Surname Tifft - Meaning and Origin
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Tifft: What does the surname Tifft mean?
The last name Tifft is of Anglo-Saxon origin, meaning “a gift” or “acceptance”. It was perhaps originally given to someone as a gift, or to someone who had accessed a new station in life. The name may also have emerged as a nickname to a kind or generous individual.
In the mid nineteenth century, the Tifft surname was found in large numbers in the southeastern corner of England with the highest concentrations being in the counties of Surrey, Sussex, Kent and Middlesex. It is believed that the family originated in these areas and then slowly migrated across England, finding new homes in other counties.
The Tifft surname is also found in the US, having been brought over by immigrants from England. Today, many Tiffts have spread across the US, with the greatest concentrations being in the states of California, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
The Tifft surname is definitely an interesting one, and has quite an interesting story behind it. The name may have originally been given to one person as a gift or honor, or to someone that had been accepted into a new station in life. In any case, the Tifft surname has gone a long way from its first place of origin to its current location.
Order DNA origin analysisTifft: Where does the name Tifft come from?
The last name Tifft is commonly found in North America, primarily in the United States. Many individuals with the last name Tifft originate from Pennsylvania as the name originated in Colonial times in the area. The Tifft family was one of the first settlers to the Pennsylvania Dutch County.
Today, the Tifft surname is found in 36 of the 50 US States, though the highest concentrations of the surname live in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Ohio, New York, and Connecticut. Other countries where it is now found due to immigration include Canada, the UK, and Australia.
The meaning of the surname Tifft comes from the German word "ticht," meaning "secluded," which speaks to the origin story of the family being some of the first to settle in Pennsylvania. Though it is not a common last name, those that still carry the name today usually trace their family lineage back generations to the founding of the Tifft family.
Variations of the surname Tifft
The surname Tifft is derived from a medieval given name Tifo, and can be traced back to German-speaking areas of Europe. It is an occupational name usually referred to someone who worked as a tailor. The various variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin as Tifft are listed below:
Tifft
Tif, Tyf, Tyff, Tefft, Teff, Teffer, Tihl, Tehf, Thip, Tiep, Theiff
Tiefendahl, Diphdaal, Diphl, Tief, Thiep, Thif, Thife, Taf, Tyflinger, Tyffling, Tefftinger, Tafling, Tiefing, Thifeld, Tiepold, Tiepel, Teepeld.
The variants of the surname Tifft may also be found in other countries such as England, where the spelling is often anglicised as Tiff, Teff, Teepe, Tyffe or Thiffe. Other spellings often found in English speaking countries include Thift, Tift, Tiftus, Tyffus and Tiffus.
In France and Italy the surname appears as Tiph, Tiffe, Tiphin, Tipless, and Tippet. In Poland Tyfa, Thifa, Tipf, and Tyfla are some of the variants included in church records.
In various other countries, the surname Tifft has evolved to be pronounced and spelled differently. For example, in Hungary, Tifft is known as Töföt, while in the Netherlands it is known as Tuiphof. In Russia, the variants include Tiveritin, Tivoratin, and Tavoritin.
The many different variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Tifft demonstrate the global impact of the name across generations and centuries.
Famous people with the name Tifft
- Jessea Tifft: a Canadian poet
- C.J. Tifft: a political activist, author, and entrepreneur
- Lynne M Tifft: an American research chemist
- John Tifft: a professional American football player
- Margaret Ferebee Tifft: a cellist
- Sir Robert Tifft: the founder of the Tifft and Montgomery brewing company
- John M. Tifft: a director for the National Fairy Tale Museum
- Jehiel B. Tifft: an Amateur Baseball Player
- Jim Tifft: a radio personality
- Nancy Tifft: an American country music artist