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Shiff Family History

Shiff Name Meaning

Jewish (Ashkenazic): from German Schiff Yiddish shif ‘ship’ (see Schiff ). Americanized form of German Schiff .

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


Similar surnames: Schiff, Sheff, Shaff, Shoff, Shuff, Shier, Riff, Schaff, Seif, Reiff

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Shiff family from?

You can see how Shiff families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shiff family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Shiff families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 2 Shiff families living in Massachusetts. This was about 29% of all the recorded Shiff's in USA. Massachusetts and 1 other state had the highest population of Shiff families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shiff surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Shiff ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Secretary were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Shiff. 18% of Shiff men worked as a Farmer and 22% of Shiff women worked as a Secretary. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shiff were Proprietor and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Shiff | 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

  • Farmer
    18%
  • Salesman
    18%
  • Manager
    10%
  • Proprietor
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Secretary
    22%
  • Bookkeeper
    16%
  • Bookeeper
    16%
  • Housewife
    16%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Shiff family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Shiff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shiff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Shiff

Passenger Lists

There are 888 immigration records available for the last name Shiff. 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 Shiff immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 353 military records available for the last name Shiff. For the veterans among your Shiff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shiff military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shiff family history

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What is the average Shiff lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Shiff life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1973, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Shiff in 1962 was 70, and 65 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shiff

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