Summary
The surname Clifford has English origins and is derived from a place name meaning 'ford by a cliff'. It is believed to have originated in various locations across England. The Clifford family has a long and distinguished history, with notable members including famous politicians, military leaders, and literary figures.22245
Cliffords in the USA1618th
most common last name in the USAHistorical figures and celebrities called Clifford
CliffordBrown
Clifford Brown was an American jazz trumpeter and composer who is considered one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 1950s.CliffordD.
Clifford D. Simak was an American science fiction writer who won three Hugo Awards and was named the third Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.CliffordGeertz
Clifford Geertz was an American anthropologist who is known for his pioneering work in the field of symbolic anthropology and his influential book 'The Interpretation of Cultures.'CliffordSmith
Clifford Smith, professionally known as Method Man, is an American rapper and actor who rose to fame as a member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan.CliffordStoll
Clifford Stoll is an American astronomer and author who became famous for his tracking and capture of the hacker Markus Hess, leading to the crack down on the spy ring known as the Hannover hacker.CliffordTruesdell
Clifford Truesdell was an American mathematician and historian of science who made significant contributions to the fields of continuum mechanics and the history of mathematics.CliffordDevoe
Clifford Devoe, also known as The Thinker, is a fictional supervillain in the DC Comics universe, primarily an enemy of the superhero team The Flash.CliffordWorley
Clifford Worley is a fictional character in the film 'True Romance,' portrayed by actor Dennis Hopper.CliffordCocks
Clifford Cocks is a British mathematician and cryptographer who co-invented the RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman) encryption algorithm.CliffordDeVoe
Clifford DeVoe, also known as The Thinker, is a fictional character in the television series 'The Flash,' portrayed by actor Neil Sandilands.Clifford Genealogy
OriginsThe surname 'Clifford' is of English origin and is derived from the Old English words 'clif' meaning 'cliff' or 'slope' and 'ford' meaning 'ford' or 'crossing.' It likely referred to someone who lived near a ford by a hill or cliff.
Geographic DistributionThe surname 'Clifford' is most commonly found in the United States, particularly in states with English settlement such as Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania. It is also present in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Ireland.
VariationsVariations of the surname 'Clifford' include 'Clifforth,' 'Cliffordson,' and 'de Clifford.'