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

Taff, 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 Taff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Taff in America

Taff is the 14893rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Taff surname appeared 1,987 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Taff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Taff 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 Taff

The surname "Taff" originated in Wales and has its roots in the Welsh language. It is believed to have derived from the Welsh word "taf," which means "river" or "stream." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a river or a stream.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 13th century. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Rhys ap Taff, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Carmarthenshire in 1284. Another early reference is found in the Charters of Margam Abbey, which mentions a person named Ioruard Taff in 1346.

The name "Taff" is also closely associated with the River Taff, which flows through Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The river's name is thought to be derived from the same Welsh word "taf," indicating a possible connection between the surname and the geographic location.

In the 16th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as "Tayff" and "Taf." One notable individual from this period was John Taf, a Welsh poet who lived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He is known for his poetic works in the Welsh language.

Another prominent figure with the surname "Taff" was John Taff, a Welsh clergyman and academic who lived in the 17th century. He was born in 1612 and served as the Bishop of St. Asaph from 1675 until his death in 1695.

In the 18th century, the surname "Taff" gained further recognition with individuals like William Taff (1709-1776), a Welsh clergyman and author. He was known for his works on Welsh history and literature.

During the 19th century, the name became more widespread, and several notable individuals bore the surname "Taff." One such person was John Camillus Taff (1814-1888), an English-born Catholic priest who served in Australia.

Another notable figure from this period was John Taff Davies (1847-1917), a Welsh historian and writer. He wrote extensively on Welsh history and culture, contributing significantly to the preservation of Welsh heritage.

Throughout its history, the surname "Taff" has been closely associated with Wales and the Welsh language. While its origins can be traced back to the 13th century, the name continues to be prevalent in Wales and among people of Welsh descent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Taff

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

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

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

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