2000
#13,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,121
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.79
Rare Last name
Tapper
An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of candles or a person who extracts sap from trees.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,439 Americans carry the last name Tapper. That puts it at #13,641 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.71 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 140,531 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tapper surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Tapper with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.4K
1 in 140,531
Census rank
#13,641
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,127 bearers of the surname Tapper in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.71 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13641st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tapper, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.3%. The next largest groups are Black (16.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tapper
The surname Tapper is of English origin, with roots dating back to medieval times. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word 'tæppere,' which referred to someone who tapped or drew liquids, particularly ale, from barrels or casks. This occupation was prevalent in villages and towns across England during the Middle Ages.
The name Tapper can be found in historical records from the 13th century onwards. One of the earliest known references is in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1273, where a person named Richard le Tappere is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the evolving nature of surnames during that era.
In the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, a version of the name appears as 'Tappor,' which is believed to be an early variant of Tapper. This entry suggests that the surname may have existed even before the Norman Conquest of 1066, further solidifying its English roots.
The village of Tapping in Norfolk, England, is thought to have influenced the surname's development. Records from the 13th century indicate that individuals associated with this place were often referred to as 'de Tapping' or 'Tapping,' which eventually evolved into the modern spelling of Tapper.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the Tapper surname is found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a certain Walter le Tapper is mentioned. This document, which recorded landholders in England, provides valuable insight into the surname's usage during that period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Tapper. One such figure was Sir William Tapper (c. 1497-1572), a prominent English merchant and philanthropist who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1557. Another was John Tapper (1613-1672), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.
In the 18th century, there was Thomas Tapper (1732-1807), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London. Additionally, John Tapper (1770-1857) was a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and rose to the rank of Admiral.
The 19th century saw the birth of James Tapper (1819-1891), a British architect known for designing numerous churches and public buildings across England. His contemporary, William Tapper (1822-1905), was a renowned English artist and illustrator whose works depicted scenes from everyday life.
These examples demonstrate the widespread presence of the Tapper surname throughout the centuries, with individuals contributing to various fields and professions across England and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tapper
Among Census respondents with the surname Tapper, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.3%. The next largest groups are Black (16.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Tapper bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Tapper surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White76.3% · 1,622
- Black or African American16.2% · 345
- Two or more races3.4% · 73
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 70
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 12
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tapper
Tapper appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#12,978
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,366
+245 bearers (+11.6%)
Per 100,000 0.80
Rank movement Up 223 places
2020
#13,641
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,127
-239 bearers (-10.1%)
Per 100,000 0.71
Rank movement Down 663 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,201 | 2,121 | 0.79 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,978 | 2,366 | 0.80 | +245 bearers (+11.6%) | Up 223 places |
| 2020 | #13,641 | 2,127 | 0.71 | -239 bearers (-10.1%) | Down 663 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Tapper surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,978 | #13,641 | -5.1% |
| Count | 2,366 | 2,127 | -10.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.80 | 0.71 | -11.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tapper bearers went from 2,366 to 2,127 (-10.1% change). The surname moved down 663 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,978 to #13,641.
FAQ
Tapper surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tapper?
Name Census estimates that about 2,439 living Americans carry the surname Tapper. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 140,531 residents.
How common is Tapper?
Tapper ranks #13,641 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.71 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,127 people with the surname Tapper. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,439), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.71 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.71 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Tapper.
Has Tapper become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tapper went from 2,366 recorded bearers to 2,127. That is a decrease of 239 (-10.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,978 to #13,641.
What does the Census say about the background of Tapper?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tapper, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.3%. The next largest groups are Black (16.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Tapper in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.3% (1,622 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tapper appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (76.3%), Black (16.2%), Two or More Races (3.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Tapper (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Tapper mean?
An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of candles or a person who extracts sap from trees. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Tapper (0.71 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Tapper?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.