The Griffin surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 198,406 people carried this name — #122 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 1,490 people counted. That is up 4% from 190,636 in 2000.
Where the name comes from
The origin of the Griffin surname
An Irish surname, an anglicization of Ó Gríobhtha or Ó Grifín.
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Griffin» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 216 births for the Griffin name in 1890.
They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Munster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 9,600 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 10 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 147 people named Griffin live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
63 people named Griffin live in Switzerland.
They live in 9 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 52 people named Griffin.
26 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 11 départements, most often Pas-de-Calais.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Poland’s population register
29 people named Griffin have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 85 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 9 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Pomeranian.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In the Nordic population registers
142 people named Griffin are counted in Sweden and Finland.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In print
Griffin in American newspapers,
1911–1922.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 654,666 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Griffin,
with a public archive behind them.
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Don Griffin d. 2015 · guitarist
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Edward Griffin d. 1621 · printer
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Edward Griffin d. 1652 · printer
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John Griffin d. 1400 · Catholic priest
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Sarah Griffin d. 1652
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Anne Griffin d. 1770
Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Griffin.
- Grier 13,868 · U.S. census
- Gries 2,063 · U.S. census
- Griesbach 1,003 · U.S. census
- Grieshaber 815 · U.S. census
- Griess 1,135 · U.S. census
- Griesser 309 · U.S. census
- Griffith 78,260 · U.S. census
- Griffiths 14,805 · U.S. census
- Griffon 420 · U.S. census
- Grignon 683 · U.S. census
- Grigorian 1,240 · U.S. census
- Grigoryan 1,937 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Griffin 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.