GRIFFIN
Origin and Meaning of the Griffin Surname
The surname Griffin is principally of Welsh provenance and belongs to the class of patronymic surnames. It derives from the personal name Gruffudd (also rendered Gruffydd), a compound of the element griff – whose precise origin is uncertain but is commonly associated with the mythic dragon – and udd, meaning “chief” or “lord”. Consequently the name conveys the sense of a “strong lord” or “powerful chief”.
Historical Development and Variants
In the medieval period the name appeared in a range of orthographic forms. Early documentary evidence includes Robert Griffin in the Pipe Rolls of Warwickshire (1130) and John Grifen in the Chartulary of the Priory of St Thomas, near Stafford (1230). Later records show further variants such as Griffen, O’ Griffin, McGriffin, McGriffen and McGraffin. These variations reflect the surname’s diffusion into English, Irish and Scottish contexts, each with its own linguistic adaptations.
Alternative Etymological Possibilities
While the Welsh derivation is the most widely accepted, scholars have identified two additional possible sources. One proposes an Anglo‑Saxon or Germanic origin, tracing the name to the pre‑7th‑century Old High German verb grifan (“to snatch, grasp”), later applied metaphorically to the dragon, a creature reputed to seize passers‑by. A second hypothesis links the surname to the Irish Gaelic form O’Griobhtha, where the prefix O’ denotes “descendant of” and the personal name Grioghtha stems from griobh, also meaning “gryphon”.
Contemporary Distribution
From its medieval roots in Wales, the surname Griffin has spread across the English‑speaking world. Its bearers today can be found throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia and other former British colonies, testament to the mobility of families bearing this historically rich name.
Typical given names associated with the Griffin surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
Female
- Catherine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Griffen
- Graffin
- Griffan
- Griff
- Grifffin
- Grffin
- Griffi
- Grieffin
- Griffine
- Caravan
- Caravona
- Carofano
- Carphin
- Carvan
- Carvana
- Carven
- Carvin
- Corfan
- Corvan
- Corven
- Corvin
- Corvino
- Cravan
- Craven
- Cravin
- Cravon
- Creavan
- Creaven
- Creavin
- Crevan
- Crivan
- Criven
- Crivon
- Croven
- Crovin
- Curivan
- Currivan
- Curvan
- Curven
- Curvin
- Garafin
- Garavan
- Garaven
- Garavini
- Garfen
- Garfin
- Garofano
- Garofeanu
- Garrafin
- Garrifin
- Garvan
- Garvani
- Garven
- Garvin
- Garvine
- Garvon
- Gorevan
- Gorevin
- Gorfin
- Gorvan
- Gorven
- Gorvin
- Grafen
- Graffen
- Graffini
- Gravagna
- Gravani
- Gravano
- Graven
- Gravin
- Gravina
- Gravino
- Greeven
- Greffin
- Greven
- Grevin
- Grifan
- Griffey
- Griffice
- Griffie
- Griffies
- Griffihs
- Griffing
- Griffinhoofe
- Griffins
- Griffinths
- Griffioen
- Griffis
- Griffiss
- Griffit
- Griffits
- Griffitt
- Griffn
- Griffon
- Griffy
- Grifi
- Grifin
- Grifoni
- Griftin
- Grivins
- Grivon
- Groffin
- Grovan
- Groven
- Grovin
- Gurvan
- Karavan
- Karvani
- Karvouni
- Keirven
- Kerevan
- Kerivan
- Kerivin
- Kervan
- Kervein
- Kerven
- Kervin
- Kirvan
- Kirven
- Kirvin
- Korvin
- Kraven
- Krivan
- Krivine
- Krovina
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Griffin in...
Braille
⠛⠗⠊⠋⠋⠊⠝
Morse
--..-.....-...-...-.
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Griffin are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Bourbon.
There are approximately 31,688 people named Griffin in the UK. That makes it the 249th most common surname in Britain. Around 487 in a million people in Britain are named Griffin.
Surname type: From given name or forename
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Wales
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Welsh
Famous people named Griffin
- Angela Griffin - Actress
- Nick Griffin - Politician
- David Griffin - Actor
- Kathy Griffin - American actress and comedian
- David Patrick Griffin - Radio and television presenter
- Blake Griffin - American professional basketball player
- Robert Griffin - American football quarterback
- Tyrone William Griffin Jr. - American singer, songwriter and record producer from California
- Devin Joseph Jordan "Dev" Griffin - Broadcaster, DJ and Actor
- Shaquem Griffin - American football player
- William Michael Griffin Jr. - American rapper and producer
- Roger Griffin - Historian
- Andy Griffin - Football player
- Dale Griffin - Musician (1948 to 2016)
- Theresa Griffin - Politician
- Mark Griffin - Actor
- Alistair Griffin - Singer-songwriter and musician
- Mark Griffin - Politician
- James Griffin - Anglo-American philosopher
- Cyrus Griffin - United States federal judge (1749 to 1810)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.