Griffin (surname)

Griffin is a surname of Irish, English and Welsh origin. Griffin was the 75th most common surname on the island of Ireland in 1891. It was estimated in 2000 that Griffin is the 114th most common surname in the U.S., with a population in the order of two hundred thousand.

Griffin in Ireland

The surname "Griffin" has a number of Gaelic sources in Ireland.

Ó Gríofa

The spelling Ó Gríofa (male) or Ní Ghríofa (female) is associated with the Co. Clare family, whose surname was also anglicised as O'Griffey or O'Griffy. Ó Gríofa translates to English as "descendant of the Griffin-like".

Prior to the Irish spelling review, Ó Gríofa was spelt Ó Gríobhtha. The Ó Gríofa were chieftains of the Cineal Cuallachta branch of the Dál gCais, or Dalcassians, with their castle at Ballygriffy located in North Ballygriffey, Dysert (formerly the barony of Inchiquin). The Ó Gríofa are of the same stock as the O'Deas and the O'Quins, who belong to the Cineal Fearmaic, or more appropriately, the Ui Fearmaic.

Ó Grifín

The "Ó Grifín" (male) / "Ní Ghrifín" (female) spelling belongs to the Kerry family. The Kerry Griffins are descendants of Gallowglasses who fought in the Desmond Rebellions against the English.

Ó Gríofáin

Found along the Mayo, Roscommon and Galway border.

Griffith

In Ireland, the surname Griffin can also be associated with the Welsh surname "Griffith", but to a much lesser degree.

Griffin in Wales

The surname "Griffin" in Wales, generally speaking, is a variant of the surname "Griffith", or other similar Welsh names.

Notable people with the surname

A

• Abigail Griffin, American politician
• Adrian Griffin (born 1974), American basketball player
• Alan Griffin (politician) (born 1960), Australian politician
• Alex Griffin (born 1971), English guitarist
• Alfredo Griffin (born 1957), Dominican Republic baseball player
• Alistair Griffin (born 1977), English singer/songwriter and musician
• Andy Griffin (born 1979), English footballer
• Angela Griffin (born 1976), English television actress
• Anne Dias-Griffin (born 1971), French/American hedge fund manager
• Anne Griffin (writer) (fl 2013 –), Irish short story writer and novelist
• Anthony Griffin (rugby league), Australian rugby league football coach
• Anthony Jerome Griffin (1866–1935), American politician
• Archie Griffin (born 1954), American football player
• Arthur Griffin (disambiguation), several people
• AJ Griffin (born 1988), American baseball player

B

• Bartholomew Griffin (died 1602), English poet
• Becky Griffin (born 1977), Israeli model and actress, and daughter of Bob Griffin
• Ben Griffin (disambiguation), several people
• Benjamin Griffin (disambiguation), several people
• Bernard William Griffin (1899–1956), Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster 1943–56
• Bessie Griffin (1922–1989), American Gospel singer
• Blake Griffin (born 1989), American basketball player
• Bob Griffin (born 1950), American-Israeli basketball player, and English Literature professor, and father of Becky Griffin
• Brian C. Griffin (born 1953), American businessman & administrator
• Brian Griffin (photographer) (1948–2024), British photographer

C

• Cedric Griffin (born 1982), American football player
• Charles Griffin (1825–1867), American Union general
• Charlie Griffin (born 1979), British footballer
• Clarence Griffin (1888–1973), American tennis player
• Clive Griffin (born 1964), British singer
• Colin Griffin (born 1982), Irish race walker
• Colin Griffin (footballer) (born 1956), English footballer
• Cornelius Griffin (born 1986), American football player
• Cyrus Griffin (1749–1810), American lawyer & administrator

D

• Dale "Buffin" Griffin (1948–2016), British musician
• Daniel T. Griffin (1911–1941), American Navy pilot
• Danny Griffin (footballer) (born 1977), Northern Ireland footballer
• David Griffin (disambiguation)
• David Ray Griffin (1939–2022), philosopher, theologian, and proponent of 9/11 conspiracy theories
• Des Griffin, American conspiracy theorist
• Dev Griffin (born 1984), British DJ and presenter
• Donald Griffin (1915–2003), American zoologist
• Doug Griffin (1947–2016), American baseball player
• Drew Griffin (1962-2022), American journalist

