Find out how popular the last name Taaffe is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Taaffe.

Taaffe, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Taaffe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Taaffe in America

Taaffe is the 35537th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Taaffe surname appeared 633 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Taaffe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Taaffe to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Taaffe

The surname Taaffe is believed to have originated in Ireland. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "táthfadh," which means "to kindle" or "to light a fire." This name likely referred to an occupation or a role related to lighting fires or tending hearths.

The earliest recorded instances of the Taaffe surname date back to the 12th century in County Louth, Ireland. The name is thought to have been initially associated with the Barony of Gallen in County Mayo, where the Taaffe family held lands and wielded significant influence.

One of the earliest documented references to the Taaffe name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals mention a notable figure named Hugh Taaffe, who was a distinguished military leader and Chief of the Name during the 16th century.

Throughout history, several individuals with the Taaffe surname have achieved prominence. One notable example is Theobald Taaffe (c. 1590-1677), an Irish Catholic soldier and landowner who fought for the Spanish Crown during the Thirty Years' War. He rose to the rank of Field Marshal and was granted the titles of Count of Carlingford and Earl of Carlingford by King Philip IV of Spain.

Another prominent figure was Nicholas Taaffe (c. 1677-1769), an Irish Catholic landowner and politician who served as the 6th Viscount Taaffe of Corren. He was a member of the Irish House of Lords and played a significant role in Irish politics during the 18th century.

In the 19th century, John Taaffe (1786-1856), an Irish-born Australian landowner and politician, made his mark. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council and played a significant role in the early development of the colony.

The Taaffe surname has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Taaffe's Castle in County Louth and Taaffe's Rock in County Mayo. These locations likely derived their names from the Taaffe family's historical presence and landholdings in those areas.

While the Taaffe surname originated in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration and migration. However, its roots can be traced back to the ancient Irish Gaelic language and the occupation or role of tending fires.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Taaffe

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Taaffe.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Taaffe was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Taaffe has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Taaffe was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Taaffe, please contact us.

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