Clifton

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Clifton

Gender: Masculine
Language: English
Etymology:
Clifton comes from an English surname meaning “Cliff Town.” It would to refer to someone who lived in a town near a cliff.

History:

Clifton the surname first began appearing as a first name in the late 19th century. It’s popularity seems to be linked to the popularity of the similar name Clifford.

Originally, it would have been bestowed upon sons as either a first or a middle name in order to honor the Clifton surname. For example, a woman named Mary Clifton who married a man named John Smith, may name her son John Clifton Smith, or merely Clifton Smith. Or a man wishing to honor General Tom Clifton may name his son Tom Clifton Johnson, or Clifton Johnson.

Pronunciation: clif-ton.

Diminutives: Cliff.

Alternates: Cliftun, Clyffton, Clyftun.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Clifton E. Pugh (1924-1990)
Australian artist.
Clifton Chenier (1925-1985)
American composer.

Educators, Scholar, and Social Workers:
Clifton Fadiman (1904-1994)
American editor.

Military:
Clifton Sprague (1896-1955)
American naval officer.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.050 % of males named Clifton
0.011 % surnamed Clifton

Popularity of Clifton:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1850: 246th most popular.
1875: 165th most popular.
1880: 273rd most popular.
1881: 245th most popular.
1882: 231st most popular.
1883: 324th most popular.
1884: 269th most popular.
1885: 220th most popular.
1886: 262nd most popular.
1887: 244th most popular.
1888: 219th most popular.
1889: 217th most popular.
1890: 219th most popular.
1891: 161st most popular.
1892: 214th most popular.
1893: 193rd most popular.
1894: 165th most popular.
1895: 169th most popular.
1896: 168th most popular.
1897: 194th most popular.
1898: 186th most popular.
1899: 160th most popular.
1900: 190th most popular.
1901: 154th most popular.
1902: 156th most popular.
1903: 159th most popular.
1904: 164th most popular.
1905: 165th most popular.
1906: 174th most popular.
1907: 171st most popular.
1908: 162nd most popular.
1909: 158th most popular.
1910: 168th most popular.
1911: 163rd most popular.
1912: 147th most popular.
1913: 149th most popular.
1914: 150th most popular.
1915: 144th most popular. - Peak!
1916: 156th most popular.
1917: 159th most popular.
1918: 152nd most popular.
1919: 152nd most popular.
1920: 156th most popular.
1921: 160th most popular.
1922: 169th most popular.
1923: 166th most popular.
1924: 172nd most popular.
1925: 170th most popular.
1926: 165th most popular.
1927: 163rd most popular.
1928: 183rd most popular.
1929: 179th most popular.
1930: 181st most popular.
1931: 189th most popular.
1932: 182nd most popular.
1933: 178th most popular.
1934: 189th most popular.
1935: 196th most popular.
1936: 195th most popular.
1937: 193rd most popular.
1938: 197th most popular.
1939: 193rd most popular.
1940: 202nd most popular.
1941: 202nd most popular.
1942: 199th most popular.
1943: 188th most popular.
1944: 197th most popular.
1945: 200th most popular.
1946: 213th most popular.
1947: 204th most popular.
1948: 205th most popular.
1949: 204th most popular.
1950: 200th most popular.
1951: 209th most popular.
1952: 216th most popular.
1953: 218th most popular.
1954: 215th most popular.
1955: 227th most popular.
1956: 232nd most popular.
1957: 235th most popular.
1958: 250th most popular.
1959: 262nd most popular.
1960: 271st most popular.
1961: 269th most popular.
1962: 262nd most popular.
1963: 273rd most popular.
1964: 266th most popular.
1965: 287th most popular.
1966: 277th most popular.
1967: 279th most popular.
1968: 281st most popular.
1969: 292nd most popular.
1970: 300th most popular.
1971: 303rd most popular.
1972: 297th most popular.
1973: 313th most popular.
1974: 257th most popular.
1975: 186th most popular.
1976: 232nd most popular.
1977: 247th most popular.
1978: 242nd most popular.
1979: 266th most popular.
1980: 269th most popular.
1981: 272nd most popular.
1982: 285th most popular.
1983: 317th most popular.
1984: 304th most popular.
1985: 317th most popular.
1986: 326th most popular.
1987: 350th most popular.
1988: 382nd most popular.
1989: 413th most popular.
1990: 486th most popular.
1991: 511th most popular.
1992: 556th most popular.
1993: 598th most popular.
1994: 654th most popular.
1995: 684th most popular.
1996: 711th most popular.
1997: 725th most popular.
1998: 693rd most popular.
1999: 754th most popular.
2000: 749th most popular.
2001: 823rd most popular.
2002: 988th most popular.
2003: 955th most popular.
2004: N/A

Selected Sources:
A Dictionary of First Names, Hanks and Hodges, 1990
The Penguin Dictionary of First Names, Pickering, 1999
A Dictionary of English Surnames, Reaney and Wilson, 1990

The Social Security Administration Actuarial Note 139 (www.ssa.gov) - For popularity stats 1880-Present
The 1880 U.S. Census- For popularity stats 1850-1880, and other information (it is available on-line at www.familysearch.org)