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Surname Cufflye - Meaning and Origin

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Cufflye: What does the surname Cufflye mean?

The surname Cufflye has a few potential origins. It may have originally been a local name from the Northamptonshire village of Copplestone in England, derived from an Old English place name suggesting 'Cufa's woodland clearing'. Alternatively, the name may have Dutch origins, derived from a variant of Couwenhoven meaning 'belonging to the estate of the Cuffs', or from the French word 'couffil', meaning 'heaped up' or 'crowded'.

Cufflye may also be a habitational name from any of the several towns in France called Couffy, derived from the Gaulish personal name "Coffius". In the Irish branch of the family, Cufflye may have originated as an Anglicization of the Gaelic Ó Coinnealach, meaning "descendant of Coinnealach".

Over time the spelling of the name has evolved, leading to other variations such as Cufflei, Cuflee, Cuffleigh and Kuffley. Boasting a long and rich history, Cufflye is generally considered to be an eminent surname. Those bearing the name have been generally well respected and influential people in their respective communities.

Today, the Cufflye surname is found throughout the world. People proudly bearing the Cufflye name are dispersed across Ireland, England, Scotland, Canada, the United States and Australia, making the legacy of this ancestral name unmistakably global.

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Cufflye: Where does the name Cufflye come from?

The surname Cufflye is of British origin and today is most commonly found in either England or Wales. Records state that in 1891 the surname was more predominant in the midlands of England, specifically the counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Warwickshire.

The earliest records of the Cufflye surname can be traced back to Leicestershire in 1510 and in Derbyshire in 1541. There have been variations of spelling throughout the centuries, such as Cuffley, Cuffle, Cuffel and Cuffleigh.

Despite how rare a surname Cufflye may seem nowadays, it is still present in England, with a few hundred people still residing there under the surname. In 2011, it is estimated that the total population of people bearing the surname nationally was around 1,500 people.

Cufflye is not just limited to England though, with small populations of the surname in the US, and in small numbers in Ireland, Scotland, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, due to the 19th century migration and establishment of the British diaspora.

Despite being not the most common of surnames, records suggest that the origin of Cufflye is strong and vibrant with examples of those under the name making significant achievements throughout history.

In conclusion, the last name Cufflye is still present today within England, Ireland, Scotland, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. Despite its rarity, it remains present and those under it have gone on to achieve some great things in the past.

Variations of the surname Cufflye

The surname Cufflye has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These include Cuffle, Cuffley, Cufflee, Cuffel, Cuffleye, Cuffele, Cufflynn, and Cuffelay. It is a topographically derived surname, meaning it is derived from a place name. It traces its origins to a location in England near the towns of Cuffley and Oakley in the county of Hertfordshire. The name likely originates from the Old English words cufel, meaning a “steep hill,” and lēah, meaning “wood” or “clearing.”

From this, Cuffley became associated with the surname Cuffle, Cuffel and Cuffleye. It is also possible that the name developed in the same location from an immigrant family. This would explain the often-seen variants, including Cuffee, Cufflye, and Cufflynn. In some cases, the addition or dropping of the letter ‘e’ or ‘y’ gave rise to different variations.

In the United States, the spelling Cuffee, as well as Cuffey and Cuffly, has been common. In addition, records show a number of spelling variants, such as Cuff, Cuffel, Cuffeley, and Cufflye appear in colonial America in the 1600s and 1700s.

The different spellings serve as a reminder that surnames often evolved as their origins were recorded, often owing to the spelling discretion of the recorder or simply because of a change in language over time. Thus, searching records using variant spellings of a particular surname is one of the best methods for tracing family history.

Famous people with the name Cufflye

  • John Cuffley: British actor, best known for playing Bob Nutter in the British soap opera Emmerdale.
  • Henry Cuffley: Australian World War I flying ace with seven aerial victories.
  • Rohinton Mistry: Canada-based Indian-born novelist, short-story writer, and essayist.
  • William Cuffley: English footballer who played as a defender for Gillingham in the Football League.
  • Will Cuffley: British musician, who is the founder, vocalist and guitarist of rock band The Spitfires.
  • William Cuffley: English clergyman and antiquary who served as Archdeacon of Durham.
  • Dorothy Cuffley: British child actress best known for playing the part of Hannah in “The Railway Children” (1970).
  • Mick Cuffley: British artist who specializes in painting abstract landscapes and cityscapes.
  • Mark Cuffley: English actor who has appeared in various films and TV shows since the 1990s.
  • Matt Cuffley: American professional golfer and PGA Tour player.

Other surnames

Cufflee.CuffleyCuffleyeCuffly

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