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![Show Contents]() Cunniff History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The ancient roots of the Cunniff family name are in the Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Cunniff comes from when the family lived in the settlement of Concliff in the county of Lancashire. The surname Cunniff belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. The name in Anglo Saxon meant "War love." Early Origins of the Cunniff familyThe surname Cunniff was first found in Lancashire where Nicholas le Cumbecliue was first listed in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1246. 1 The name traces back to Cundcliff, now known as Cunliffe Hill, in the township of Billington, near Blackburn in Lancashire. 2 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 - 1276 list Robert de Cundeclif in Yorkshire. 1 2 A few years later Adam de Cunliffe was listed in Yorkshire 1317-1318. 2 The Register of Freemen of the City of York in 1411 lists Thomas Cunclyff. 1 Early History of the Cunniff familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cunniff research. Another 284 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1611, 1750, 1790, 1820 and 1871 are included under the topic Early Cunniff History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Cunniff Spelling VariationsOne relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Cunniff has appeared include Cunliffe, Cuncliffe, Concliffe, Conliffe, Cunlife, Conlife, Cunliff, Conliff and many more. Early Notables of the Cunniff familyMore information is included under the topic Early Cunniff Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Cunniff RankingIn the United States, the name Cunniff is the 16,585th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3
 Cunniff migration to the United States | + |
At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Cunniff arrived in North America very early:
Cunniff Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- John Cunniff, who arrived at the port of New York in 1849
- John Cunniff, aged 45, who landed in New York, NY in 1849 4
- Dennis Cunniff, who immigrated to San Francisco in 1851
- Dennis Cunniff, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 4
| Cunniff migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Cunniff Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century- Patrick Cunniff, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Sea Horse" from Galway, Ireland
| Cunniff migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Cunniff Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
| Contemporary Notables of the name Cunniff (post 1700) | + |
- Danny Cunniff (d. 1999), American teenager who died of acute myeloid leukemia; his parents raised enough money to dedicate the renaming of Danny Cunniff Park in Highland Park, Illinois
- Rick Cunniff (1925-2005), American investment broker from Chicago, Illinois, who co-founded the investment firm, Ruane Cunniff in 1970
- Brandon Michael Cunniff (b. 1988), American Major League Baseball pitcher from Arcadia, California who played for the Atlanta Braves in 2015
- Richard T. Cunniff, American investment broker, co-founder of Ruane, Cunniff & Goldfarb in New York City in 1969
- John Paul Cunniff (1944-2002), American NHL hockey coach and former professional player from South Boston, Massachusetts, inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003
- Jill Cunniff (b. 1966), American musician, founding member of the band Luscious Jackson
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Fideliter
Motto Translation: Faithfully.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
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Cunniff migration to the United States 
Cunniff migration to Canada 
Cunniff migration to Australia 
England
Ireland
