Surname Gaff - Meaning and Origin
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Gaff: What does the surname Gaff mean?
The origin of the surname Gaff is believed to have two possible sources. The first source stems from a Germanic word “gaffa,” meaning “cliff.” In this case, the name was likely given to a family living near an area marked by a large cliff. Alternatively, it could derive from the Old French word “gaffe,” meaning “hand-hook,” and generally signifying a type of long-handled fishing tool. In this case, the surname would have been given to someone who worked in the fishing industry.
In Scotland, Gaff is believed to be derived from a Gallic word meaning “stranger,” and was likely given to someone who recently moved into the area. In England, it is also believed to be derived from an Old English word “gafol,” meaning “donation” or “payment.” In this instance, it could have been connected to taxation or tribute paid at some point in the past.
Spelling variations of Gaff include Gaffe, Gaffer, and Gawf. The name can also be found spelled with various endings, such as Gaff, Gaffe, Gaffes, Gaffey, Gafey, Gaffney, and Gaffney. It is primarily rooted in England, and found particularly in Scotland, North America, and Canada.
Order DNA origin analysisGaff: Where does the name Gaff come from?
The last name Gaff is quite a common name. Primarily, it is most frequently found in the United Kingdom where it is estimated to be the 32,009th most common name with approximately 1,540 people bearing the name. It is a locational name derived from Gaffenburg, a small town in Lower Saxony, Germany.
Outside of the UK, the name is also found throughout Europe. In Germany, the name is very common, and appears to have over 3,000 people with the surname. Throughout Austria there are approximately 2,500 people who have the name. It has a much smaller presence in Sweden, with an estimated 500 people, while in France about 300 people are recorded to have the last name.
In North America, the name is much less common. In the United States there is only about 200 people with the last name, while in Canada it is slightly more common with an estimated 330. Unsurprisingly, the majority of those bearing the surname in either country are of German descent. Elsewhere in the Americas, the name is scarce, with only about 80 people having it in Argentina and fewer than 50 people having it in Brazil.
The name Gaff appears to be much less common in Asia and Australia, with an estimated 200 people having the surname in the former, and 160 people having it in the latter.
Variations of the surname Gaff
The surname Gaff can trace its roots to at least two main language origins. In English, the surname can be found spellings such as Gaff, Gaffe, Gaf, Gafney, Gaffney, Gafry and Gaffrey. In Gaelic, the surname is found as Gaf or Gafraidh.
The origin of the surname Gaff is English, as an occupational name for an armourer, derived from Old French gaffe, meaning "hook," a word first found in England in the 14th century. The Gaelic form of the same name has the same occupational origin of armourer, derived from the Gaelic word gafa, meaning "iron hook." Both surnames share a common derivation, and the spelling variations reflect regional, dialectal and stylistic influences on the surname.
Variations of the surname Gaff include Gaff, Gaffe, Gaf, Gafney, Gaffney, Gafry, and Gaffrey.
Possible variants of the same surname include Gaffin, Gaffen, Gaffan, Gaffon, Gaffey, Gaffinney, Gaffer, Gafferman, Goff, Goffey, Goffin, Gafford, Garfath, Garfathy, Garff, Gaford, Goffey as well as alternative surnames Brafford, Bufford, Cafford, Gofford, Grafford and Graffam.
In Scotland, some of the common spellings of Gaff include Gaff, Gaffney, Gafney, Gaffin, Garfat (or Garfath) as well as variants Graff and Goff among others.
In Ireland, the surname Gaff is found in the form Gaffney, Gaffin, Gaffan and Gaffey.
In England, Gaff can be found in the forms Gaffe, Gaf, Gaffney, Gaffin, Gafsey and Graff, as well as Gaffey, Gaffinney, Gaffan and Gaffon variants.
Famous people with the name Gaff
- Del Gaff: American actress and singer
- Pat Gaffney: Catholic peace activist
- Marcus Gaffney: Professional American football guard
- Cory Gaff: British photographer and photo journalist
- Will Gaff: Former professional American basketball player
- Terry Gaff: Retired international motorcycle racer
- Jim Gaffigan: American stand-up comedian
- Bill Gaffney: Former American gridiron football player and head coach
- Dan Gaffney: American broadcast journalist
- Jonas Gaffney: Movie director and film producer