Origins of the Griffiths surname

What does the name Griffiths mean?

The Griffiths surname is Welsh in origin, and is thought to come from the Old Welsh 'Griphiud'. As with many names in Wales, Griffiths is patronymic and became established in the 1500s as surnames became widespread in the country. The surname Griffiths would have been given to those who were the son or descendant of Griffith/Gruffyd.

Alternative variations of the name Griffiths

Griffiths, Griffith, Gryffiths, Gryffith, Greffiths

Start free trial
“
I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1500s! I can’t believe it! Utterly engrossing and I have uncovered some quite moving and heartbreaking stories attached to various ancestors. You don’t need any qualifications to start - just time patience, and some information.
SS
Stuart
Trustpilot logoTrustpilot 5 stars
1 of 3

Start your family tree

Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Griffithses.

Sign up to get started

Delve deeper into the Griffiths family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 893North West 3409Isle of Man 31Yorkshire 1681East Midlands 430West Midlands 4670East 971London 8134South East 1754South West 15091South Wales 3319Mid Wales 4012West Wales 286North Wales 3248Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Griffithses lived in south-west

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

46,000 Griffiths Travel & migration records
510,000 Griffithses found in all Census records

Interesting facts about Griffiths

How common is your surname?

74th most common surname in the UK

We have for the Griffiths surname. The oldest one dates back to 1318.

Who were Griffithses most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Griffithses.

What are the most common Griffiths first names?

John

William

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Griffiths family members
Man with milk churns and census card collage
Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Griffithses

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

Common female occupations for Griffithses in 1921

Dressmaker

2,518

General Servant Domestic

1,587

Domestic Servant

1,436

House Servant

1,247

General Servant

1,214

Common male occupations for Griffithses in 1921

Coal Miner

4,177

Farmer

2,541

Coal Miner Hewer

2,130

General Labourer

1,691

Agricultural Labourer

1,313

We found over 350,000 family trees with the Griffiths surname

Trace your family back in time and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Griffithses.

Search for a relative in our family trees

Learn more about the lives of Griffiths family members

How rare is your surname?

Have you ever wondered if your family na...

The rise and fall of these disappearing British surnames

Could your surname be on the brink of di...

English surnames explained: The seven types of last names you should know

Ever wondered where our last names come...

How to find the maiden names of women in your family tree

Try these simple tricks to pinpoint your...

4 simple steps to starting your family history journey

Starting your family history journey is...

Share your discoveries

Share to WhatsApp

Share to Facebook

Look for a different surname

Paper tear line

Find out more about your family in our records

    or try an advanced search