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

Taapken, 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 Taapken surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Taapken in America

Taapken is the 150452nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Taapken surname appeared 109 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 Taapken.

We can also compare 2010 data for Taapken 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 Taapken

The surname Taapken is of German origin, first appearing in records around the 16th century in the northern regions of what is now modern-day Germany. It is believed to have derived from the Low German word "tapp," meaning "tap" or "faucet," suggesting an occupational link to those who worked with taps or water sources.

Variations of the spelling, such as "Tappen" and "Tappken," can be found in early census records and parish registers across northern Germany, particularly in areas like Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg. The name's earliest recorded instance is believed to be in a baptismal record from the town of Lübeck in 1542, listing one Hans Taapken.

In the 17th century, the Taapken name appeared in the records of the Hanseatic League, a powerful commercial confederation of merchant guilds and market towns across northern Europe. This suggests that some Taapkens may have been involved in trade or craft activities associated with the League during this era.

One notable early bearer of the name was Johann Taapken, a master carpenter born in 1623 in the town of Wismar, who is credited with overseeing the construction of several prominent buildings in the region, including the Alte Wache (Old Guard House) in Rostock, completed in 1675.

Moving into the 18th century, the Taapken name can be found in various records from the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, including a mention of a Claus Taapken, a farmer from the village of Klocksdorf, in the 1783 land registry.

During the 19th century, several Taapkens left Germany and emigrated to other parts of the world, including North America. One such individual was Friedrich Taapken, born in 1821 in Itzehoe, Schleswig-Holstein, who settled in Wisconsin, United States, in 1848.

Throughout its history, the Taapken surname has remained relatively uncommon, with only a handful of notable bearers over the centuries. However, its origins and evolution reflect the rich tapestry of German culture, trade, and artisanry across northern Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Taapken

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

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 Taapken 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 Taapken 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 Taapken was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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