Taylor Surname

Meaning and origin of the surname Taylor

Occupational surname for a maker of garments, derived from Anglo-Norman French taillour, from Old French taillier ('to cut'), ultimately from Late Latin taliator.

Historically and linguistically, Taylor belongs to the English and French family of surnames. It is conventionally pronounced "TAY-lər".

United States Census frequency and ranking

In the official 2010 United States Census, Taylor was recorded 751,209 times, ranking as the 17th most common surname in the nation.

This represents an incidence rate of approximately 254.67 bearers per 100,000 Americans, or roughly 1 out of every 393 residents.

Race and ethnicity distribution

According to official decennial Census genealogy microdata, individuals bearing the surname Taylorreported the following racial and ethnic affiliations in the 2010 US Census:

Source: US Census Bureau, 2010 Census Surnames Data. Percentages may not sum to exactly 100% due to independent rounding or suppression of small cell counts for privacy protection.

History of the surname Taylor

Taylor is an occupational surname denoting a tailor or cutter of cloth. The term was introduced to England by the Normans after the Conquest of 1066, originating from Anglo-Norman taillour and Old French taillier ('to cut cloth'), derived from Late Latin taliare. The occupational distinction was crucial in medieval society, separating skilled artisans who cut and fitted bespoke garments from weavers and fullers who produced cloth.

The surname is documented early across English county records, with Walter le Taillur appearing in the Somerset Pipe Rolls of 1182 and William le Taillour recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1273. Because tailors were indispensable in virtually every market town and manor in England and Scotland, the name arose independently in hundreds of unconnected localities. It crossed to the American colonies during the Great Migration of the seventeenth century.

In the 2010 United States Census, Taylor ranked as the 17th most frequent surname in the country, with 751,209 recorded bearers. Approximately 65 percent of American Taylors identified as White and 28 percent as Black or African American. It is borne by prominent historical figures including Zachary Taylor, the 12th President of the United States.

Notable people with the surname Taylor

• Taylor Swift (1989–), American singer-songwriter and record-breaking artist
• Taylor Lautner (1992–), American actor known for the Twilight saga
• Taylor Fritz (1997–), American professional tennis player
• Taylor Kinney (1981–), American actor and model