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

Tahay, 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 Tahay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tahay in America

Tahay is the 121590th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tahay surname appeared 142 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 Tahay.

The history of the last name Tahay

The surname TAHAY has its origins in England, emerging in the medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "tah," which meant "tough" or "hardy," referring to a person's physical strength or resilient nature. Alternatively, some scholars suggest it may have originated from a place name, perhaps a variant spelling of a town or region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, a census-like record from 1273, where a Richard Tahay is listed as a landowner. This suggests the name was already established by that time. Additionally, the Placita de Quo Warranto, a legal document from 1292, mentions a John Tahay in connection with a land dispute.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the TAHAY surname was William Tahay, a merchant and alderman in the city of London. He is recorded as having served as the Sheriff of London in 1368 and played a prominent role in the city's governance during that era.

During the 15th century, the name appears to have spread across various regions of England. In the Yorkshire Deeds of 1446, a Thomas Tahay is mentioned in relation to a property transaction. Similarly, in the Cornwall Feet of Fines from 1477, a Robert Tahay is listed as a party in a land conveyance.

One of the more notable individuals with the TAHAY surname was Sir John Tahay, a military commander who served in the Wars of the Roses during the latter half of the 15th century. He is recorded as having fought alongside Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, where he was captured by Henry Tudor's forces.

As the name continued to spread throughout England, it also evolved in spelling, with variations like Tahaye, Tahaie, and Tahy appearing in various historical records from the 16th and 17th centuries. These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spellings common in that era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tahay

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

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 Tahay 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.

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

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

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