History of your Surname
Get access to Giff family records.Start a free trial

Giff Family History

Giff Name Meaning

variant of Jeff now found chiefly in Ireland.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


Similar surnames: Griff, Goff, Gift, Gaff, Riff, Siff, Kiff, Liff, Ziff, Gill

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Giff family from?

You can see how Giff families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Giff family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Giff families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 2 Giff families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 67% of all the recorded Giff's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Giff families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Giff surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Giff ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Nurse were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Giff. 37% of Giff men worked as a Laborer and 43% of Giff women worked as a Nurse. Some less common occupations for Americans named Giff were Painter and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Giff | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    37%
  • Farmer
    32%
  • Salesman
    14%
  • Painter
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Nurse
    43%
  • Senior Typist
    29%
  • Housekeeper
    29%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Giff family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Giff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Giff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Giff

Passenger Lists

There are 409 immigration records available for the last name Giff. 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 Giff immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 443 military records available for the last name Giff. For the veterans among your Giff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Giff military records

You've only scratched the surface of Giff family history

Discover More

What is the average Giff lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Giff life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1969, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Giff in 1964 was 57, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Giff

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Giff family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Giff last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial