The Gifford surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 19,514 people carried this name — #1,834 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 15,100 people counted. That is up 2% from 19,171 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Gifford surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Giffard’.

An early record he cites: Johanna Juffard, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

His entry covers Giffard and Gifford.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 316 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Gifford was found among the farmers of 4 counties.

It was most frequent in Cambridgeshire: 24 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 417. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Cambridgeshire 24
Somerset 22
Dorset 15
Huntingdonshire 14

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

145 families named Gifford, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 928 people lived in those households, 6.4 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 2 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 76
New York 35
Rhode Island 13
Connecticut 8
Vermont 5
Pennsylvania 4
North Carolina 2
Maryland 1
Virginia 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 241 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Gifford in American newspapers,
1900–1925.

Newspaper page from Decorah Public Opinion carrying the name Gifford
Decorah Public Opinion 1905-02-08
Newspaper page from El Paso Daily Herald carrying the name Gifford
El Paso Daily Herald 1900-09-08
Newspaper page from The Birmingham Age-herald carrying the name Gifford
The Birmingham Age-herald 1925-03-08

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Gifford in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

17,447 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Gifford. The most, 2,940, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 2.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 5,516
Tasmania 3,135
Queensland 2,592
South Australia 2,528
Victoria 2,467
Western Australia 1,062
ACT (Canberra) 119
Northern Territory 4

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Gifford.

Who carried it

People named Gifford,
with a public archive behind them.

  • James Gifford d. 1813 · writer
  • James Gifford d. 1813 · writer
  • Henry Gifford d. 1592 · politician
  • Ralph Gifford d. 1550 · politician
  • John Gifford d. 1576 · politician
  • Roger Gifford d. 1597 · physician

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Gifford,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,896 records

1,896 records of the Gifford name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 679
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 368
  • Other U.S. records 849
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Larry Howard Gifford

    Born 1947; from Portland, Oregon. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Kontum, South Vietnam. Buried at Willamette National Cemetery, Oregon.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Vivian O. Gifford

    Born 1908 in Texas. Enlisted 1943 in the Women's Army Corps at San Antonio; mechanic from Bexar County. U.S. Army veteran; died 1955, buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Fanny E. Gifford

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Majestic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 21; domestic. From Liverpool, England.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,896 records for Gifford in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia617 records

617 records of the Gifford name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 305
  • Tasmanian Names Index 134
  • Other Australian records 178
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record John Gifford

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Henry Porcher, sailing from London in 1836. Native of Willingham, Cambridgeshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1844. Married 1844 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 29.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Edward Enos Gifford

    Born 1854 in Hobart, Tasmania. Died 1923 in Tasmania, aged 69.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Ellen Gifford

    Arrived in Victoria in 1858 aboard the Herald, aged 64; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 617 records for Gifford in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada79 records

79 records of the Gifford name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 42
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 13
  • Other Canadian records 24
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Wilson Garfield Gifford

    Buried in 1994 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 86.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record James John Gifford

    Died 1941; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record William Gifford

    Died 1931 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 79 records for Gifford in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom35 records

35 records of the Gifford name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 22
  • Stirling Council burial records 9
  • Other British records 4
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record George Keith Gifford

    Born 1872 at Delting. Served in the First World War. Named in the University of Aberdeen roll of service in the Great War, 1914-1919.

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mabel Ann Gifford

    Died 1996, aged 82; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Isabella Gifford

    Died 1918, aged 65; buried at Logie Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 35 records for Gifford in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand34 records

34 records of the Gifford name in New Zealand
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 20
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 11
  • Other New Zealand records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Sarah Jessie Gifford

    Died 1902, aged 48; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Emma Adelaide Gifford

    Died 1964, aged 70; buried at Seddon Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Baydon Otto Gifford

    Born 1939, died 1985; buried at Oxford Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 34 records for Gifford in New Zealand.

Counts: Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands6 records

6 records of the Gifford name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 3
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 2
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Gillis Gifford

    In the population register of Vlissingen; manservant, born 1827 in Arnemuiden.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Richard Collins Gifford

    Died 1955 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 53.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 6 records for Gifford in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France2 records

2 records of the Gifford name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Noel Thomas John Gifford

    Born 1926 in New Plymouth (Nouvelle-Zélande); died 1990 in Annecy (Haute-Savoie).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Frederic Edouard Gifford

    Born 1921 in Marseille; died 1976 in Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Gifford.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Gifford is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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