Midkiff
An American surname most likely from a place-name or local nickname, with a form that has been reshaped over time in English-speaking North America.
The #7,366 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 68,261 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Midkiff is best understood as an English-language surname that probably began as a place-based or topographic name. The first element looks like "mid," meaning "middle," while the second may reflect an older English word or place-name element that has been altered by dialect and spelling change over time. Because the name is relatively rare and appears mainly in the United States, its exact root is uncertain, and it may represent a localized surname that was later standardized in different ways.
History
The surname is found chiefly in the United States, especially in the South and Appalachian regions, which fits the pattern of many English-derived surnames that became established in early colonial and frontier communities. Like many rare surnames, Midkiff shows spelling variation in records, and its modern form may reflect phonetic simplification rather than a single fixed medieval spelling. It is not among the common British surnames that preserve an obvious occupational or patronymic meaning, so its history is more regional than aristocratic or widely documented.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because the name is uncommon, small spelling shifts in census and county records can make Midkiff families look more numerous or more scattered than they really are.