Griffin Name History
Griffin Irish Name History
Griffin is a surname of primarily Irish 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.
The surname "Griffin" has two primary Gaelic sources in Ireland, which pertain to the towns of Ballygriffey in Co. Clare, and Ballygriffin in Co. Cork.
The spelling "Ó Gríofa" (male) / "Ní Ghríofa" (female) is associated with the Co. Clare family, whose surname was also anglicised as "O'Griffey" or "Griffey". "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 Grifín" (male) / "Ní Ghrifín" (female) spelling belongs to the Kerry family.
In Ireland, the name can also be associated with the Welsh surname "Griffith", but to a much lesser degree.
Learn more about the Griffin name
The Framed Irish Family Name History, (#1760) has more information on the Griffin surname. There is a wide selection of Griffin coat of arms products at The Irish Rose. Please visit the Irish Coat of Arms page.
Is there a Griffin Pub in Ireland?
There are at least two Griffin Pubs in Ireland. Be sure to visit one or both on your next trip over.
- Griffin's Bar, Connemara in County Galway
- James Griffin Pub in Trim, County Meath
If you can't visit in person, our personalized Griffin's Pub gifts are the next best thing!
Notable people named Griffin
A
- Adrian Griffin (born 1974), American basketball player
- Alan Griffin (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
- Anthony Griffin, Australian rugby league football coach
- Anthony Jerome Griffin (1866–1935), American politician
- Archie Griffin (born 1954), American football player
- Arthur Joseph Griffin (born 1988), American baseball player
B
- Bartholomew Griffin (died 1602), English poet
- Becky Griffin (born 1977), Israeli model and actress
- Bessie Griffin (1922-1989), American Gospel singer
- Blake Griffin (born 1989), American basketball player
- Brian C. Griffin (born 1953), American businessman & administrator
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, British singer
- 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 (born 1977), Northern Ireland footballer
- David Ray Griffin (born 1939), philosopher, theologian, and proponent of 9/11 conspiracy theories
- Des Griffin, American conspiracy theorist
- Donald Griffin (1915-2003), American Zoologist
- Doug Griffin (born 1947), American baseball player
E
- Eddie Griffin, African-American actor and comedian
- Eddie Griffin (basketball)
- Edgar Griffin, British politician
F
- Forrest Griffin (born 1979), American MMA fighter
- Francis Vielé-Griffin (1864–1937), French poet
G
- G. Edward Griffin (born 1931), American film producer, publisher, author and lecturer
- Gavin Griffin (born 1981), American poker player
- Geoffrey Griffin (cricketer)
H
- A. Harry Griffin, journalist and mountaineer
- Harry Griffin (cricketer), English cricketer
- Hawley Griffin, the variant from The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
I
- Ian P. Griffin, British Astronomer
J
- Jane Griffin (Lady Franklin)
- John Griffin Griffin, name used by John Griffin Whitwell, 4th Baron Howard de Walden
K
- Kathy Griffin, American comedian
- Kelsey Griffin (born 1987), American basketball player
- Kenneth W. Griffin (1909–1956), American organist
- Kenneth C. Griffin, hedge fund manager and Forbes 400 member
L
- Lois Griffin (Toronto politician)
M
- Marion Mahony Griffin
- Merv Griffin (1925–2007), entertainer, talk show host, and creator of the television game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune
- Michael D. Griffin, the 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. Father Griffins GAA club in the Irish city of Galway is named after him.
- Montell Griffin, professional boxer
- Morgan Griffin, professional actress starred in Nickelodeon show The Sleepover Club Series 2 as Charlie Anderson
N
- Nick Griffin (born 1959), former chairman of the British National Party
- Nikki Griffin (born 1978), American actress
- Nonnie Griffin (born 1933), Canadian stage actress
P
- Patty Griffin (born 1964), American singer-songwriter
- Paul Griffen (born 1975), New Zealand-born Italian rugby player
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
S
- S. A. Griffin (born 1954), American poet & actor
- Samuel Griffin (1746-1810), American lawyer & politician
- Sandy Griffin (1858-1926), American baseball 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
- Thomas Griffin (born 2003) awesome person
- Tyson Griffin (born 1984), American martial artist
- Todd Griffin, American musician
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