Show ContentsTunnicliff History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Tunnicliff family

The surname Tunnicliff was first found in Lancashire where the family name was first referenced in the year 1246 when Henry Tunwaleclif held estates in the parish of Rochdale. However, some of the family was found at Yarlett in Staffordshire in early times. "The liberty [of Yarlett] comprises about 400 acres of land, the property of the Tunnicliff family, who reside at the Hall, a neat mansion situated on a gentle declivity." 1

Early History of the Tunnicliff family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tunnicliff research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487 and 1603 are included under the topic Early Tunnicliff History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tunnicliff Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Dunnicliffe, Donnicliffe, Dunicliffe, Topcliffe, Tunnicliffe, Tunicliffe, Tunycliffe, Tunnacliffe, Tunacliffe, Tunicliffe, Tonacliffe, Donacliffe, Onacliffe, D'Onacliffe, Donacliffe, Doncliffe, Tunnelcliffe, Tunlecliff, Tunnicliff and many more.

Early Notables of the Tunnicliff family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Tunnicliffe of Tunnicliffe

Migration of the Tunnicliff family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: settlers, who arrived along the eastern seaboard, from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands.


Contemporary Notables of the name Tunnicliff (post 1700) +

  • John Tunnicliff (1725-1800), English immigrant to American from Derbyshire who became a prominent landowner in Otsego County, New York
  • Damon G. Tunnicliff (1829-1901), American jurist who served briefly on the Illinois Supreme Court in 1888
  • Miles Ian Tunnicliff (b. 1968), English professional golfer
  • Rev. Jabez Tunnicliff (1809-1865), British minister of the General Baptist Church in England
  • Ralph Tunnicliff Catterall (1897-1978), American jurist, Judge of the Virginia State Corporation Commission


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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