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

Tau, 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 Tau surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tau in America

Tau is the 41359th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tau surname appeared 526 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 Tau.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tau 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 Tau

The surname "Tau" is believed to have originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the German word "tau," which means "dew" or "moisture." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a body of water or in a particularly dewy area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Tau" can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. In this text, a certain "Henricus Tau" is mentioned as a witness to a land transaction.

In the 15th century, the name appears in the records of the city of Nuremberg, where a "Johannes Tau" is listed as a merchant and member of the local guild. This indicates that the name had spread beyond its presumed origins and was becoming more widespread throughout German-speaking regions.

During the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the surname "Tau" was Petrus Tau, a Protestant theologian and reformer who lived in the German city of Strasbourg from 1528 to 1595. His writings and sermons contributed to the spread of Lutheranism in the region.

In the 17th century, the name "Tau" can be found in the records of the city of Hamburg, where a "Hans Tau" is recorded as a shipwright and member of the local shipbuilders' guild in 1642.

Another prominent individual with the surname "Tau" was Johann Tau, a German botanist and naturalist who lived from 1672 to 1741. He is known for his extensive collections and contributions to the study of plant life in the regions around the Rhine River.

As the centuries progressed, the surname "Tau" continued to be found in various parts of Germany and surrounding areas, with some individuals bearing the name emigrating to other parts of Europe and eventually to other continents as well.

It is important to note that while this surname is believed to have originated in Germany, variations of the spelling and pronunciation may exist in other languages and cultures due to migration and cultural exchange over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tau

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

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

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

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