Surname Duffin - Meaning and Origin
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Duffin: What does the surname Duffin mean?
The last name Duffin originates from an Irish surname, which was derived from the old Gaelic name Ó Dubhshláine. This translates to “descendant of Dubshláine”, and was of a noble family from the midlands and south-west of Ireland. It was often Anglicised to Duffin or MacDubhslaine.
The Duffins were a branch of the powerful O'Connors of Connaught, and trace their ancestry to the Cinel Dubhsláine, who were a sept of the Southern O'Connors. It is believed that the sept spread out from the region near Galway, during the Middle Ages, with some eventually becoming established in County Wexford in the East of Ireland.
Today the surname is still found throughout Ireland, particularly in counties Wexford, Galway and Dublin as well as around the world, but especially in Australia where many emigrated during and after World War II. The Duffins were a family of landed gentry, and although most of their estates were taken during the plantations of the late 16th century, a few remained in the original families.
Generally the name is associated with honour, respectability and loyalty, with a Duffin still acting as the Clan Chief of the family.
Order DNA origin analysisDuffin: Where does the name Duffin come from?
The last name Duffin is commonly found throughout much of England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, and the United States. In England, it is especially prevalent in the counties of Lancashire, Warwickshire, and Devon. In Scotland, records of the last name can be found in Argyll & Bute and Stirling. In Ireland, records indicate the Duffin surname is most prominent within the counties of Wicklow and Fingal. Canada and the United States also have records of the Duffin surname, especially in Nova Scotia, Alberta, and Arizona.
In addition to the regions above, records have shown instances of the Duffin surname in other countries including Australia, Germany, Jamaica, and India. While those instances are quite rare, it is clear that the last name Duffin is far from exclusive to certain countries and continues to spread around the world. In recent years, the surname has become quite popular in several areas due to immigration.
In conclusion, the last name Duffin is quite common throughout much of England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, the United States, and other countries around the world. It is likely to become even more prevalent in the coming years due to migration patterns.
Variations of the surname Duffin
The surname Duffin has various spellings and variants that can be found in different countries around the world. In the United Kingdom, variants of Duffin include Dufin, Duffen, Duffing, Duffan, Dufan, Duffun, Duffinn, Duffing and Dufan.
In Ireland the surname is mainly spelled as Duffy, O’Duffy or Duffey. In Scotland, the surname can be found as Duffin or Duffy. In The United States, the surname is variously spelled as Duffin, Duffy, Dufin, Duffen, Duffey, Duffing, Duffan, Duffun, Duffinn, Duffing and Dufan.
Similar surnames that share the same origin as Duffin include Macduffin, Macduffen, McDuff, and Macduffie. These surnames are principally used in Scotland.
Other related surnames which originated as diminutive forms of the surname Duffin include Duffield, Duffett, Duffin, Duffney, Duffin, Duffield, Duffet, Duffent and Duffon.
In some cases, the surname Macduffin has evolved into variants such as Duffen, Duffin and Duffan. The surnames Macduffen and Macduff have also grown into Duffen, Macduffie, Duffin and Duffan.
Hence, the surname Duffin can be found in numerous spellings, variants and surnames all around the world that come from the same origin.
Famous people with the name Duffin
- Haylie Duffin: American actress, singer and songwriter.
- Dermot Duffin: Australian athletics coach and former Olympic sprinter.
- Niall Duffin: Irish professional footballer who plays for the League of Ireland Premier Division side Drogheda United.
- Tom Duffin: American rock singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.
- Patrick Duffin: Irish artist and sculptor whose works have been exhibited in international galleries.
- Eamonn Duffin: Irish professional boxer who is the current Eire heavyweight champion.
- Adam Duffin: Canadian retired professional ice hockey player who had a 10 year playing career in the NHL.
- Beth Duffin: British actor, best known for her role as Amanda in the 2019 comedy-drama series Flack.
- Leigh Anne Duffin: American voice actress who provided the voice of Disla in the award-winning video game Breath of the Wild.
- Adam Duffin Bardsley: American mixed martial artist, competing in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.