Cliffe

Cliffe is a toponym used in England for several places and is also found as a surname. The name derives from the Old English clif, meaning a cliff, bank, or slope, and typically denotes a settlement located on or near a coastal cliff, riverbank, or escarpment.

The best-known Cliffe is a village and civil parish in Kent, located on the Hoo Peninsula in the Medway area of south-east England. The locality sits on marshy terrain near the River Medway and the Thames estuary, and the surrounding landscape includes tidal flats and rural farmland. A prominent landmark associated with the area is Cliffe Fort, a 19th-century coastal defence fort that remains a notable feature of the local heritage.

There are other places named Cliffe in England as well, including smaller hamlets and historic references, sometimes appearing in compound forms such as Cliffe Woods. In some cases, the name appears in parish or estate names rather than as an independent village.

Because several places share the name, references to Cliffe are typically disambiguated by noting the county or nearby towns. In addition to its geographic uses, Cliffe remains encountered as a surname and in historical land and property names, reflecting its toponymic origins.