Explore the Family Name Cunniff
The meaning of Cunniff
Irish (Mayo and Roscommon): shortened form of McCunniff, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Conduibh ‘son of Condubh’ (earlier Cú Dhubh), a personal name meaning ‘black hound’. This is just one of several Anglicized forms that also include McAdoo and McNiff.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Cunniff in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Cunniff has seen a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 16,411 in popularity, dropping to 17,258 by 2010 – a change of -5.16%. The number of individuals with this surname, however, increased slightly from 1,615 in 2000 to 1,641 in 2010, representing a 1.61% increase. The proportion per 100,000 people saw a small decline from 0.6 to 0.56 over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #16,411 | #17,258 | -5.16% |
| Count | 1,615 | 1,641 | 1.61% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.6 | 0.56 | -6.67% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Cunniff
In terms of ethnicity, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the majority of individuals with the Cunniff surname identified as White in both 2000 and 2010, accounting for 96.10% and 96.40% respectively. The representation of Asian/Pacific Islander among the Cunniffs decreased substantially from 0.87% to 0.43%, while those who identified with two or more races saw an increase from 0.56% to 0.67%. People identifying as Hispanic within this surname group also rose slightly from 1.98% to 2.13%. No individuals with the surname Cunniff identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.1% | 96.4% | 0.31% |
| Hispanic | 1.98% | 2.13% | 7.58% |
| Two or More Races | 0.56% | 0.67% | 19.64% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.87% | 0.43% | -50.57% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |