been documented in various Jewish communities across Lithuania, Poland, and Russia. One of the earliest records of the name can be traced back to Jewish community records and synagogue registries from the late medieval period. Similar spellings such as Jaffe, Joffe, and Yoffe can also be found, reflecting the transliteration of Hebrew into different alphabets and phonetics of Eastern European languages.

One notable historical figure bearing this surname is Rabbi Mordecai Yaffe (1530-1612), best known for his extensive and influential Halakhic (Jewish legal) writings, including the Levushim. Rabbi Yaffe was a significant spiritual leader and scholar in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. His work greatly influenced Jewish law and practice in Europe.

Another prominent individual is Bernard Yaffe, an English scientist born in 1918, who made significant contributions to the field of nuclear physics. He worked extensively in academic circles during the mid-20th century and was instrumental in advancing the understanding of nuclear energy and its applications.

Miriam Yaffe, an educator and author born in 1899, is another notable person. She was known for her contributions to Jewish education in Eastern Europe and later in the United States, where she relocated during the early 20th century. Her works aimed at preserving Jewish heritage and culture through education.

Samuel Yaffe, an early 20th-century industrialist from Russia, is recognized for his involvement in the textile industry. Born in 1875, he successfully established several manufacturing ventures in both Russia and later in the United States, contributing significantly to the industrial growth during that period.

Finally, Boris Yaffe, a Russian-born writer and journalist, made significant contributions to literature and public discourse in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in 1860, he is known for his critical essays and works that illustrated the struggles and cultural dynamics of Jewish communities in Eastern Europe.

These historical references reveal the diverse contributions of individuals with the surname Yaffe across various fields, reflecting the legacy and impact of this notable surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Yaffe surname: questions and answers

How common is the Yaffe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016. That gives Yaffe a modern rank of #31,123.

What does the Yaffe surname mean?