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

Midkiff, 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 Midkiff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Midkiff in America

Midkiff is the 7366th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Midkiff surname appeared 4,523 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Midkiff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Midkiff 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 Midkiff

The surname Midkiff is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "midd" meaning "middle" and "cyff" meaning "ridge" or "hill." It is believed to have originated in the medieval period as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who lived on or near a middle ridge or hill.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Midkiff can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of England, including Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Warwickshire. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Midkiff, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire in 1327.

In the 14th century, variations of the name appeared in historical records, such as Middekeff and Midkyff, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common during that time period. The Midkiff surname was also associated with several place names, such as Midkiff Grange in Derbyshire, which was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the Midkiff surname include William Midkiff (1570-1635), a prominent landowner and merchant in Staffordshire, and Elizabeth Midkiff (1625-1682), a Puritan writer and poet from Warwickshire. In the 18th century, John Midkiff (1712-1781) was a respected farmer and community leader in Derbyshire, while his son, Thomas Midkiff (1745-1823), served as a captain in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War.

Another notable figure was Sir Robert Midkiff (1825-1901), a British politician and businessman who served as a Member of Parliament for Warwickshire and played a significant role in the industrial development of the region. In more recent times, William Midkiff (1915-2002) was a renowned historian and author who published several books on the history and genealogy of the Midkiff family.

While the Midkiff surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration to North America and other English-speaking countries. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in England, where it emerged as a descriptive surname denoting an individual's geographic location or proximity to a middle ridge or hill.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Midkiff

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

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

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

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