E

• Eddie Griffin, African-American actor and comedian
• Edgar Griffin, British politician
• Edna Griffin (1909-2000), civil rights activist
• Eric Griffin, American rock guitarist
• Eric Griffin (basketball) (born 1990), basketball player for Hapoel Be'er Sheva of the Israel Basketball Premier League

F

• Floyd Griffin (born 1944), American politician
• Forrest Griffin (born 1979), American MMA fighter
• Foster Griffin (born 1995), American baseball player
• Francis Griffin (disambiguation)
  • Francis E. Griffin (1910–1973), American architect
• Francis Vielé-Griffin (1864–1937), French poet
• Frank Hastings Griffin (1886-1975), American chemist who invented Rayon

G

• G. Edward Griffin (born 1931), American film producer, publisher, author and lecturer
• Gavin Griffin (born 1981), American poker player
• Geoffrey Griffin (cricketer) (1939–2006), South African Test cricketer
• Geoffrey William Griffin, youth leader in Kenya
• George C. Griffin, American university teacher and administrator
• George Eugene Griffin (1781-1863), English pianist and composer
• Gerald Griffin, Irish novelist, poet and playwright
• Gerald D. Griffin (born 1934), American aeronautical engineer
• Grey Griffin (alternate name of Grey DeLisle)

H

• Harriet Griffin (1903–1991), American mathematician
• A. Harry Griffin, journalist and mountaineer
• Harry Griffin (cricketer), English cricketer
• Hayden Griffin (1943–2013), British stage designer
• Helen Griffin (1959–2018), Welsh actress and writer

I

• Ian P. Griffin, British astronomer

J

• James Bennett Griffin, American archaeologist
• James D. Griffin, American politician
• Jane Griffin (Lady Franklin)
• Jimmy Griffin, American singer and songwriter
• John Griffin (disambiguation)
• John-Ford Griffin, American professional baseball player
• John Griffin Griffin, name used by John Griffin Whitwell, 4th Baron Howard de Walden
• John Howard Griffin, American journalist and author
• Johnny Griffin, American jazz saxophonist

K

• Kathy Griffin, American comedian and actress
• Katie Griffin, Canadian actress and singer
• Kelsey Griffin (born 1987), American–Australian basketball player
• Kenneth C. Griffin, hedge fund manager and Forbes 400 member
• Kenneth W. Griffin (1909–1956), American organist
• Kevin Griffin, American singer, songwriter and record producer

L

• Larry Griffin, American murderer
• Leonard Griffin (soccer), American soccer player
• Lois Griffin (Toronto politician)
• Lorna Griffin, American sportswoman
• Lynne Griffin, Canadian actress
• Liam Griffin (disambiguation)

M

• Malaika Griffin (born 1971), Anti-white racist convicted of the 1999 murder of Jason Patrick Horsley in Denver, Colorado
• Marcus Griffin, American football player
• Marion Mahony Griffin, American architect and artist
• Martin Griffin (disambiguation)
• Marvin Griffin, American politician
• Merv Griffin (1925–2007), entertainer, talk show host, and creator of the television game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune
• Michael D. Griffin, administrator of NASA
• Michael F. Griffin, anti-abortion activist who killed David Gunn
• Michael Griffin (American football) (born 1985), American football player
• Michael Griffin (Irish priest), murdered during the Irish War for Independence
• Miriam T. Griffin, classicist and Fellow of Somerville College, Oxford
• Montell Griffin (born 1970), American boxer
• Morgan Griffin (born 1992), Australian actress

N

• Nick Griffin (born 1959), former chairman of the British National Party
• Nonnie Griffin (1933–2019), Canadian stage actress

