Find out how popular the last name Clifton is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Clifton.

Clifton, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Clifton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Clifton in America

Clifton is the 1439th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Clifton surname appeared 24,758 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Clifton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Clifton to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Clifton

The surname Clifton originates from England and dates back to the late 11th century after the Norman Conquest. It is a habitation name derived from any of the several places named Clifton, such as those found in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire. The name is derived from the Old English words "clif" meaning a cliff or steep slope, and "tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Clifton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cliftone". This important record compiled by William the Conqueror provides valuable insights into the distribution of land and population in England at the time.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records as "de Cliftone" and "de Clyfton", reflecting the Norman influence on English surnames. Some notable early bearers of the name include Walter de Clyfton, who was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272, and Richard de Clyfton, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire in 1327.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname Clifton became more widespread across England. One prominent figure from this period was Sir Gervase Clifton (c. 1330-1391), a knight and landowner from Nottinghamshire. Another notable individual was Sir William Clifton (c. 1480-1557), a Member of Parliament and High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire.

In the 16th century, the name Clifton appeared in various forms, including "Clyfton", "Clyffton", and "Clyfeton". One notable bearer was Sir Gervase Clifton (1516-1588), an English politician and landowner from Nottinghamshire. Another was George Clifton (c. 1558-1605), an English Jesuit priest and writer.

The 17th century saw the rise of several notable individuals with the surname Clifton. Sir William Clifton (1623-1670) was an English royalist and Member of Parliament from Nottinghamshire. Richard Clifton (1670-1749) was a prominent merchant and landowner in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the founders of the city.

In the 18th century, the name Clifton continued to be well-represented, with individuals such as William Clifton (1700-1788), an English painter and engraver, and John Clifton (1768-1837), an English poet and playwright.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Clifton

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Clifton.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Clifton was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Clifton has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Clifton was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Clifton, please contact us.

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