2000
#7,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,242
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.57
Rare Last name
Clift
A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a cliff or steep slope.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,526 Americans carry the last name Clift. That puts it at #8,048 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 75,730 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Clift surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Clift with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.5K
1 in 75,730
Census rank
#8,048
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,947 bearers of the surname Clift in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8048th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Clift, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Clift
The surname Clift is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "clif," meaning a steep rock, cliff, or slope. This suggests that the name may have initially been used to identify individuals who lived near or worked in areas with such geographical features.
During the 11th century, the name Clift appeared in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and their holdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This early reference provides evidence of the surname's existence and usage in Anglo-Norman England.
In the 13th century, the name Clift was found in various spellings, such as Clyft, Clyffe, and Clyve, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common during the Middle Ages. These variations often stemmed from regional dialects and the preferences of scribes who recorded the names.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Clift dates back to 1273, when a John Clyft was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire. This document was a census-like survey conducted by King Edward I to assess the wealth and landholdings of his subjects.
Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname Clift. One such figure was Sir Robert Clift (1592-1658), an English politician and landowner who served as a member of Parliament during the reign of King Charles I.
Another prominent bearer of the name was William Clift (1775-1849), an English anatomist and curator at the Hunterian Museum in London. He made significant contributions to the study of comparative anatomy and paleontology.
In the literary world, the name is associated with the acclaimed American actor Montgomery Clift (1920-1966), whose performances in films like "A Place in the Sun" and "From Here to Eternity" earned him critical acclaim.
The surname Clift has also been carried by individuals from various fields, such as John Clift (1761-1840), an English painter known for his landscapes and portraits, and Edward Clift (1923-1986), a British film director and screenwriter best known for his work on the film "A Clockwork Orange."
While the surname Clift may have originated from humble beginnings, referring to those who lived near cliffs or steep slopes, it has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions to various aspects of society throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Clift
Among Census respondents with the surname Clift, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Clift bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Clift surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.0% · 3,474
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 176
- Two or more races3.6% · 144
- Black or African American2.8% · 109
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 22
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 22
Timeline
Historical Census data for Clift
Clift appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,789
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,256
+14 bearers (+0.3%)
Per 100,000 1.44
Rank movement Down 536 places
2020
#8,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,947
-309 bearers (-7.3%)
Per 100,000 1.32
Rank movement Down 259 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,253 | 4,242 | 1.57 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,789 | 4,256 | 1.44 | +14 bearers (+0.3%) | Down 536 places |
| 2020 | #8,048 | 3,947 | 1.32 | -309 bearers (-7.3%) | Down 259 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Clift surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,789 | #8,048 | -3.3% |
| Count | 4,256 | 3,947 | -7.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.44 | 1.32 | -8.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Clift bearers went from 4,256 to 3,947 (-7.3% change). The surname moved down 259 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,789 to #8,048.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Clift
FAQ
Clift surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Clift?
Name Census estimates that about 4,526 living Americans carry the surname Clift. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 75,730 residents.
How common is Clift?
Clift ranks #8,048 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.32 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,947 people with the surname Clift. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,526), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.32 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.32 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Clift.
Has Clift become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Clift went from 4,256 recorded bearers to 3,947. That is a decrease of 309 (-7.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,789 to #8,048.
What does the Census say about the background of Clift?
Among Census respondents with the surname Clift, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Clift in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.0% (3,474 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Clift appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.0%), Hispanic (4.5%), Two or More Races (3.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Clift (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Clift mean?
A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a cliff or steep slope. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Clift (1.32 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Clift?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.