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Stiff Family History

Stiff Name Meaning

English (Suffolk): nickname from Middle English stif ‘rigid inflexible; resolute steadfast’ (Old English stif) used either for someone who had difficulty in bending or for someone who was resolute or steadfast.

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


Similar surnames: Steff, Stief, Staff, Still, Stirk, Stoff, Stier, Skiff, Swift, Cliff

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 Stiff family from?

You can see how Stiff families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Stiff family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Stiff families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 12 Stiff families living in Virginia. This was about 29% of all the recorded Stiff's in USA. Virginia had the highest population of Stiff families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Stiff surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Stiff ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Stiff. 22% of Stiff men worked as a Laborer and 11% of Stiff women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Stiff were Truck Driver and Laborer. .

View Census Data for Stiff | 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
    22%
  • Farmer
    21%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Truck Driver
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    11%
  • Teacher
    10%
  • Maid
    10%
  • Laborer
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Stiff family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 34,000 census records available for the last name Stiff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Stiff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Stiff

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Stiff. 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 Stiff immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Stiff. For the veterans among your Stiff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Stiff military records

You've only scratched the surface of Stiff family history

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What is the average Stiff lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Stiff life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Stiff in 1952 was 59, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Stiff

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Stiff family tree

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