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

Griffiths, 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 Griffiths surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Griffiths in America

Griffiths is the 2444th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Griffiths surname appeared 14,805 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Griffiths.

We can also compare 2010 data for Griffiths 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 Griffiths

The surname Griffiths is of Welsh origin, deriving from the personal name Gruffydd, a Welsh form of the name Griffith. This name is derived from the Welsh words "gryw" meaning "vigorous" and "fychan" meaning "young man." The surname is found primarily in Wales, especially in the counties of Glamorgan, Monmouthshire, and Carmarthenshire.

The name Gruffydd was borne by several Welsh rulers and princes, including Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, the King of Gwynedd and effective ruler of Wales from 1057 until his death in 1063. He was a prominent figure in the conflicts between the Welsh and the Norman invaders.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Griffiths dates back to 1292, when a John Griffith was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire. Other early records include a Walter Griffith listed in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1348 and a Robert Griffith mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.

The surname Griffiths has been subject to various spellings throughout history, including Griffith, Griffyth, Griffis, and Griffis. Many of these variations can be attributed to the translation of the Welsh name into English and regional pronunciation differences.

Notable individuals with the surname Griffiths include Sir Rhys ap Griffith (c. 1508-1580), a Welsh soldier and landholder who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1572. Another prominent figure was John Griffiths (1806-1885), a Welsh Congregationalist minister and writer who was instrumental in the establishment of the University of Wales.

Other notable Griffiths include:

1. Ralph Griffiths (1720-1803), an English publisher and founder of the Monthly Review.
2. Martha Wright Griffiths (1912-2003), an American lawyer and politician who championed the Equal Rights Amendment.
3. Andy Griffiths (born 1961), an Australian children's author best known for the "Just!" book series.
4. Gareth Griffiths (born 1955), a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
5. Trevor Griffiths (born 1935), an English playwright and screenwriter known for works such as "Comedians" and "Reds."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Griffiths

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

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

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

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