This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Gaffney family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Gaffney Family History

Gaffney Surname Meaning

Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Ó Gamhna ‘descendant of Gamhain’ a byname meaning ‘calf’. The English surname Caulfield was adopted in Ireland as a supposed equivalent.

Irish: alternatively from Mag Fhachtna ‘son of Fachtna’ usually Anglicized as Gaffney in Longford.

Possibly an altered form of Swiss German Gaffner a topographic name for a cottage dweller from dialect Gafene ‘large basket Alpine (dairy) hut’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Gaffney family from?

You can see how Gaffney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gaffney family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gaffney families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 421 Gaffney families living in Lancashire. This was about 48% of all the recorded Gaffney's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Gaffney families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gaffney surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Gaffney ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Gaffney. 24% of Gaffney men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Gaffney women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gaffney were Electrical Engineer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Gaffney | 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

  • General Labourer
    24%
  • Builders Labourer
    11%
  • Incapacitated
    7%
  • Electrical Engineer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Gaffney family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 86,000 census records available for the last name Gaffney. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gaffney census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gaffney

Passenger Lists

There are 18,000 immigration records available for the last name Gaffney. 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 Gaffney immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Gaffney. For the veterans among your Gaffney ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gaffney military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gaffney family history

Discover More

What is the average Gaffney lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Gaffney life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Gaffney in 1940 was 39, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gaffney

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gaffney ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Gaffney family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial