MacDuff Family Crest & Name History

MacDuff is how some branches of the Duff family came to write their name. The family name meaning is “Black, dark”, the same as for Duff. The Mac in front of the name is a particle that was often added to Duff in records. Before spelling was standardised, one family could appear under several forms.

MacDuff ranked 41,799 in the 2010 US Census, with 520 people answering to the name. It sits among the 50,000 most common last names in the country.

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Duff surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon. Want more than a summary? See the MacDuff family name pack.