O

• Olaijah Griffin (born 1999), American football player

P

• Patrick Griffin (disambiguation), several people
• Patty Griffin (born 1964), American singer-songwriter
• Paul Griffen (born 1975), New Zealand-born Italian rugby player
• Paul Griffin (disambiguation), several people
• Peter Griffin (disambiguation), several people

Q

• Quentin Griffin (born 1981), American football player

R

• Renee Griffin (born 1968), American actress
• Richard Griffin and Company, 19th-century Scots publishing house
• Richard Allen Griffin (born 1952), American judge
• Rick Griffin (1944–1991), American illustrator & cartoonist
• Robert Griffin III (born 1990), American football player
• Robert P. Griffin (1923–2015), American politician
• Roger Griffin (born 1948), British historian
• Roger F. Griffin, British astronomer
• Ron Griffin (footballer) (1919–1987), English footballer
• Ron Griffin (artist) (born 1954), American artist
• Ruth Griffin (1893–1984), American actress better known as Ruth Renick

S

• S. A. Griffin (born 1954), American poet & actor
• Samuel Griffin (1746–1810), American lawyer & politician
• Sandy Griffin (1858–1926), American baseball player
• Shaquem Griffin (born 1995), American football player and twin brother of:
• Shaquill Griffin (born 1995), also an American football player
• Simon Goodell Griffin (1824–1902), American soldier
• Steve Griffin (born 1964), American football player
• Susan Griffin (born 1943), American author

T

• Taylor Griffin (born 1986), American basketball player (and brother of Blake Griffin)
• Ted Griffin (born 1970), American screenwriter
• Thomas Griffin (politician) (1773–1837), American politician, lawyer and judge
• Tom Griffin (disambiguation), several people
• Tyrone William Griffin Jr. (born 1985), American musician known professionally as Ty Dolla Sign
• Tyson Griffin (born 1984), American martial artist
• Todd Griffin, American musician

V

• Victor Griffin (1924–2017), Irish Anglican priest and author
• Victor William Griffin (c. 1873–1958), Quapaw chief and peyote roadman from Oklahoma

W

• W. E. B. Griffin (1929–2019), American author
• Walter Burley Griffin (1878–1937), American architect and landscape architect most famous for planning Canberra
• William Richard Griffin (1882–1944), American auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse
• William Michael Griffin (born 1968), hip-hop MC known as Rakim

Fictional characters with the surname

• The Griffin family of Family Guy:
  • Peter Griffin, father
  • Lois Griffin, mother
  • Meg Griffin, daughter and oldest child
  • Chris Griffin, older son
  • Stewie Griffin, younger son
  • Brian Griffin, anthropomorphic pet dog
  • Francis Griffin, Peter's (adoptive) father
  • Thelma Griffin, Peter's mother
  • Karen "Heavy Flo" Griffin, Peter's sister
• Griffin (The Invisible Man), fictional character in H. G. Wells' The Invisible Man, first name Jack only in film versions
• Judge Jürgen Griffin, a character in the Judge Dredd comic strip
• Henry Griffin, a character in The O.C.
• Kylie Griffin, a character in Extreme Ghostbusters and in the IDW Ghostbusters comic series
• Ric Griffin, a Holby City character played by actor Hugh Quarshie
• Sandi Griffin, a character in the animated series Daria
• Clarke Griffin, a character in The CW network series The 100
• Arthur Griffin, a secondary character in American television series Big Time Rush
• Hawley Griffin, a character from The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

See also

• Griffin
• Griffin (disambiguation)
• Griffin's Foods
• Griffin Theatre Company
• Griffin Poetry Prize
• Griffith (surname)
• Webster Griffin Tarpley, journalist

References

• "Surname Maps of Ireland" (map). barrygriffin.com. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
• O'Laughin, M. C. (1997). "The Book of Irish Families Great & Small". Irish Genealogical Foundation
• Matheson, R. E. (1891). "Special Report on Surnames in Ireland"
• Williams, M. (1996) "Researching Local History"
• U.S. Census Bureau (1990), Population Division, Population Analysis & Evaluation Staff