Vandegriffe last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Vandegriffe

A Dutch surname referring to a person from a location containing griffs (trenches or ditches).

Vandegriffe, 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 Vandegriffe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vandegriffe in America

Vandegriffe is the 158432nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vandegriffe surname appeared 102 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Vandegriffe.

The history of the last name Vandegriffe

The surname VANDEGRIFFE has its origins in the French language and can be traced back to the region of Normandy in northern France during the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old French words "van de griffe," which translate to "from the claw" or "from the grip." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone with a strong or powerful grasp, perhaps a skilled warrior or artisan.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name VANDEGRIFFE can be found in a medieval French manuscript dating back to the 13th century, where a nobleman named Guilleaume VANDEGRIFFE is mentioned as a participant in a tournament held in Rouen. This indicates that the name was already established among the nobility of the region during that time period.

In the 14th century, there are records of a family bearing the name VANDEGRIFFE residing in the village of Caudebec-lès-Elbeuf, near the city of Rouen. This family is believed to have been involved in the local textile industry, which was a significant economic activity in the region at the time.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name VANDEGRIFFE appears to have spread across various parts of France, as well as to neighboring countries such as Belgium and the Netherlands. One notable individual from this era was Jean VANDEGRIFFE, a French poet and playwright who lived from 1562 to 1628. His works, though not widely known today, were celebrated in literary circles during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, a French military officer named Philippe VANDEGRIFFE (1724-1793) gained recognition for his service during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. He was awarded several honors for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.

Another prominent figure with the surname VANDEGRIFFE was Marie-Antoinette VANDEGRIFFE (1789-1857), a renowned French botanist and horticulturist. She is credited with introducing several new plant species to Europe and contributed significantly to the field of botany through her extensive research and writings.

As the name VANDEGRIFFE spread throughout Europe, it also found its way to other parts of the world through migration and exploration. For instance, there are records of a Dutch settler named Hendrick VANDEGRIFFE (1612-1680) establishing a farm in what is now New York state in the mid-17th century.

While the surname VANDEGRIFFE may not be among the most common today, it has a rich historical background rooted in the regions of northern France and the Low Countries. Its unique origin and meaning reflect the diverse cultural influences that have shaped the development of surnames over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vandegriffe

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

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 Vandegriffe was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only96.08%98
Non-Hispanic Black Only0.00%0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only0.00%0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races(S)%(S)
Hispanic Origin(S)%(S)

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.

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.

Search
Search
Background shape