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Clifford Family History

Clifford Name Meaning

English and Irish: habitational name from any of various places called Clifford in Devon Gloucestershire and Yorkshire and in particular Herefordshire. The placename is derived from Old English clif ‘slope’ + ford ‘ford’. Irish: adoption of the name in 1 above as Anglicization of several Irish names especially Ó Clúmháin ‘descendant of Clúmhán’ which was the surname of an ecclesiastical family in Sligo and can be traced back to the 12th century. The personal name meant ‘little hairy one’ a diminutive of Irish clúmach<i/> ‘hairy’ from clúmh ‘feathers plumage down; hair or fur’. Clifford was also adopted for Coleman and in Fermanagh for Crifferty Clifferty and Cliffordy which are Anglicized forms of Mac Raibheartaigh (compare Rafferty ).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

Similar surnames: Alford, Lipford, Stafford, Crawford, Milford, Linford, Gifford

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Where is the Clifford family from?

You can see how Clifford families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Clifford family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Clifford families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 65 Clifford families living in New Hampshire. This was about 19% of all the recorded Clifford's in USA. New Hampshire had the highest population of Clifford families in 1840.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Clifford surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

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What did your Clifford ancestors do for a living?

View Census Data for Clifford | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations In 1940

Laborer
13%
Salesman
7%
Farmer
7%
Clerk
5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

Teacher
8%
Stenographer
7%
Housewife
7%
Clerk
6%

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What Clifford family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 292,000 census records available for the last name Clifford. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Clifford census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search US census records for Clifford
Passenger Lists
There are 45,000 immigration records available for the last name Clifford. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.
View all Clifford immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 41,000 military records available for the last name Clifford. For the veterans among your Clifford ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Clifford military records

Census Records

There are 292,000 census records available for the last name Clifford. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Clifford census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Clifford

Passenger Lists

There are 45,000 immigration records available for the last name Clifford. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Clifford immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 41,000 military records available for the last name Clifford. For the veterans among your Clifford ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Clifford military records

You've only scratched the surface of Clifford family history

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What is the average Clifford lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Clifford life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Clifford in 1940 was 43, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Clifford

Browse profiles of historical people with the Clifford last name