Surname Culduff - Meaning and Origin
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Culduff: What does the surname Culduff mean?
The surname Culduff is believed to have been derived from the Gaelic phrase "cuall deigh fhada" which means "land of the stout one". This may refer to a chieftain or ancestor of strong character who lived in the area. Alternatively, it may be derived from "cuil duibh," meaning "black corner" and referring to a geographical feature of the landscape.
The surname is predominantly found in northern Ireland, with many people bearing the name having descended from County Antrim families. These families are believed to have originated in Scotland, travelling to Ireland with the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century.
Culduff is an anglicized form of the Irish version of the name, which is Ó Cuil Dhuibh. This translates to "descendant of the black corner", and is usually anglicized as Blackwood or Culloden. Bearers of the name may have been associated with trades such as blacksmithing, tailoring, or other metalworking professions that would explain their name.
In some cases, the name Culduff may also be derived from other surnames, such as Cullinan or McCullen, similar to this translation. It is also occasionally seen anglicized as Carmean, Cooduff, Kilduff, and Kilpatrick.
The Culduff name is not all that common, and those with the name today can trace their roots back to a few scattered branches of the same family tree. As such, the bearer of this surname can take pride in their unique heritage and feel a sense of connection to distant relatives, both here and abroad.
Order DNA origin analysisCulduff: Where does the name Culduff come from?
The last name Culduff is of Irish origin, and most prevalent in Ireland today. In fact, a study conducted in 1890 found that Culduff was one of the most common surnames in County Meath in Ireland, and this remains true today.
The Culduff surname is also common in parts of the United Kingdom, particularly Northern Ireland. Reports from the mid-1900s show that the most Culduff families were living in County Armagh at that time, and the name has since spread to other counties. In England, Culduff is most prevalent in the northwest of the country, particularly within the cities of Liverpool and Manchester.
In the United States, the surname remains quite uncommon. Records show that the surname was brought over by Irish immigrants in the 1700s, but is not particularly widely spread across the country today. Despite this, occurrences of the surname are found across the entire country, with the two states where it is most common being Pennsylvania and New York.
It is clear that the Culduff surname is most common in Ireland today, and still remains quite rare in the United States. It is likely that the presence of the name will continue to spread worldwide over the coming years as families move around the world.
Variations of the surname Culduff
The surname Culduff is thought to be of Irish origin. The earliest record of this surname can be traced back to the 1600s in County Londonderry in northern Ireland, and it is thought to be derived from the Gaelic Mac Dhuibhshíth, which translates to son of Duibhshíth. Over the centuries, the surname has taken on several different variants and spellings. Today, some of the most commonly used variants include MacDuff, MacDuffie, MacDhuibhshíth and MacDhuibhsíth.
Less common variants and spellings that have their roots in the original surname include Calduff, Caulduff, Cauluff, Culduff, Culruff, MacDuffey, McDufe, McDuffee, McDuife, MacDuffy, MacDuffie, McDuffey, McDuffie, McDuiff, Minzeff and Muffett.
Surnames that are thought to be derived from the original surname of Culduff are Cauldwell, Cawdwell, Coffey, Cowdill, Dowdall, Dowdell, Duffy and MacCowell.
In conclusion, the original surname of Culduff has many different variants, spellings and derived surnames. These can be useful for tracing genealogy and discovering more about one’s family history.
Famous people with the name Culduff
- Marisa Culduff: an American actress and singer.
- Lou Culduff: a former NHL player.
- John Culduff: a Catholic clergyman in the late 19th century.
- Bill Culduff: a photographer and publisher in the early 20th century.
- Matt Culduff: American football coach.
- Donna Culduff: a Broadway actress in the 1950s and 1960s.
- Greg Culduff: American Olympic team wrestler in 1968.
- Steven Culduff: a painter and sculptor from the late 20th century and early 2000s.
- Richard Culduff: a mathematician and pediatrician who held prominent positions in the MacKinnon Institute for Mathematics in the early 19th century.
- Jim Culduff: an American politician from Oregon.
- Tom Culduff: a prominent American chemist in the early 20th century.
- Marta Culduff: an American painter and illustrator from the mid 20th century.
- Robert Culduff, Jr.: a film and television director from the late 20th century and early 2000s.
- Will Culduff: an American actor from the late 20th century and early 2000s.
- Chris Culduff: a British jazz musician and composer from the early 21st century.
- Fraser Culduff: an Australian racing driver from the early 21st century.
- Michael Culduff: an American writer and professor from the early 21st century.
- Jack Culduff: an American illustrator and comic book artist from the early 21st century.