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

Taft, 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 Taft surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Taft in America

Taft is the 3933rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Taft surname appeared 9,048 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Taft.

We can also compare 2010 data for Taft 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 Taft

The surname Taft has its origins in England, where it is thought to have derived from the Old English word "toft," which referred to a homestead or a small parcel of land. This name is believed to have emerged in the 11th century or earlier, during the Anglo-Saxon period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Taft can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was already well-established in certain regions of England by the late 11th century.

Throughout the Middle Ages and into the Early Modern period, the Taft surname appeared in various records and documents across different parts of England. It is thought to have originated as a place name, likely referring to individuals who lived near or owned a particular toft or homestead.

The surname Taft has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the earliest was John Taft, who was born in Wiltshire, England, in the late 15th century and served as a member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Robert Taft, an English Puritan who immigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 17th century. He became a respected figure in the colony and served as a deputy to the General Court.

In the 19th century, Alphonso Taft, born in 1810 in Vermont, was a notable lawyer and politician who served as Secretary of War and Attorney General under President Ulysses S. Grant. His son, William Howard Taft, followed in his footsteps and became the 27th President of the United States, serving from 1909 to 1913.

Lorado Taft, born in 1860 in Illinois, was a famous sculptor who created numerous public monuments and memorials across the United States. His works, such as the Fountain of Time in Chicago, are widely celebrated for their artistic merit and historical significance.

While the Taft surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration and migration patterns. Today, it is found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, among others.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Taft

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

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

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

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