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

Cluff, 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 Cluff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cluff in America

Cluff is the 9274th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cluff surname appeared 3,510 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Cluff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cluff 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 Cluff

The surname Cluff originated in England, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "clif" or "clif-hus," which means a cliff or a house on a cliff. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near or on a cliff.

According to historical records, the Cluff surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in northern England. Some of the earliest known bearers of the name include Robert de Cluffe, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297, and William Cluffe, listed in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1273.

The Cluff name has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Cliffe, a village in North Yorkshire, and Cliffe Hill, a location near Selby in Yorkshire. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and the Old English word for cliff or elevated land.

One notable historical figure with the Cluff surname was Sir William Cluff, a 16th-century English merchant and explorer. He was born around 1550 and is known for his attempts to establish trade routes with Russia and the Arctic regions. Another prominent individual was John Cluff, born in 1633, who served as a judge and Member of Parliament for the borough of Southwark in the late 17th century.

In the 18th century, George Cluff, born in 1744, was a renowned English physician and author who published several works on medical topics. Samuel Cluff, born in 1779, was a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the prestigious Naval General Service Medal.

Moving into the 19th century, Thomas Cluff, born in 1825, was a prominent Mormon leader and missionary who helped establish settlements in Utah and Idaho. He played a significant role in the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Cluff surname has maintained a presence throughout various regions of England and has also been carried by individuals who have made notable contributions in various fields, including exploration, politics, medicine, and religion.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cluff

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

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 Cluff 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 Cluff 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 Cluff was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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