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.
Taylor, Taylour, Tayler, Taller, Telfer
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Sign up to get startedMen 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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