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

Tapaha, 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 Tapaha surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tapaha in America

Tapaha is the 73464th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tapaha surname appeared 264 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 Tapaha.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tapaha 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 Tapaha

The surname "TAPAHA" is of Native American origin, specifically from the Seminole tribe of Florida. It is derived from the Muskogean language spoken by the Seminoles, and is believed to have emerged during the late 17th or early 18th century.

The Seminoles were a Native American tribe formed in Florida by Creek people who had migrated from the Southeast, as well as other Native American groups. The name "TAPAHA" is thought to be related to the Muskogean word "tapahawa," which means "to be scattered" or "to be dispersed." This may have been a reference to the dispersed nature of the Seminole tribe at the time.

One of the earliest known references to the surname "TAPAHA" can be found in the records of the Second Seminole War, which took place from 1835 to 1842. A prominent Seminole leader named Micanopy, whose birth name was Tapaha-Hadjo, played a significant role in this conflict against the United States.

During the late 19th century, a Seminole man named John TAPAHA was mentioned in the records of the Indian Territory (now Oklahoma), where many Seminoles had been forcibly relocated during the Trail of Tears. John TAPAHA was born around 1845 and was known for his efforts in preserving Seminole culture and traditions.

Another notable figure with the surname "TAPAHA" was Polly TAPAHA, a Seminole woman who was born in the late 1800s and was known for her skill in traditional Seminole arts and crafts, such as basket weaving and patchwork. She played an important role in passing down these traditions to younger generations.

In the early 20th century, a Seminole man named William TAPAHA was recognized for his contributions to the preservation of the Seminole language and oral traditions. He was born around 1880 and worked closely with anthropologists and linguists to document and record Seminole stories, songs, and languages.

A more contemporary figure with the surname "TAPAHA" was Betty Mae TAPAHA, a Seminole activist and educator who was born in 1925. She dedicated her life to advocating for the rights and recognition of the Seminole people, and played a crucial role in establishing educational programs and cultural centers within the Seminole communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tapaha

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

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

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

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