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Origins of the Taylor surname

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What does the name Taylor mean?

An Anglo-French occupational surname, Taylor is thought to have arrived through the Norman occupation, derived from the Old French 'tailleur' (cutter of cloth) or English 'tailor'. The surname Taylor is common across the British Isles (fourth most common in the UK overall - fifth most common in England) and other countries traditionally colonised by the British, though far less common in Ireland (where it mostly exists only in Northern Ireland - potentially brought over by English and Scottish settlers). Taylor can sometimes be found as an anglicised version of the German word 'Schneider', a direct translation of the same term.

Alternative variations of the name Taylor

Taylor, Taylour, Tayler, Taller, Telfer

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Where do most Taylors live?

In 1921, most Taylors lived in London.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Taylors

How common is your surname?

5th most common surname in the UK

We have 1,940,000 records for the Taylor surname. The oldest one dates back to 1220.

Who were Taylors most likely to marry?

Smiths

&

Joneses

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Taylors.

What are the most common Taylor first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Taylor family members

Common jobs for Taylors

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Taylors in 1921
Dressmaker

8,014

Cotton Weaver

7,386

Domestic Servant

4,728

Laundress

4,452

General Servant Domestic

3,953

Common Male occupations for Taylors in 1921
Coal Miner

7,712

Agricultural Labourer

7,393

General Labourer

7,050

Farmer

5,582

Farm Labourer

4,357

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Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

We found over 1,200,000 family trees with the Taylor surname

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