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

Griffiths Family History

Griffiths Name Meaning

Welsh (Glamorgan and western England): Anglicized form of the patronymic (ap) Gruffudd from Old Welsh Grippiud (see Griffith ).

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


Similar surnames: Griffith, Griffin, Griffitt, Griffeth, Griffis, Griff, Ruffins

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 Griffiths family from?

You can see how Griffiths families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Griffiths family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Griffiths families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 27 Griffiths families living in New York. This was about 51% of all the recorded Griffiths's in USA. New York had the highest population of Griffiths families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Griffiths surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Griffiths ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Griffiths. 12% of Griffiths men worked as a Laborer and 10% of Griffiths women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Griffiths were Clerk and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Griffiths | 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
    12%
  • Farmer
    8%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    10%
  • Teacher
    10%
  • Housewife
    9%
  • Stenographer
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Griffiths family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 768,000 census records available for the last name Griffiths. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Griffiths census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Griffiths

Passenger Lists

There are 170,000 immigration records available for the last name Griffiths. 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 Griffiths immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 57,000 military records available for the last name Griffiths. For the veterans among your Griffiths ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Griffiths military records

You've only scratched the surface of Griffiths family history

Discover More

What is the average Griffiths lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Griffiths life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Griffiths in 1942 was 25, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Griffiths

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Griffiths family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Griffiths last name

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