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

Tucker, 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 Tucker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tucker in America

Tucker is the 153rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tucker surname appeared 167,446 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 57 people would have the surname Tucker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tucker 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 Tucker

The surname Tucker has its origins in England, where it first emerged as an occupational name during the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Old English word "tucian," which means "to make full" or "to tuck." It is believed that the name was initially given to those who worked as fullers, responsible for thickening and finishing woolen cloth.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Tucker surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The surname appears as "le Tuckere" and is associated with individuals residing in various counties, including Essex, Suffolk, and Wiltshire.

In the 13th century, the surname was often spelled as "Toukere" or "Towkere," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. As the Tucker family proliferated, they established roots in various parts of England, with concentrations in counties like Somerset, Devon, and Gloucestershire.

One notable figure bearing the Tucker surname was Thomas Tucker (1554-1629), an English poet and composer who served as a chaplain to Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent individual was Benjamin Tucker (1642-1708), an English philosopher and influential thinker during the Age of Enlightenment.

The Tucker name also gained prominence in the American colonies, where several individuals made significant contributions. Samuel Tucker (1747-1833) was a renowned naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War, while John Tucker (1719-1792) was a prominent merchant and politician in colonial Virginia.

In the 19th century, the Tucker surname was associated with several notable figures, including John Randolph Tucker (1823-1897), a lawyer and politician who served as the United States Attorney General under President Grover Cleveland. Additionally, Benjamin Ricketson Tucker (1854-1939) was an influential American anarchist and publisher of the periodical "Liberty."

Throughout its history, the Tucker surname has been linked to various place names, such as Tuckersville in Pennsylvania and Tucker County in West Virginia. These place names likely originated from the presence of Tucker families in those areas, reflecting their influence and contributions to the local communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tucker

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

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

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

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