History of Name
Wiffen Spelt with Variation
Wiffen is an unusual surname representing a small portion of the population. Wiffen is also spelt Wiffin, Whiffin, Whiffen, Whiffyn, Whyffin, Wiffing and Whiffing (and other variations), although Wiffen or Whiffen is the usual spelling in our family documents. Sometimes misspellings and/or mistakes are due to illegible handwriting, such as Whitton confused for Whiffin.
The spelling of Wiffen tends to be consistent in a specific parish during the tenure or life span of the parish priest. Changes in the spelling of Wiffen tend to occur when a family relocates to another parish, or a new priest arrives, or by accidents of handwriting.
\
Within one family tree, the spelling of Wiffen can change across generations. The search for Wiffen ancestors typically begins in 1800 with the spelling “Wiffen,” which in previous generations often was spelt “Whiffin” or “Wiffing.” Documents before 1700 often use an “h” as in Whiffen, and those after 1700 often drop the “h,” but this is a trend and not an absolute rule. How the surname is spelt can help differentiate between Wiffen families at a certain time and in a certain place, but differences in spelling is unreliable analysis across generations.
Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser, 18 Oct 1790
Etymology of Wiffen
The best source on the surname Wiffen is the One Name Study led by Sally Whiffing. Her study includes Whiffen/ Whiffin, Whiffing, Wiffen/Wiffin, and Whyffen/Whiffyn.
The surname Wiffen could be derived from the English surnames of Whife and Whiff, with the variations being diminutives of these roots. Accordingly, etymological arguments suggest that the root of Wiffen is the seventh century word “wif,” meaning woman, which is the base of “wife,” a married woman. Perhaps Wiffen’s counterpart is “husband,” as in a farmer who “husbands” the land. Applying the same logic, “wif,” might suggest a woman or, perhaps a man, who performs the duties of keeping the house. For example, Wiffen could be a nickname for a widower who takes over the role of the wife, as the diminutive form “wif” can be translated as “little wife.” Another plausible translation is “son of Wife,” like other surnames of the same meaning.
Tithe Map (1839) of Wiffen (yellow) and Wood (red) farms
in Latchingdon, Essex
Origin Stories
A few researchers conclude that the surname Wiffen originates in Kent as the earliest entries in church registers seem to be found in Kent, although why this should be so is unclear. As there are many pre-1600 entries of the surname Wiffen in Suffolk and Essex parish records, we might more cautiously generalize that this surname originates on the east coast of England. Who are the Wiffens?
As a personal name, Wiffen might reference Dutch emigrants with the surname of Wijvering whose first wave came to England between 1567 and 1571. They brought to England weaving skills and might have helped drain Fens during the 1630s, although occurrences of Wiffen or Whiffen in the 13th century predate this emigration.1
As a trade name, Wiffen might suggest a Weaver, derived from Wifre, which is a combination of Anglo-Saxon roots of a Weaver, that is, WIF plus WIFARE = Wifre, a weaver. 4Rev. H Barber, British Family Names, their origin and meaning. Elliot Stock, London. 1894
As a place name, Wiffen may suggest a white marsh, a combination of the Old English elements ‘hwit,’ meaning white (i.e., phosphorescent) plus ‘fen,’ meaning marsh or lowlands covered by water. 2
Whiffing is also a term that means catching mackerel with a handline, a west-country term which the Oxford English Dictionary can only date back to the 1830’s.
Special Thanks
Special thanks to Mrs. Sally Wiffing of the One Name Study, whose research and guidance shaped this note on the history of Wiffen.