Show ContentsCuff History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Cuff surname comes from the Middle English word "cuffe," which meant "glove." It is thought that the name was originally an occupational name for a maker or seller of gloves. 1

Early Origins of the Cuff family

The surname Cuff was first found in Wiltshire where Walter Cuf was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Wiltshire in 1210. Later, Roger Cuffe was on record in the Hundredorum Rolls of Norfolk in 1275. 2

Early History of the Cuff family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cuff research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1524, 1563, 1582, 1598, 1601, 1638, 1639, 1641, 1661, 1678, 1730, 1737, 1749, 1767, 1793, 1797, 1800, 1804 and 1920 are included under the topic Early Cuff History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cuff Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Cuffe, Cuff and others.

Early Notables of the Cuff family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

  • Sir Henry Cuffe (1563-1601), an English author and politician. Born at "Hinton St. George, Somersetshire, was youngest son of Robert Cuffe of Donyatt in that county. Of the same family, although the r...
  • The Earl of Desart, a title in the Peerage of Ireland was created in 1793 for Otway Cuffe, 1st Viscount Desart (d.1749.) He died the following year after his appointment. However, the earldom continue...

Cuff Ranking

In the United States, the name Cuff is the 9,988th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Cuff is ranked the 349th most popular surname with an estimated 133 people with that name. 4

Ireland Migration of the Cuff family to Ireland

Some of the Cuff family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 94 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Cuff migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Cuff Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • John Cuff, who settled in Boston, Massachusetts in 1762
  • John Cuff, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1765 5
  • William Cuff, who arrived in America in 1765 5
  • Patrick Cuff, who settled in New Jersey in 1773
  • Patrick Cuff, who settled in Philadelphia in 1773
Cuff Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Sarah Cuff, who settled in New York in 1820
  • Edward Cuff, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1866 5

Canada Cuff migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Cuff Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • John Cuff, who settled in Bona Vista, Newfoundland in 1802 6
  • Michael Cuff, aged 26, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Sea Horse" from Galway, Ireland

New Zealand Cuff migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Cuff Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mrs. Julia Ann Cuff, (b. 1826), aged 32, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Indiana" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 28th November 1858 7
  • Mr. John Cuff, (b. 1827), aged 31, British carpenter travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Indiana" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 28th November 1858 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Cuff (post 1700) +

  • John Patrick Cuff (1864-1916), American Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Baltimore Monumentals in 1884
  • Ed Cuff Jr. (b. 1961), American amateur golfer
  • Ward Lloyd Cuff (1914-2002), American football running back and place kicker
  • Stan Cuff, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Missouri 8th District, 2004 8
  • Peter J. Cuff, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1940 8
  • Michael T. Cuff, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Connecticut, 1924 8
  • John J. Cuff, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1944 (alternate), 1956 8
  • John Cuff, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Oregon, 2000, 2004, 2008 8
  • James E. Cuff, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 38th District, 1926 8
  • Ida Cuff, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Oklahoma, 1948 8
  • ... (Another 9 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

SS Newfoundland
  • Mr. Tom Cuff (b. 1860), Newfoundlander from Doting Cove, who on the 30th March 1914 he was part of the Seal Crew of the "SS Newfoundland" leaving the ship to intercept the Stephano which took him to the hunting grounds, he disembarked to begin sealing, but was caught in a thickening storm, attempting to return to the Newfoundland he and the 132 crew made camp for two days the sealers were stranded on the ice in a blizzard attempting to return to the ship, he survived
  • Mr. William Cuff (b. 1897), Newfoundlander from Doting Cove, who on the 30th March 1914 he was part of the Seal Crew of the "SS Newfoundland" leaving the ship to intercept the Stephano which took him to the hunting grounds, he disembarked to begin sealing, but was caught in a thickening storm, attempting to return to the Newfoundland he and the 132 crew made camp for two days the sealers were stranded on the ice in a blizzard attempting to return to the ship, he survived
  • Mr. Daniel Cuff (1882-1914), Newfoundlander from Doting Cove, who on the 30th March 1914 he was part of the Seal Crew of the "SS Newfoundland" leaving the ship to intercept the Stephano which took him to the hunting grounds, he disembarked to begin sealing, but was caught in a thickening storm, attempting to return to the Newfoundland he and the 132 crew made camp for two days the sealers were stranded on the ice in a blizzard attempting to return to the ship, he died during this time
  • Mr. Simeon Cuff (1888-1914), Newfoundlander from Bonavista, who on the 30th March 1914 he was part of the Seal Crew of the "SS Newfoundland" leaving the ship to intercept the Stephano which took him to the hunting grounds, he disembarked to begin sealing, but was caught in a thickening storm, attempting to return to the Newfoundland he and the 132 crew made camp for two days the sealers were stranded on the ice in a blizzard attempting to return to the ship, he died during this time


  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  5. 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)
  6. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  7. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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