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Origins of the Griffin surname

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What does the name Griffin mean?

The Griffin surname originates in England. It is thought to be a patronymic name, referring to those who are the son or descendant of a person named 'Griffin', an anglicised version of the Welsh name 'Griffith'. Some also believe it to come from a corruption of the Norman descriptive 'Ruffin', referring to someone who had a ruddy complexion.

Alternative variations of the name Griffin

Griffin, Griffyn, Grifin, Gryffin, Griffen

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Where do most Griffins live?

In 1921, most Griffins lived in London.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Griffins

How common is your surname?

257th most common surname in the UK

We have 144,000 records for the Griffin surname. The oldest one dates back to 1397.

Who were Griffins most likely to marry?

Smiths

&

Williamses

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Griffins.

What are the most common Griffin first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Griffin family members

Common jobs for Griffins

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Griffins in 1921
Dressmaker

582

Laundress

517

Domestic Servant

346

General Servant Domestic

298

Servant

256

Common Male occupations for Griffins in 1921
Agricultural Labourer

778

General Labourer

611

Farm Hands

570

Farm Labourer

420

Farmer

399

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Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

We found over 190,000 family trees with the Griffin surname

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