Griffin (surname)

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Griffin
Griffin Surname Distribution Map.png
Griffin surname map
Origin
Word/nameIrish
Meaning"descendant of the Griffin-like"
[1]

Griffin is a surname of Irish, English and Welsh origin. Griffin was the 75th most common surname on the island of Ireland in 1891.[2] It was estimated in 2000 that Griffin is the 114th most common surname in the U.S., with a population in the order of two hundred thousand.[1]

Griffin in Ireland[]

The surname "Griffin" has a number of Gaelic sources in Ireland.

Ó Gríofa[]

The spelling Ó Gríofa (male) or Ní Ghríofa (female) is associated with the Co. Clare family, whose surname was also anglicised as O'Griffey or O'Griffy. Ó Gríofa translates to English as "descendant of the Griffin-like".

Prior to the Irish spelling review, Ó Gríofa was spelt Ó Gríobhtha. The Ó Gríofa were chieftains of the Cineal Cuallachta branch of the Dál gCais, or Dalcassians, with their castle at Ballygriffy located in North Ballygriffey, Dysert (formerly the barony of Inchiquin). The Ó Gríofa are of the same stock as the O'Deas and the O'Quins, who belong to the Cineal Fearmaic, or more appropriately, the Ui Fearmaic.[3]

Ó Grifín[]

The "Ó Grifín" (male) / "Ní Ghrifín" (female) spelling belongs to the Kerry family. The Kerry Griffins are descendants of Gallowglasses who fought in the Desmond Rebellions against the English.[4]

Ó Gríofáin[]

Found along the Mayo, Roscommon and Galway border.[5][6]

Griffith[]

In Ireland, the surname Griffin can also be associated with the Welsh surname "Griffith", but to a much lesser degree.[7]

Griffin in Wales[]

The surname "Griffin" in Wales, generally speaking, is a variant of the surname "Griffith", or other similar Welsh names.

Notable people with the surname[]

A[]

B[]

  • Bartholomew Griffin (died 1602), English poet
  • Becky Griffin (born 1977), Israeli model and actress, and daughter of Bob Griffin
  • Ben Griffin (disambiguation), several people
  • Benjamin Griffin (disambiguation), several people
  • Bernard William Griffin, (1899–1956), Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster 1943–56
  • Bessie Griffin (1922–1989), American Gospel singer
  • Blake Griffin (born 1989), American basketball player
  • Bob Griffin (born 1950), American-Israeli basketball player, and English Literature professor, and father of Becky Griffin
  • Brian C. Griffin (born 1953), American businessman & administrator

C[]

D[]

E[]

F[]

G[]

H[]

I[]

J[]

K[]

L[]

M[]

N[]

P[]

  • Patrick Griffin (disambiguation), several people
  • Patty Griffin (born 1964), American singer-songwriter
  • Paul Griffen (born 1975), New Zealand-born Italian rugby player
  • Paul Griffin (disambiguation), several people
  • Peter Griffin (disambiguation), several people

Q[]

R[]

S[]

T[]

  • Taylor Griffin (born 1986), American basketball player (and brother of Blake Griffin)
  • Ted Griffin (born 1970), American screenwriter
  • Thomas Griffin (politician) (1773–1837), American politician, lawyer and judge
  • Tom Griffin (disambiguation), several people
  • Tyrone William Griffin Jr. (born 1985), American musician known professionally as Ty Dolla Sign
  • Tyson Griffin (born 1984), American martial artist
  • Todd Griffin, American musician

V[]

  • Victor Griffin (born 1924), Irish Anglican priest and author
  • Victor William Griffin (c. 1873 – 1958), Quapaw chief and peyote roadman from Oklahoma

W[]

  • W. E. B. Griffin (1929–2019), American author
  • Walter Burley Griffin (1878–1937), American architect and landscape architect most famous for planning Canberra
  • William Richard Griffin (1882–1944), American auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse
  • William Michael Griffin (born 1968), hip-hop MC known as Rakim

Fictional characters with the surname[]

  • The Griffin family of Family Guy:
  • Griffin (The Invisible Man), fictional character in H. G. Wells's The Invisible Man, first name Jack only in film versions
  • Judge Jürgen Griffin, a character in the Judge Dredd comic strip
  • Henry Griffin, a character in The O.C.
  • Kylie Griffin, a character in Extreme Ghostbusters and in the IDW Ghostbusters comic series
  • Ric Griffin, a Holby City character played by actor Hugh Quarshie
  • Sandi Griffin, a character in the animated series Daria
  • Clarke Griffin, a character in The CW network series The 100
  • Arthur Griffin, a secondary character in American television series Big Time Rush
  • Hawley Griffin, a character from The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Genealogy". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 15 May 2012.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ Matheson 1891
  3. ^ O'Laughlin, Michael C. (2000). Families of County Clare Ireland. Irish Genealogical Foundation. ISBN 978-0940134980.
  4. ^ "FamilyTreeDNA".
  5. ^ "Irish Surname Maps".
  6. ^ "Sloinne".
  7. ^ O'Laughin 1997
  • "Surname Maps of Ireland" (map). barrygriffin.com. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  • O'Laughin, M. C. (1997). "The Book of Irish Families Great & Small". Irish Genealogical Foundation
  • Matheson, R. E. (1891). "Special Report on Surnames in Ireland"
  • Williams, M. (1996) "Researching Local History"
  • U.S. Census Bureau (1990), Population Division, Population Analysis & Evaluation Staff
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