Is Cliff short for anything?
Yes. Cliff is a nickname in most old records, and it usually points to Clifford. Less often it stands in for Clifton. Expect it in American and British records, mostly 1800s-1900s. A record that says Cliff and a record that says Clifford can easily be the same person, so search both names before you rule anyone out.
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FAQs
Is Cliff a nickname?+
In old records, almost always - it stands for Clifford or Clifton. Treat it as a pointer to a formal name until the documents prove otherwise.
Is Cliff a real name on its own?+
It mostly rode on Clifford in the eras we track (1800s-1900s). If your ancestor's papers only ever say Cliff, record it as written and keep Clifford as a candidate.
How does this nickname lookup work?+
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