Green’s Dictionary of Slang

haughty, arrogant.

1859		F. Francis Newton Dogvane (1888) 218: Everything was very toplofty in the landlord and waiters’ parts [OED].
1866		Alloa Advertiser 29 Sept. 2/3: [Q]ualities [...] which he [...] holds in top-lofty contempt.
1879		N. Wilts Herald 13 Sept. 6/1: ‘Aw, it is not to be wondered at,’ remarked Mr. Toplofty, as he adjusted his eyeglass, ‘sea-bathing has grown anpopulah because, you see —aw— the vulgah herd took to the watah, and it has become vewy much soiled’.
1886		Dundee Courier 15 Mar. 4/4: High excitement in top-lofty society.
1890		Preston Chron. (Lancs.) 8 Nov. 7/7: She is awfully top-lofty and airish.
1900		Leicester Chron. 21 July 10/1: This top-lofty air aggravated the assistant.
1903		Manchester Eve. News 6 Apr. 6/1: A very top-lofty finishing establishment abroad.
1917		S. Lewis Job 298: I’ve stood just about all I’m going to stand of your top-lofty independence and business airs.
1920		S. Lewis Main Street (1921) 4: These college chumps make me tired. They’re so top-lofty.
1931		W.N. Burns One-Way Ride 143: Because of these aspirations, which seemed a trifle top-lofty for a young racketeer of his caliber, Samoots was sometimes referred to as ‘the man who would be king.’.
1936		(con. 1830s–60s) ‘Miles Franklin’ All That Swagger 111: Mrs Fullwood was a rag, but old mother Delacy had started to be top-lofty.