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

Stiff, 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 Stiff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Stiff in America

Stiff is the 11767th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Stiff surname appeared 2,662 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 Stiff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Stiff 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 Stiff

The surname "STIFF" is of English origin, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "stif," meaning "rigid" or "unbending." This name was likely initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a stiff or inflexible demeanor.

In the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, one of the earliest records of English surnames, there is an entry for a Richard le Stiff, residing in Oxfordshire. This is one of the earliest known instances of the name's use. Similarly, in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297, there is a mention of a Johannes Stiff.

During the medieval period, the surname Stiff was primarily concentrated in the counties of Yorkshire, Oxfordshire, and Gloucestershire, though it eventually spread to other parts of England. Variations in spelling were common, with forms such as Styffe, Stiffe, and Stieff appearing in historical records.

One notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Stiff, a 14th-century English knight and landowner from Gloucestershire. He was a prominent figure in the local community and served as a member of Parliament during the reign of Edward III.

Another individual of note was William Stiff, a 16th-century merchant from York who was involved in the wool trade. He was a wealthy and influential figure in the city and served as a member of the York Merchant Adventurers' Company.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in the parish records of St. Botolph's, Bishopsgate, London, with the baptism of a child named Margery Stiff in 1632. This suggests the name had spread to the capital city by that time.

During the English Civil War, a Captain John Stiff fought on the Parliamentarian side and was noted for his bravery in several battles. He later settled in Gloucestershire after the war's conclusion.

In the 18th century, a notable bearer of the name was Thomas Stiff, an English botanist and naturalist from Gloucestershire. He made significant contributions to the study of plants and wrote several treatises on the subject.

As the name spread throughout England, it also found its way to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the British colonies in North America and beyond. While not a particularly common surname, it has been borne by numerous individuals throughout history, with its origins firmly rooted in the English language and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Stiff

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

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

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

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