Tare last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Tare

A surname originating from the French word meaning "defective" or "damaged goods".

Tare, 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 Tare surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tare in America

Tare is the 112568th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tare surname appeared 156 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 Tare.

The history of the last name Tare

The surname "Tare" is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "tarre," which referred to a type of resinous wood tar or pitch used in construction and shipbuilding.

One of the earliest records of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Tare" and "Tarre." This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the Middle Ages, the name was primarily concentrated in the counties of Devon and Cornwall, which were major centers of shipbuilding and maritime trade. It is possible that the name originated among families involved in these industries, whose members may have worked with tar or pitch.

As the name spread, various spellings emerged, such as "Tare," "Tarr," "Tarra," and "Tarry." These variations likely reflected regional dialects and preferences in pronunciation and spelling.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Tare, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Devon in 1194. Another notable figure was Richard Tare, a landowner in Cornwall mentioned in the Feet of Fines for the county in 1298.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1524, where a Thomas Tare is listed. Around the same time, a John Tare is recorded as a landowner in the Manor of Holcombe Rogus in Devon in 1544.

During the 17th century, the name gained prominence with individuals like Captain John Tare, a notable sailor and explorer who commanded several voyages to the West Indies and South America between 1620 and 1640.

Another prominent figure was Sir William Tare (1592-1676), a wealthy merchant and landowner in Somerset, who served as a Member of Parliament and was knighted by King Charles I in 1642.

In the 18th century, the Tare family had established itself as a notable gentry family in Devon, with several members holding positions of influence in local government and society. One such figure was Richard Tare (1715-1792), a respected magistrate and philanthropist known for his work in improving education and social welfare in the region.

While the name has spread globally over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the maritime and industrial communities of medieval England, where the use of tar and pitch in shipbuilding and construction likely gave rise to this distinctive surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tare

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

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 Tare was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only43.59%68
Non-Hispanic Black Only8.33%13
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only45.51%71
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races(S)%(S)
Hispanic Origin(S)%(S)

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

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

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