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Updated June 9, 2019

Family name origins & meanings

  • German and Swiss German : from Middle High German neve ‘nephew’ (later rather broader in application, rather like cousin in English), hence probably a distinguishing name for a close relation or familiar of a prominent personage.
  • Dutch : variant of Neve, cognate with 1.
  • Jewish (Ashkenazic) : from German Neffe ‘nephew’.
  • Reduced form of Irish McNeff (see McNiff).

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