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ArchivesRe: McGriff
in reply to a message by SAM
There is an Irish surname MagRiabhaigh, which becomes McGreevy in the English language. This might be another version, but I don't feel confident about it. This has the look of one of those mangled Galloway names, but it isn't listed in Black's "Surnames of Scotland" or Johnstone's "Scottish Macs".
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There is a surname McNiff, which appears to have its origin in Galloway, South-West Scotland. There the surname McNeill sometimes became McGreal, McNaughton became McCracken. See where this is leading? McNiff to McGriff - why not? It's a possibility.
McNiff, according to Black (Surnames of Scotland), is probably the same as the Irish MacCondhuibh, englished as McAniff, Coniff and Cuniff. Condhuibh is the genitive form of Cudubh, meaning "black hound".
McNiff, according to Black (Surnames of Scotland), is probably the same as the Irish MacCondhuibh, englished as McAniff, Coniff and Cuniff. Condhuibh is the genitive form of Cudubh, meaning "black hound".
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I agree, it probably is a change in the spelling.
In Irish surnames it is fairly common for an R to be put changable with N. Hence MacCracken/MacNaughton.
There are Irish surnames Grifferty - which is a variant of Crifferty (G/C) and (Ó) Griffin/Griffey meaning "griffen-like" from the Irish surname Ó Gríobhtha. I suppose it could be related in someway to either of those surnames but MacNiff sounds quite likely especially if it is found as Coniff, Cuniff seeing as if you swap the n for and r and c for a g (which is common practice) then you get a very similar name.
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In Irish surnames it is fairly common for an R to be put changable with N. Hence MacCracken/MacNaughton.
There are Irish surnames Grifferty - which is a variant of Crifferty (G/C) and (Ó) Griffin/Griffey meaning "griffen-like" from the Irish surname Ó Gríobhtha. I suppose it could be related in someway to either of those surnames but MacNiff sounds quite likely especially if it is found as Coniff, Cuniff seeing as if you swap the n for and r and c for a g (which is common practice) then you get a very similar name.
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"Many of our researchers believe the "McGriff" name is dervived from McGriffin, McGriffor, McGriffer, McGrigger, McGriffy, etc. The name was probably changed and shortened due to various reasons such as illiteracy (common at that time), heavy accents, and general sloppiness. At that time and place a surname wasn't treated with the same sense of importance or stature that it is today. The census and/or tithetakers (usually vestrymen) were assigned by the parish for the task of going house to house in a specific geographical area to list occupants and collect tithes (taxes), which was usually tobacco to generate and maintain funds for the nearest parish. These people would simply write down the name they think they heard "phonically" from the occupant, or if the occupant wasn't home they wrote down what a neighbor thought his name was, therefore McGriffer became McGiff, McGuffin, McGuffog, McGriger, Megruff, Magiff, etc.
The earliest and closest spelling to "McGriff" is that of a John McGriffer who qualitfied to be a constable in Halifax County in 1754 .The first recorded "McGriff "spelling for now was a land record of John on the borders of Snow Creek, Halifax County in December of 1765. It seems based on records that the consistent spelling of "McGriff"came to be just prior to the Revolutionary War in the early 1770's. But there are numerous variations of our name found well into the 1800's.
By Stuart McGriff, Ludlow, Kentucky
August 2004"
The earliest and closest spelling to "McGriff" is that of a John McGriffer who qualitfied to be a constable in Halifax County in 1754 .The first recorded "McGriff "spelling for now was a land record of John on the borders of Snow Creek, Halifax County in December of 1765. It seems based on records that the consistent spelling of "McGriff"came to be just prior to the Revolutionary War in the early 1770's. But there are numerous variations of our name found well into the 1800's.
By Stuart McGriff, Ludlow, Kentucky
August 2004"
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