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Gaff Family History

Gaff Name Meaning

English: metonymic occupational name for someone who made or used iron hooks or crooks from Old French gaffe ‘iron hook’. Irish (Offaly): from Mag Eochadha see McGough . German: from a derivative of the stem geb- (see Gaffke ).

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


Similar surnames: Graff, Raff, Gage, Gadd, Boff, Huff, Goff, Gast, Game, Haff

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 Gaff family from?

You can see how Gaff families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gaff family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gaff families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 72 Gaff families living in Norfolk. This was about 25% of all the recorded Gaff's in United Kingdom. Norfolk had the highest population of Gaff families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gaff surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Gaff ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Bricklayer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Gaff. 44% of Gaff men worked as a Bricklayer and 79% of Gaff women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gaff were Plasterer and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Gaff | 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 1939

  • Bricklayer
    44%
  • General Labourer
    25%
  • Colliery Hewer
    19%
  • Plasterer
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Domestic Duties
    4%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Gaff family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 17,000 census records available for the last name Gaff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gaff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gaff

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Gaff. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Gaff immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Gaff. For the veterans among your Gaff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gaff military records

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What is the average Gaff lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Gaff life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1983. The average life expectancy for Gaff in 1956 was 57, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gaff

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